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How to plan a course playlist by length for online learners in 2026

Plan a course playlist by video length: what to prepare, the steps to follow, tools that can reorder it, and mistakes that waste study time.

By XP Daily ยท

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

List every video with its length, decide how much time you have per session, then order the playlist so each session fits that time. YTSort can reorder a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. [1]

OptionCostWhere it runs
YTSort as a Chrome Web Store extensionFree, same features in every install option [2]Extension needs Chrome or Edge [3]
YTSort as a Greasy Fork userscriptFree, same features in every install option [2]Any browser with a userscript manager, including Firefox [3]
YTSort as a bookmarkletFree, same features in every install option [2]not published

What you need before you start

Planning by length works best when you know your limits before you touch the playlist. Gather a few things first.

If the course has a required order, such as lessons that build on each other, mark which videos must stay in sequence.

Step by step

These steps work with any tool, or with pen and paper.

  1. List every video and its length. Write the title and running time of each lesson. Add the totals so you know how much viewing the whole course holds. Some tools show the total, average, shortest and longest duration for you. [5]
  2. Set a session size. Pick the amount of time you will give each sitting. Use your smaller window, not your biggest, so a busy day does not break the plan.
  3. Mark the fixed lessons. Note any lesson that must come before another. These keep their place no matter how long they are.
  4. Choose an ordering idea. Shortest first gives quick early wins and builds the habit. Longest first clears the heavy lessons while your energy is fresh. Pick one and stay with it. A tool that sorts by duration can do either, shortest or longest first. [1]
  5. Group lessons into sessions. Add lessons until a session is full, then start the next. Leave a little spare time for notes and pauses.
  6. Handle the outliers. Very short clips can be bundled into one sitting. Very long lectures may need their own day, or a break in the middle.
  7. Preview before you commit. Look at the new order before you apply it. Some tools show the before and after order so you can check it. [6]
  8. Apply the order and check it. Open the playlist and confirm the lessons sit where you planned. Some tools read the playlist back from YouTube and re-apply any moves that did not stick. [7]
  9. Review after the first week. If sessions run over, shrink the session size or move a long lesson to a lighter day.

Tools that can do it

You can plan by length with a notebook, a spreadsheet, or a tool that reorders the playlist for you.

YTSort is made by the team that publishes this site. It reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. [1] It sorts the full playlist, not just the videos loaded on screen. [8] It moves videos using your existing YouTube login rather than dragging them. [9] If that route is unavailable, it falls back to automated drag-and-drop. [10]

For planning, a few features matter. It shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying. [6] It can sort only videos within a length range and move the rest to the end. [11] It shows total, average, shortest and longest video duration for the playlist. [5] It can export position, title, duration and URL of every video to a CSV file for a spreadsheet plan. [4]

YTSort is free, and all install options include the same features. [2] You can install it as a bookmarklet, a Greasy Fork userscript, or a Chrome Web Store extension. [12] It runs in a browser: the extension needs Chrome or Edge, and the userscript works in any browser with a userscript manager (Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey), including Firefox. [3]

If you consider another tool or a manual method, check whether it works on playlists you own, whether it handles the whole playlist, and whether you can preview the result.

Common mistakes to avoid

Sorting before you know the required order. If lessons depend on each other, a pure length sort can put an advanced lesson ahead of its basics. Mark fixed lessons first, and keep them out of the sort. A length range filter can help with this. [11]

Planning around your best day. A plan sized for a free weekend fails on a busy Tuesday. Size sessions for your smaller window.

Forgetting the extra time. Running time is not study time. Notes, pauses, rewatching and exercises all add to it, so leave room.

Skipping the preview. Applying an order you have not looked at can bury a lesson you wanted early. Check the before and after order first. [6]

Not checking the result. After any reorder, open the playlist and confirm it matches the plan. Some tools do this check for you. [7]

Trying to reorder a playlist you do not own. Save the lessons into your own playlist first.

Never reviewing. A plan is a guess about your week. Adjust it after the first few sessions.

Frequently asked questions

Should a course playlist go shortest first or longest first?

It depends on your goal. Shortest first gives quick early progress and helps build a habit. Longest first clears the heavy lessons while you are fresh. A tool that sorts by duration can do either, shortest or longest first. [1] Keep any lessons with a required order fixed in place.

How to find the total length of a YouTube playlist?

Add up the running time of each video by hand, or use a tool that reports it. Some show total, average, shortest and longest video duration for the playlist. [5] Knowing the total tells you how many sessions the course needs at your chosen session size.

Can a YouTube playlist be sorted by video length for free?

Yes, YTSort is free, and all install options include the same features. [2] It reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length. [1] You can also sort by hand with a notebook or spreadsheet plan.

Can the new order be previewed before it changes a playlist?

Some tools allow it. YTSort shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying. [6] If you use another method, check whether it offers a preview, and look over the playlist right after any change.

How to keep a few lessons out of a playlist length sort?

Mark the lessons that must stay in sequence, then sort only the rest. YTSort can sort only videos within a length range and move the rest to the end. [11] Afterward, open the playlist and place the fixed lessons where the course needs them.

YTSort is free; all install options include the same features. [2]

Try YTSort

Sources

  1. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  2. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  3. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  4. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  5. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  6. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  7. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  8. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  9. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  10. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  11. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  12. YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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