XFolder can replace the default WPS sort functions. See the XFolder Online Reference for an overview of these features.

The following sort criteria are available:

- Sort by name: this sorts a folder alphabetically according to object titles.
- Sort by type: this sorts a folder according to object types, i.e. the .TYPE Extended Attribute which can be set in an object's settings notebook. Note that this applies only to data file objects; all other objects (and data file objects with undefined types) will be sorted to the bottom.
- Sort by class: this sorts a folder according to object classes, i.e. what is visible in the third column of a folder's Details view.
- Sort by real name: this sorts a folder alphabetically according to file-system names. Since only file-system objects have real names, abstract objects will not be sorted properly.
- Sort by size: this sorts a folder according to file sizes. Since abstract objects have no file size, but only occupy some space in OS2.INI, they are assumed to have a size of zero bytes.
- Sort by last write / last access / creation date: this sorts a folder according to this file-system information, which is also not available for abstract objects. Note that the FAT file system does not support all this information, so these three criteria will make no difference there.
- Sort by file-name extension: this sorts a folder according to the characters after the last dot in an object's title, which should normally be a file-name extension (such as ".TXT", ".EXE" etc.). Objects without extensions are sorted in first.
- Sort folders first: just like "Sort by name", but folders (and shadows of them) are put on top.

The XFolder Extended Sort functions are configured via "Sort" settings pages. This page appears in two different locations:

1. It is always visible in the "Workplace Shell" object, right after the XFolder Global Settings pages. Here you can enable the Extended Sort functions of XFolder and, if enabled, set global sort settings, which apply to all folders, unless you specify something different for a certain folder.
2. If the Extended Sort functions have been enabled this way, XFolder replaces the default OS/2 "Sort" page in every folder Settings notebook also. On this page you may override the default settings which you have specified in the "Workplace Shell" object.

The list box on the "Sort" settings page lets you select the default sort criterion for a certain folder (or, in the "System" notebook, for all folders). The default sort criterion determines the sort method if "Always maintain sort order" is enabled and also the default submenu item in a folder's "Sort" context submenu.

Note that you can also quickly change the default sort criterion for a certain folder by holding down the "Shift" key while selecting an item in a folder's "Sort" context submenu.