How to reorder video tracks by song length for music listeners in 2026

A plain guide for music listeners to reorder video tracks by song length, with steps, the tools to try and the mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily · 2026-10-13

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

Find the play time of each track, order the playlist by song length, and start at the top. You can do it by hand on paper or in a spreadsheet.

Option	How it orders tracks
Paper list or sticky note	You rank by hand
Spreadsheet	You sort by a length column you fill in
YTSort	Reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first ^[1]

What you need before you start

Reordering video tracks by song length takes only a few things.

A playlist you own. Reordering a playlist in place only works on one that belongs to your account. For someone else's playlist, you can copy the tracks into your own first or work from a written list.
The play time of each track. YouTube shows it on each thumbnail. You need it to rank the tracks by length.
A reason for ordering by length. It might be to fit a short listening break or to lead with shorter tracks. Know which, because it decides what you do with the long tracks.
A place to keep the order. The playlist itself, a paper list or a spreadsheet all work. What matters is that the order lives in one place.
A web browser. Only needed if you want a tool to do the sorting. Add the tool to your browser once, before you start, following its own instructions.

Set aside a quiet block before you begin listening. Reordering while you are already listening tends to break your flow.

Step by step

These steps work with any tool, including a pen and a sheet of paper.

Open the playlist you want to reorder. Make sure you can access the playlist before choosing a way to put the tracks in length order.
List every track with its play time. Write the title and the time shown on the thumbnail. Do not reorder yet.
Mark tracks that must stay together. Some mixes and live sets build in a fixed order. If one track runs straight into the next, keep those two together.
Rank the rest by song length. Decide shortest first or longest first, then put the top of the list in that place.
Decide what happens to the very long tracks. Leave them at the end or keep them for a longer listening block.
Check the order before you commit. Read the new list once from top to bottom and look for tracks that now sit in a confusing place.
Apply the order. Reorder the playlist by hand, or use a tool that does it for you.
Listen from the top. Start with the first track and move down the list.
Keep notes as you go. Tracks pass quickly, so a line or two per track helps the sequence feel deliberate.
Review after the first few sessions. If the length order is not helping you listen, change it.

Tools that can do it

You do not need software for this. Here are options to consider.

Paper list or sticky note. You write each title and length and rank them by hand. Nothing is published here about price or limits because it depends on what you already own.

A spreadsheet. A column for the title, a column for length and a sort on the length column gives you a length-ordered list. Check how it behaves on your phone if you plan to use it away from your desk. Facts about specific spreadsheet apps are not provided here, so check their own pages for limits and cost.

YTSort. YTSort is made by the team that publishes this site. YTSort is one option. Reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. ^[1]

You can get YTSort through a bookmark, a browser script, or a Chrome Web Store extension. ^[1] The extension needs Chrome or Edge, and the script version works in any browser, including Firefox, with Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey installed. ^[1] After sorting, it reads the playlist back from YouTube and re-applies any moves that did not stick. ^[1] It sorts the full playlist, not just the tracks loaded on screen. ^[1] It shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Splitting a track sequence where the order matters. If one track runs straight into the next, a pure length sort can break the flow. Keep connected tracks together.

Trusting the order without a look. Read the new order once before you start. A quick check catches tracks that ended up in an odd spot.

Forgetting the long tracks. Moving them to the end is fine, but give them their own listening time or they never get played.

Trying to reorder a playlist that is not yours. Check who owns it first. If it is not yours, copy the tracks into your own playlist or keep a written list.

Never reviewing the order. If the length order is not suiting your mood or plan, change the approach instead of sticking with it.

Frequently asked questions

How to reorder a YouTube music playlist by song length?

List each track with its play time, rank them from shortest to longest or longest to shortest, then apply that order to the playlist by hand. For a playlist you own, a tool can do the ranking for you. Check each tool's current details before choosing how to reorder your music playlist.

Can YTSort reorder a music playlist by song length?

YTSort is a free browser tool that reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. ^[1] It sends requests to YouTube's own system using your existing session, with no dragging or scrolling. ^[1] After sorting, it reads the playlist back from YouTube and re-applies any moves that did not stick. ^[1]

Can the new playlist order be checked before it is applied?

With YTSort, yes. It shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying. ^[1] With a paper list or spreadsheet, you see the order as you write it, so read it through once before you start listening.

Which browsers work with YTSort?

The add-on needs Chrome or Edge. The script works in any browser, including Firefox, once you add a script manager such as Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey, a small add-on that runs scripts for you. ^[1] It can also be run from a bookmark. ^[1]

Should music listeners always sort a playlist by shortest song first?

Not always. If tracks run together as one piece of music, keep them in their original order. Shortest first can suit a short listening break. For longer albums or sets, review the order after a few sessions and change it if needed. Let each listener match the length order to how they plan to listen.

YTSort is free; all install options include the same features. ^[1]

Try YTSort

Sources

YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)