How to sort YouTube subscriptions alphabetically (computer, phone and TV)
To sort YouTube subscriptions alphabetically, open the full channel list (on a computer, go to Subscriptions and click Manage; in the Android or iPhone app, tap Subscriptions and then All), open the sort drop-down at the top and pick A-Z. The default order is Most relevant, which YouTube calculates from your viewing habits. The YouTube app on smart TVs lost its alphabetical list in late 2024 and offers no sort option.
This guide covers where the sort control lives on each device, what the sort orders do, why the TV list ignores your choice, and what replaced the old subscription collections.
How to change the order of YouTube subscriptions on a computer
YouTube on the web lets you change the order of your subscriptions list on the channel management page. The sort choice applies to that list; the Subscriptions video feed itself always shows the newest uploads first.
- Sign in to YouTube in your browser.
- Open the Subscriptions feed.
- Click Manage in the upper right of the feed to open the list of all channels you follow.
- Open the sort drop-down at the top of the list.
- Select A-Z to put your YouTube subscriptions in alphabetical order.
The same page is where you unsubscribe from channels in bulk, so it is worth a visit if the list has grown long. Channels that are streaming live at that moment may still appear above the alphabetical list. YouTube also caps how many channels one account can follow; the YouTube Help page on subscriptions lists 75 new subscriptions per day and a general maximum of 2,000 channels, a limit ghacks covered when YouTube introduced the too many subscriptions message.
How to sort YouTube subscriptions in the mobile app
The YouTube app for Android and iPhone sorts subscriptions from the All channels view. According to YouTube Help, you reach the channel list by tapping All and can filter it with the drop-down arrow at the top.
- Open the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in.
- Tap Subscriptions, or Subs in the top bar of the Home tab in newer versions of the app.
- Tap All at the end of the row of channel avatars.
- Tap the drop-down at the top of the list.
- Choose A-Z for alphabetical order, or another sort order.
A dot next to a channel name means it has new content, and the word Live marks a channel that is streaming. The choice you make in the app is not synced to the YouTube app on your TV, which follows its own layout.
What the YouTube subscription sort orders mean
YouTube offers a small set of sort orders for the subscriptions list, and each one answers a different question.
| Sort order | How it orders channels | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Most relevant (default) | Algorithmic order based on what you watch and how often | Seeing your most watched channels first |
| New activity | Channels with recent uploads or activity first | Catching up after a few days away |
| A-Z | Alphabetical by channel name | Finding a specific channel fast in a long list |
Most relevant is the reason the list seems to shuffle itself: the order shifts as your viewing changes, so a channel you watch weekly can drop down while one you opened once moves up. A-Z is the only order that keeps every channel in a fixed position, which makes it the practical choice once you follow more than a few dozen creators.
Can you sort YouTube subscriptions alphabetically on TV?
No, the YouTube app on smart TVs, streaming sticks and game consoles currently has no option to sort subscriptions alphabetically. Users reported in November 2024 that the alphabetical subscriptions list had disappeared from the TV app, and the TeamYouTube support account answered that YouTube was testing different layouts. User reports into 2025 said the alphabetical order had not returned, and YouTube has not documented a sort control for the TV app.
What you can do on a TV:
- Use the search function on the TV to jump straight to a channel by name.
- Prune the list on a computer or phone: fewer channels make the TV list easier to scan.
- Use your phone to cast: pick the channel in the mobile app, where A-Z works, and send the video to the TV with the cast button.
What happened to YouTube subscription collections
YouTube subscription collections are gone. YouTube once let you group channels into named collections (for example music, games or tech) that appeared as folders above your subscriptions, and opening a collection showed only uploads from its channels. YouTube removed collections years ago, together with the sidebar arrow that switched sort orders.
There is no built-in replacement for grouping channels today. Options that remain:
- Sort the list A-Z and use your browser's find-in-page search (Ctrl+F) on the channel management page.
- Use playlists or Watch Later to collect videos by topic instead of channels.
- Use a browser extension that adds groups to the subscriptions page, as covered in our guide to grouping YouTube subscriptions by topic. Check the extension's permissions and recent updates in the Chrome Web Store before installing, since extensions that read your YouTube pages can break or change owners.
FAQ
Why does my YouTube subscriptions list keep changing order?
The default Most relevant order is recalculated from your viewing activity, so channels move up and down over time. Switch the list to A-Z to keep the order fixed.
Does sorting change my Subscriptions feed?
No. The sort setting only changes the list of channels. The Subscriptions feed still shows videos from all channels, newest first.
Can I drag channels into a custom order?
No. YouTube does not offer manual ordering of subscriptions on any device; the closest option is the A-Z sort.
Related: why YouTube says your watch history is off, stop automatic translations on YouTube, YouTube subscription limits explained
Wrong, there is no “tiny down arrow” next to subscriptions on YouTube!
It’s not true that YouTube makes the order due to the most relevant. For example I watch 60 Australia every week but YouTube has put 60 Minutes America at the top.
Also I’m a regular watcher of channel 9 news Australia and Sky News Australia as well as Fox News America but none of those 3 are at the top.
Okay this was a quick fix that worked, Go to the channel and unsubscribe and than re-subscribe in the order you want it listed.
I’ve finally found out how we can sort it. We must use phone application. I using Android.
Open the YouTube app. Then choose subscriptions. Select “all” at the top. And after that you’ll see your subscriptions list and drop-down menu with sorting type. Choose “A_Z”.
Hope you get what I mean & find it.
Good luck
You can sort alphabetically if you use mobile- Go to Subscriptions> Click “ALL” button at the top of the screen to bring you to the Channel List, you can sort the list A-Z, then this setting is retained on PC or other browsers
REALLY STUPID that they got rid of the option on PC
MrAustin you are awesome THANX
This worked! Thanks !!
There is still no way of sorting subscriptions in alphabetical order, also the advice in the comment section are wrong, there is not way of sorting.
I just sent a feedback to YouTube and asked them to add the function back.
At the bottom of this page:
https://www.youtube.com/t/contact_us/
One can see “Send Feedback”, the link is:
https://support.google.com/youtube/?hl=en
Please everyone make an effort bring it back, send feedback to YouTube.
ps. Is there any browser extension etc that can fix it?
Go to the ‘Manage’ function on subscription page (next to the listing styles options on upper right of page) and you will see all your subscriptions listed alphabetically. Click on the channel you wish to view now that you can easily find it on the list and you will be magically transported via the Tardis to the relevant subscription channel.
youtube.com/subscription_manager
You people need to get this garbage the fuck off of the internet. It’s SIX years old! I’m sick of your outdated TRASH being the #1 search result on Google some-fucking-how even though it’s SIX God damned years old and insanely outdated. What the fuck world do we live in?!
Some people just don’t know how to read. No use in trying to help them learn ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This guide was last updated in May 2019. There is a link to an extension that works.
FYI if you use the youtube app on mobile the option to sort your subscriptions by A-Z, new activity etc. still exists. And changes to the order on mobile carry over to your browser because they are saved in your youtube account.
Might be a workaround for those not using chrome…
Sorry fro being dense here, I have YouTube on my Galaxy S9 but can’t find the option to sort. I’ve looked under sub-menus but still nothing. Suggestions on where I can find the Sort A-Z option?
There is no arrow for me?
No arrow for me either
James, you are right. YouTube removed the option and collections. While you can restore collections with the help of a browser extension, sorting seems dead. I update the guide to reflect those changes!
Is there any solution to this as of April 2019, having a few hundreds of subscription it takes an awful long time to go through the list. :(
The way to sort and manage subscriptions on Youtube sucks. They were subscriptions group by topics, in the past, now it’s just awfully messy. And I’m even forced to use a script to see which video I’ve already watched. I’m looking for a web service to sort them. Maybe someone will make such a service, with the watching time, and the video that hasn’t been watched in the subscriptions.
Does the default order comes in the order of subscription?
Thank You! such a simple setting but i never knew it existed. I was getting annoyed because it seemed every other day the order would be different