how to fix search order in word

Janis Worley 0 Reputation points
2026-08-05T18:01:30.9333333+00:00

When I click browse to find a file in Word, it provides the list in date order, based on most recently accessed. I can't find a way to display this list in alphabetical order - even changing to view by details and sorting by name doesn't do it, it remains in date order. This is horrible in folders with many files - why can't we show the list in alphabetical order regardless of when it was last accessed?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Lucus-V 10,435 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-09T15:58:29.4166667+00:00

    Hi Janis Worley,

    When you mention "last access," do you mean the last access in the Word file browser or in File Explorer?

    If you mean the Word file browser, there is currently no official way to set the default sort order to Name after changing it. Word remembers the last sorting preference and uses that as the default.

    If you mean File Explorer, you can configure the sort order for the Word file browser separately. Simply click the Name column header to sort by name. Word should remember this setting for future sessions.

    If you have further information, please feel free to let me know.

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