# How to reverse the order of a list in Excel

Sort by the row positions, largest first: `=SORTBY(A2:A9,SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:A9)),-1)` returns the list from bottom to top.

**Excel:** `=SORTBY(A2:A9,SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:A9)),-1)` (Excel 2021, 2024 and Microsoft 365)

**Google Sheets:** `=SORT(A2:A9,SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:A9)),FALSE)`

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Step |  | Reversed |
| Unpack the box |  |  |
| Check the parts |  |  |
| Attach the legs |  |  |
| Fit the shelf |  |  |
| Tighten the bolts |  |  |
| Turn it upright |  |  |
| Level the feet |  |  |
| Load the shelf |  |  |

Formula in C2: `=SORTBY(A2:A9,SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:A9)),-1)`

Result (spills 8 × 1): Load the shelf; Level the feet; Turn it upright; Tighten the bolts; Fit the shelf; Attach the legs; Check the parts; Unpack the box

## How it works

SEQUENCE numbers the items 1 to 8 by position. Sorting the list by those numbers in descending order, `-1`, puts position 8 first and position 1 last. The items themselves aren't compared, so this works for text, numbers or dates. In Google Sheets, SORT takes the positions as its sort column.

## Other ways

- `=CHOOSEROWS(A2:A9,SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:A9),1,-1,-1))`: CHOOSEROWS accepts negative row numbers, counted from the end, so -1, -2, … -8 reads the list backwards. Works in Google Sheets too.
- `=INDEX(A2:A9,ROWS(A2:A9)+1-SEQUENCE(ROWS(A2:A9)))`: For Excel 2021, which has SEQUENCE but no CHOOSEROWS.

## Common mistakes

- Sorting Z to A is not the same as reversing: it orders by the text, not by position.
- Typing the count, `SEQUENCE(8)`, breaks the formula when the list grows. `ROWS(A2:A9)` keeps it in step with the range.

## Questions

**How do I flip a row left to right?**

Use CHOOSECOLS with negative numbers: `=CHOOSECOLS(A1:F1,SEQUENCE(1,COLUMNS(A1:F1),-1,-1))`.

**How do I reverse text inside one cell?**

Split it into characters and join them backwards: `=TEXTJOIN("",TRUE,MID(A2,SEQUENCE(LEN(A2),1,LEN(A2),-1),1))`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/reverse-the-order-of-a-list