How to sort numbered list on Google Docs in reverse order

Question

I'd like my google docs (https://docs.google.com) numbered list to count backwards: largest number first, 1 last. Ex: 3, 2, 1, instead of 1, 2, 3. Any way to do that?

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Here is a sample document for you to play with as we try to figure it out.

Click File --> "Make a copy", then edit and play with your own copy.

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Update 31 Jan. 2024: Google docs just doesn't have this feature (yet, at least). If anyone knows how to make a feature request for this to Google, please do, and drop a link in the comments for us to go upvote it.

Answer 1

I found a manual workaround.

You can right click on the first number in your list and choose the option "Restart numbering" and input the last number. You can then do this for the next number and input the second to last number, and so on. Each time you re-number, the previous numbers will remain unchanged. As long as you do this from top to bottom, at the end you'll have a list numbered in descending order.

Unfortunately it's a manual hack, so it might not be feasible for all cases, but it's better than nothing and, importantly, it seems like it could be used to label items arbitrarily.

I use numbering because of the formatting that lists can give automatically. It does save time. Also when typing the numbers manually Docs will autodetect that you're trying to make a list, so you'll have to fight it to keep it the way you'd like. My suggestion essentially amounts to typing the numbers manually, but with the benefit of leveraging the list formatting.