--- {"title": "How to sort episode playlists by length for anime fans in 2026", "description": "Learn how to sort anime episode playlists by video length, check the new order, and choose between a manual list, a spreadsheet, and YTSort.", "url": "https://xpdaily.com/how-to-sort-episode-playlists-by-length-for-anime-fans/", "date": "2026-10-29"} --- Learn how to sort anime episode playlists by video length, check the new order, and choose between a manual list, a spreadsheet, and YTSort. To sort an anime episode playlist by length, list the episodes and their video durations, then arrange them from shortest to longest or longest to shortest. If the playlist belongs to your YouTube account, YTSort can reorder it by video length, show the proposed order before applying it, and sort the full playlist. [^1][^1][^1] Before changing the order, check whether the episodes need to stay in their original sequence to preserve the story. | Option | How it orders videos | Price or fee | What to check | |---|---|---|---| | Paper list or sticky note | You rank episode titles by hand. | Not published | Check each duration and preserve any episode sequence that matters. | | Spreadsheet | You sort entries using a duration column that you fill in. | Not published | Check that titles and durations remain together and confirm the order. | | YTSort | Reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. [^1] | Free. All install options include the same features. [^1] | Check playlist ownership, browser compatibility, and the proposed order before applying changes. | ## What you need before you start Sorting anime episode playlists by length can help you choose a shorter episode when time is limited or arrange a playlist before a longer viewing session. Before changing the order, decide whether episode duration matters more than the original viewing sequence. - **A playlist you own.** If you want to change the order directly on YouTube, make sure the playlist belongs to your account. For someone else's playlist, you can work from a written list or copy the videos into your own playlist first. - **The video durations.** Check the length shown on each YouTube thumbnail. You need the duration of each episode to rank the videos accurately. - **A sorting goal.** Choose shortest first if you want to start with shorter videos, or longest first if you prefer to begin with longer episodes. If you want a particular duration range, decide which videos should appear first. - **A way to record the order.** A paper list, spreadsheet, or sorting tool can help you keep track of episode titles and durations. - **A browser, if needed.** YTSort is a free browser tool that reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. [^1] Anime playlists may contain episodes that follow a continuous story. Decide whether changing their sequence will affect your viewing before applying a new order. Duration is a useful way to organize a playlist, but it does not establish which episode should come first in the story. ## Step by step These steps work whether you sort episodes by hand or use a tool to reorder a YouTube playlist. 1. **Open the episode playlist.** Find the YouTube playlist containing the anime episodes you want to organize. If you intend to change its order directly, confirm that you own it. 2. **Record the episode titles and durations.** Note each video's title and the length displayed on its thumbnail. Include every episode you want to consider, not only the videos currently visible on screen. 3. **Check the viewing sequence.** Look at the existing episode order before making changes. If the episodes form a continuing story, decide whether moving them could make the plot harder to follow. You can keep a separate viewing list if you want to experiment with a duration-based order. 4. **Choose the sorting direction.** Shortest to longest puts videos with shorter runtimes first. Longest to shortest puts the longer videos at the top. Choose the direction that matches the time available for your viewing session. 5. **Decide how to handle episodes outside your preferred duration.** If you only want to prioritize episodes within a particular length range, separate those from the rest. YTSort can sort videos within a duration range and move the remaining videos to the end. [^1] 6. **Arrange the list.** With paper, move the titles into the chosen order. In a spreadsheet, sort the rows using the duration column after entering each video's length. With YTSort, choose the desired duration order for the playlist. [^1] 7. **Review the proposed order.** Read the titles from top to bottom and check for episodes that should remain together. YTSort shows the before and after order so you can review the changes before applying them. [^1] 8. **Apply the changes if the order looks right.** If you are using a manual list, keep the revised list for reference. If you are using YTSort, apply the proposed order to your playlist. The tool sorts the full playlist rather than only the videos loaded on screen. [^1] 9. **Check the resulting playlist.** Confirm that the episode order matches the intended duration sequence. YTSort reads the playlist back from YouTube after sorting and reapplies moves that did not stick. [^1] 10. **Keep a viewing plan.** If the duration order is for a particular session, note which episodes you plan to watch. For a story that depends on episode sequence, use the original viewing order when following the plot matters more than runtime. ## Tools that can do it You do not need a dedicated tool to organize an anime episode list. A paper list or spreadsheet can help you plan the order, while a browser tool can make changes to a YouTube playlist you own. **Paper list or sticky note.** Write each episode title beside its duration, then rank the entries by hand. This works as a viewing plan without requiring a change to the playlist itself. Check the list carefully if you need to preserve the original episode sequence. **A spreadsheet.** Create columns for episode title and duration, then sort the entries by the duration column. Keep the title and its duration on the same row so that the information stays together. The spreadsheet can also serve as a reference if you decide not to change the YouTube playlist. **YTSort.** YTSort is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a free browser tool that reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. [^1][^1] It shows the proposed order before applying it and can sort the full playlist, including videos that are not loaded on screen. [^1][^1] YTSort also shows the playlist's total, average, shortest, and longest video duration. [^1] It can export each video's position, title, duration, and URL to a CSV file, which can be opened in spreadsheet software. [^1] You can get YTSort as a bookmark that runs it, a browser script, or a Chrome Web Store extension. [^1] The extension needs Chrome or Edge. The script version works in any browser, including Firefox, when used with Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey, or Greasemonkey. [^1] YTSort is open-source software under the GPL-2.0-only licence, and its install options include the same features. [^1][^1] Choose the approach based on what needs to change. If you only need a personal viewing plan, a written list may be enough. If you want the YouTube playlist itself reordered by duration, consider a tool that supports that specific task. ## Common mistakes to avoid **Changing the story sequence without checking it.** Anime episodes may depend on earlier events. A shortest-first order can put later episodes before earlier ones, so review the titles before applying changes. **Sorting only the episodes currently visible.** A playlist may contain more videos than are loaded on screen. If you use a sorting tool, check whether it handles the full playlist. YTSort sorts the full playlist rather than only the videos loaded on screen. [^1] **Mixing up episode titles and durations.** When recording durations in a spreadsheet, keep each title and its length together on the same row. Otherwise, the resulting order may no longer match the correct videos. **Choosing the wrong direction.** Shortest first and longest first produce different viewing plans. Check the selected direction before applying a new order. **Applying changes without reviewing them.** Read the proposed list before committing to it. YTSort provides a before and after view so you can inspect the new order first. [^1] **Assuming duration tells you what to watch next.** Runtime indicates how long a video is, not whether it belongs earlier in the story. Keep the original episode sequence when narrative continuity is the priority. **Forgetting what the new order was meant to achieve.** A duration-based playlist can help plan a viewing session, but the order should still serve the way you want to watch. Review the list whenever your priorities change. ## Things to check before you choose Before changing an anime playlist, check how you plan to use the new order. A duration sort can help you locate shorter or longer videos, but it does not decide which episodes belong together in a story. If the playlist contains a complete season, consider whether a separate duration-based list would be more useful than changing the original viewing order. If you want to change the playlist itself, check that you own it and review the proposed sequence before applying the changes. If you are considering a browser tool, check which browsers it supports, whether it can handle the full playlist, and whether it lets you inspect the proposed order before making changes. YTSort supports Chrome and Edge through its extension, as well as browser scripts used with a compatible script manager. [^1] Its before and after view lets you review the proposed order before applying it. [^1] ## Frequently asked questions ### How to sort anime episode playlists by length? List each episode title and its video duration, then arrange the entries from shortest to longest or longest to shortest. If you only need a viewing plan, a paper list or spreadsheet can work. If you want to reorder a YouTube playlist you own, YTSort can sort the videos by duration. [^1] Review the episode sequence before applying changes if the anime follows a continuous story. ### Can YTSort sort anime episodes from shortest to longest? Yes. YTSort reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, with either the shortest or longest videos first. [^1] Before applying the new order, you can view the proposed arrangement. [^1] This lets you check whether the resulting sequence makes sense for your viewing plans before changing the playlist. ### Can YTSort sort a full YouTube anime playlist? YTSort sorts the full playlist rather than only the videos loaded on screen. [^1] After sorting, it reads the playlist back from YouTube and reapplies moves that did not stick. [^1] Review the order before applying it, especially when the anime follows a continuous story. ### Which browsers support YTSort? The YTSort extension needs Chrome or Edge. The browser script version works in any browser, including Firefox, when used with Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey, or Greasemonkey. [^1] YTSort is also available as a bookmark that runs it. [^1] Check the installation instructions for the option that matches your browser and preferred way of using the tool. ### Is YTSort free for anime episode playlists? YTSort is free, and all its installation options include the same features. [^1] It can reorder a YouTube playlist you own by video length, with the shortest or longest videos first. [^1] If you only need to plan a viewing order without changing a playlist, a paper list or spreadsheet is another option. ### Can YTSort sort only anime episodes within a certain duration? YTSort can sort videos within a specified length range and move the remaining videos to the end. [^1] This can help when you want to prioritize episodes that fit a particular viewing window. Review the resulting order before applying it, and remember that video length does not indicate where an episode belongs in the story. ### Can YTSort show anime episode durations and export them? YTSort shows the playlist's total, average, shortest, and longest video duration. [^1] It can also export each video's position, title, duration, and URL to a CSV file. [^1] These details can help you plan a viewing session or keep a separate record of episode lengths without relying only on the playlist's displayed order. YTSort is free; all install options include the same features. [^1] - [Visit YTSort](/go/start-ytsort) ## Sources [^1]: YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/start-ytsort)