diff --git a/packages/sanity/src/desk/panes/documentList/constants.ts b/packages/sanity/src/desk/panes/documentList/constants.ts
index 7993dd2234f..2da8ed5b67b 100644
--- a/packages/sanity/src/desk/panes/documentList/constants.ts
+++ b/packages/sanity/src/desk/panes/documentList/constants.ts
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ import {SortOrder} from './types'
 
 export const PARTIAL_PAGE_LIMIT = 100
 export const FULL_LIST_LIMIT = 2000
-export const DEFAULT_ORDERING: SortOrder = {by: [{field: '_createdAt', direction: 'desc'}]}
+export const DEFAULT_ORDERING: SortOrder = {by: [{field: '_updatedAt', direction: 'desc'}]}
 export const EMPTY_RECORD: Record<string, unknown> = {}