How to undo sort in excel

Answer

Undo sort means reversing a sorting action to restore the original order of the worksheet. To undo a sort in Excel immediately after performing it, use the Undo command.

Windows and Mac

1. Press Ctrl + Z on Windows or Command + Z on Mac.

2. Click the Undo button in the Quick Access Toolbar.

Excel restores the exact order that existed before the sort.

How to Undo Sort in Excel When You Made Other Edits After Sorting

Excel does not let you directly revert the sort after other actions. A manual restoration method is required.

Restore Original Order Using a Helper Column

To restore the original order using a helper column, create a reference before running the sort.

1. Insert a new column to the left of your data.

2. Enter 1 in the first cell and 2 in the next cell.

3. Drag the fill handle down to number all rows.

4. Run your sort normally.

5. Sort again by the helper column to return to the original order.

6. Delete the helper column.

This method works because each row receives a unique index that preserves the initial sequence.

How to Undo Sort in Excel Tables

Excel Tables store row order automatically through data structure behavior.

Steps

1. Click any cell inside the table.

2. Open the Table Design tab.

3. Use Sort → Clear to remove sorting filters.

4. Reapply the helper-column method when the table uses multiple sorts.

How to Undo Sort in Excel with Filters

Excel filters sort only visible rows. Undoing is identical to undoing a normal sort.

Steps

1. Press Ctrl + Z on Windows or Command + Z on Mac.

2. Remove all sorts by selecting Data → Sort & Filter → Clear.

How to Undo Sort When the Workbook Was Saved and Closed

Excel does not maintain row order history after closing. Recovery requires a backup.

Options

1. Restore a saved version from File → Info → Version History.

2. Use a helper column from earlier versions if one existed.

3. Import an earlier backup copy if available.

How to Prevent Losing Original Order in Future Sorts

Using a unique index column prevents permanent loss of order.

Steps

1. Insert a column named Original_Order.

2. Fill it with consecutive integers.

3. Hide the column for cleaner presentation.

4. Sort data freely.

5. Restore original order by sorting by Original_Order.

When Are Formulas Needed?

No formulas or LaTeX are required to answer this question completely.

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