How to Sort by Date in Excel (and why it sorts wrong)

Real dates sort perfectly. Text that looks like dates sorts alphabetically — 1 Apr before 3 Jan. Here is both the sort and the fix.

Steps

1. Click any cell in the date column. Do not select the column.
2. Data › Sort Oldest to Newest (the A→Z button; it changes its name for dates).

Whole rows move together.

Check it worked

The first row has the earliest date, and the item next to it is still the right item.

It sorted wrong

Dates are text. Test: =ISNUMBER(A2) — FALSE means text. Fix: select the column › Data › Text to Columns › Next › Next › Date (DMY) › Finish. Sort again.

Sort by month, ignoring the year (birthdays)

1. In a helper column: =MONTH(A2)*100+DAY(A2). Drag down.
2. Sort by the helper column.

Sort by date, then by name

Data › Sort › Sort by Date › Add Level › Then by Name. OK.

Newest first

Data › Sort Newest to Oldest (the Z→A button).

Common mistake

Selecting just the date column and choosing “Continue with the current selection” — dates sort but the other columns stay, and every row is now wrong. Choose Expand the selection, or Ctrl + Z.