How to sort contacts by first name on an iPhone

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-sort-contacts-by-first-name-on-an-iphone/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e · iOS 27.0.1

4 of 4 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

iPhone

Shown on

iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)

App

Settings

Real screenshots

4 of 4 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Settings and tap Apps

   Apps is near the bottom of the main Settings list.

   Done

2. 

   Tap Contacts

   The apps are in alphabetical order, so Contacts is near the top, under C.

   Done

3. 

   Scroll down and tap Sort Order

   It is in the group that starts with Show Contact Photos, with Display Order and Short Name below it. The right side shows the current order: ours read Last, First.

   Done

4. 

   Tap First, Last

   The tick moves to your choice. First, Last sorts the list by first name, and Last, First by last name.

   Done

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.

If you do not see this option

• Your iPhone runs iOS 17 or earlier. Contacts is in the main Settings list itself, not under Apps.
• Search for it. Open Settings, tap the search field at the bottom and type Sort Order. Apple notes that the sections in Settings depend on the iPhone model. Source: Find settings on iPhone
• You use an iPad. Apple gives the same steps for iPad: Settings, Apps, Contacts, Sort Order. Source: Manage and delete contacts on your iPhone or iPad

If this does not work

• Names are still written last name first. That is Display Order, a separate row on the same page. Sort Order only changes the order of the list. Source: Manage and delete contacts on your iPhone or iPad
• Messages and Mail show shortened names. Short Name, on the same page, decides how names appear in Mail, Messages, Phone and more. Source: Manage and delete contacts on your iPhone or iPad
• Contacts from an account are missing. Tap Contacts Accounts on the same page, tap the account and check that Contacts is on. Source: Manage and delete contacts on your iPhone or iPad

About this guide

The iPhone can sort the contact list by last name or by first name. If you look for people by their first name, a list sorted by last name makes you scroll and guess. One setting changes the order, and no contact is altered.

The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 17e running iOS 27.0.1, in dark mode.

Good to know

Sort Order only decides the order of the list. Whether a name is written first name first is a separate setting: how to show last names first in Contacts on an iPhone.

In short: Settings › Apps › Contacts › Sort Order › First, Last.