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How to sort videos by duration for travelers in 2026

A plain guide for travelers to sort videos by duration, with steps, the tools to try and the mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily ยท

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

Find the length of each video, decide the order you want (shortest first or longest first), and apply it. You can do it by hand on paper or in a spreadsheet.

OptionHow it orders videos
Paper or a notes appYou rank by hand
SpreadsheetYou sort by a length column you fill in
YTSortReorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first [1]

What you need before you start

A few things make sorting videos by duration easy while you travel.

Set the order before your trip starts. Sorting while you wait for a train tends to break your flow.

Step by step

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

  1. Open the playlist you want to sort. Make sure you can access the playlist before choosing a way to order the videos.
  2. List every video with its length. Write the title and the time shown on the thumbnail. Do not sort yet.
  3. Mark videos that must stay in order. Some series build on earlier episodes. If part two needs part one, keep those two together.
  4. Rank the rest by duration. Put the shortest first or the longest first, whichever fits your travel plan.
  5. Decide what happens to the very long videos. You can leave them at the end or save them for a longer block at home.
  6. Check the order before you commit. Read the new list once from top to bottom and look for videos that now sit in a confusing place.
  7. Apply the order. Reorder the playlist by hand, or use a tool that does it for you.
  8. Watch from the top. Start with the first video and move down the list.
  9. Keep notes as you go. Short videos pass quickly, so a line or two per video helps you remember which you have seen.
  10. Review after the first few sessions. If the order is not helping your travel time, change it.

Tools that can do it

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

Paper or a notes app. 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 duration-ordered list. Check how it behaves on your phone if you plan to use it away from home. 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. It reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. [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 videos loaded on screen. [1] It shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying. [1]

YTSort is free, and all install options include the same features. [1] You can get it 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]

Common mistakes to avoid

Sorting a series that builds episode by episode. If later videos rely on earlier ones, a pure duration order can leave you confused. Keep dependent episodes together.

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

Forgetting the long videos. Moving them to the end is fine, but give them a block to be watched or they never get done.

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

Depending on internet on the road. Some sorting ways need a connection, so do the sorting before you travel, following each tool's own instructions.

Never reviewing the order. If the order is not working for your travel time, change the approach instead of sticking with it.

Frequently asked questions

Can YTSort sort a YouTube playlist by duration for travelers?

Yes. YTSort 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. [1] After sorting, it reads the playlist back from YouTube and re-applies any moves that did not stick. [1] You choose which order fits your travel plan before you apply it.

Can the new 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 a spreadsheet, you see the order as you write it, so read it through once before you start watching.

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]

Does YTSort cost anything?

No. YTSort is free, and all install options include the same features. [1] It is free, open-source software under the GPL-2.0-only licence. [1] The free version sorts the full playlist, so travelers do not need a paid plan to order videos by duration. [1]

Can YTSort sort only part of a playlist by duration?

Yes. YTSort can sort only videos within a length range and move the rest to the end. [1] It also shows the total, average, shortest and longest video duration for the playlist. [1] It can export the position, title, duration and URL of every video to a CSV file. [1]

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

Try YTSort

Sources

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

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