How to sort videos from shortest to longest for playlist time budgeters

Sort a playlist from shortest to longest video with paper, a spreadsheet or YTSort. Steps, tools and common mistakes for planning your watch time.

By XP Daily · 2026-11-01

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, rank the list from shortest to longest, and then apply that order to the playlist. You can do it on paper, in a spreadsheet, or with a tool that reorders a playlist for you.

Option	How it orders videos	Cost
Paper list or sticky note	You rank by hand	Not published; depends on what you already have
Spreadsheet	You sort by a length column you fill in	Not published here
YTSort	Reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first ^[1]	Free, with the same features in every install option ^[1]

What you need before you start

Sorting videos by length takes only a few things, and most of them you probably have already.

A playlist you can change. Reordering only makes sense on a playlist you can edit. If the list belongs to someone else, copy the videos into your own list or work from a written copy.
The length of each video. YouTube shows it on each thumbnail, and you need it to rank the videos.
A reason for going short first. It might be to fit a free half hour or to ease into a course. Knowing which one decides what you do with the long videos.
A place to keep the order. The playlist itself, a paper list or a spreadsheet all work.
A browser, if you want a tool. Only needed if you plan to use an add-on or script to do the sorting. Set it up once, before you need it, following the tool's own instructions.

Set aside a short block before you begin, since sorting while you are already watching breaks 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 sort. Make sure you can see every video in it before you choose a method.
List every video with its length. Write the title and the time shown on the thumbnail. Do not sort yet.
Mark videos that must stay in order. Some courses build on earlier lessons. If lesson two needs lesson one, keep those two together.
Rank the rest from shortest to longest. Put the shortest at the top.
Decide what happens to the very long videos. You can leave them at the end or set them aside for a longer free block.
Check the order before you commit. Read the new list once from top to bottom and look for lessons that now sit in a confusing place.
Apply the order. Reorder the playlist by hand, or use a tool that does it for you.
Watch from the top. Start with the first video and move down the list.
Keep notes as you go. Short videos pass quickly, so a line or two per video helps the ideas stick.
Review after the first few sessions. If the order does not suit your schedule, change it.

Tools that can do it

Each option below sorts in a different way, so pick the one that fits how much time you have.

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

A spreadsheet. A title column, a length column and a sort on the length column give you a shortest-first list. Check how it works on your phone if you plan to use it away from your desk. Nothing is published here about specific spreadsheet apps, so check each one's own page for limits and cost.

YTSort. It is one option among the others here. It reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. ^[1] Before anything changes, it shows the before and after order so you can check it. ^[1] It is free, and every install option includes the same features. ^[1] You can get it as a bookmark that runs it, a browser script, or a Chrome Web Store extension. ^[1] The extension needs Chrome or Edge, and the script works in any browser, including Firefox, once Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey is installed. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Sorting a course that builds lesson by lesson. If later videos rely on earlier ones, a pure shortest-first order can leave you confused. Keep dependent lessons together.

Trusting the order without a look. Read the new order once from top to bottom before you start.

Forgetting the long videos. Moving them to the end is fine, but give them a set day or they may never get watched.

Working on a playlist you do not own. Changing the order of a playlist you do not own may not be possible. Check who owns it first, and if it is not yours, copy the videos into your own list or keep a written one.

Watching without notes. Short videos pass quickly, so a line per video helps the ideas stick.

Never reviewing the order. If the order does not suit your schedule after a few sessions, change it.

Frequently asked questions

How do you sort a YouTube playlist from shortest to longest?

Start by listing each video with its length, since the thumbnail shows it. Rank the list from shortest to longest, then apply that order to the playlist by hand. Some people prefer a tool for this step. YTSort reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. ^[1] Check each tool's own details before you choose one.

Can YTSort show the new order before it changes a playlist?

Yes. YTSort 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 from top to bottom before you start watching. It is also worth checking that lessons which depend on each other still sit in a sensible sequence.

Which browsers work with YTSort?

The extension needs Chrome or Edge. The script version works in any browser, including Firefox, once you add a script manager such as Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey, which is a small add-on that runs scripts for you. ^[1] You can also run YTSort from a bookmark. ^[1] Check the setup steps in the tool's own instructions before you start.

Is YTSort free to use?

Yes. YTSort is free, and all of its install options include the same features. ^[1] It is free, open-source software under the GPL-2.0-only licence. ^[1] Costs for the other options on this page are not published here, so check their own pages before you decide.

Should a course always be watched shortest video first?

Not always. If a course builds lesson by lesson, keep dependent lessons in their original order and sort only within the parts that stand alone. Shortest first can suit a free half hour well. For long courses, review the order after a few sessions and change it if it no longer helps you learn. Your own schedule and goals decide which order works for you.

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)