Windows File Explorer does not follow a strict ASCII table order when sorting files
alphabetically. Instead, it uses a specialized Unicode collation algorithm that groups
characters by Type (Symbols → Numbers → Letters).
Furthermore, characters like the colon ( : ) and semicolon ( ; ) behave uniquely
because Windows restricts certain characters from being used in file names at
all.
🚫 Characters You Cannot Use
Before looking at the order, note that the colon ( : ) cannot be used in a Windows file
name. If you try to type a colon, Windows will block it. The characters completely banned
from file names are:
\ / : * ? " < > |
📋 The Full Windows Sorting Hierarchy (Ascending Order)
Because the semicolon ( ; ) is allowed, it will appear in the Symbols section at the very
beginning of the sort hierarchy.
Here is the exact order in which Windows File Explorer sorts permitted
characters:
1. Symbols & Punctuation (First)
If a file name starts with a symbol, it is pushed to the absolute top of the folder. They sort
in this specific order:
1. ! (Exclamation mark)
2. # (Number sign)
3. $ (Dollar sign)
4. % (Percent sign)
5. & (Ampersand)
6. ( and ) (Parentheses)
7. , (Comma)
8. . (Period / Full stop)
9. ; (Semicolon)
10. @ (At sign)
11. [ and ] (Square brackets)
12. ^ (Caret)
13. _ (Underscore)
14. ` (Grave accent / Backtick)
15. { and } (Curly brackets)
16. ~ (Tilde)
17. + (Plus sign)
18. = (Equals sign)
If a file name starts with a symbol, it is pushed to the absolute top of the folder. They sort
in this specific order:
1. ! (Exclamation mark)
2. # (Number sign)
3. $ (Dollar sign)
4. % (Percent sign)
5. & (Ampersand)
6. ( and ) (Parentheses)
7. , (Comma)
8. . (Period / Full stop)
9. ; (Semicolon)
10. @ (At sign)
11. [ and ] (Square brackets)
12. ^ (Caret)
13. _ (Underscore)
14. ` (Grave accent / Backtick)
15. { and } (Curly brackets)
16. ~ (Tilde)
17. + (Plus sign)
18. = (Equals sign)
2. Numbers (Second)
Windows uses "natural logical sorting," meaning it looks at the whole number rather than
just the first digit (e.g., 2 comes before 10 ).
0 through 9
3. The Alphabet (Last)
Windows is case-insensitive when sorting file names, meaning a capital A and a
lowercase a are treated as the same letter and sorted together based on what letters
follow them.
A / a
B / b
...and so on, down to Z / z
Windows uses "natural logical sorting," meaning it looks at the whole number rather than
just the first digit (e.g., 2 comes before 10 ).
0 through 9
3. The Alphabet (Last)
Windows is case-insensitive when sorting file names, meaning a capital A and a
lowercase a are treated as the same letter and sorted together based on what letters
follow them.
A / a
B / b
...and so on, down to Z / z
