How to use tags to organize files and folders in macos

When we have a considerable number of files and folders on our computer, it is more necessary than ever to keep everything well organized in order to quickly find what we are looking for when we are looking for it. Well, in macOS, tags offer us an alternative way to organize our files and folders, since they can make it easier to find the elements in the Finder.

Tag items in macOS

Labeling a file in the Finder is as simple as right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) on ​​the file in question (a photo, a video, a document, a folder) and selecting one of the colored labels that appear in the drop-down menu, as you can see in the image below these lines.

If what you want is to create a new label, just select "Labels…" from the drop-down menu, type the name you want to give that label, and press Enter. A new ready tag will automatically be generated for you to reapply from the drop-down menu.

How to customize tags and search tagged items

But you can also customize the labels that appear in the drop-down menu. To do this, select the option "Preferences…" from the menu bar when you are in the Finder, select the Labels tab and drag your favorite labels to the area at the bottom of the panel.

You can also create new tags and remove unused ones with the + and - buttons; or click on a label with the right button to change its name and / or its color, this can be done either from this panel or directly from the Finder sidebar. Also, check the checkboxes that appear next to them to select which ones appear in the Finder sidebar, since it is there that you can get the most out of them. For example, select a tag in the Finder sidebar, and all the files and folders you've assigned that tag will appear in the Finder window, regardless of their specific location on your Mac.

How to tag open files you're working on

Finally, don't forget that in many macOS applications you can label the file you are working on quickly and easily. Simply click on the arrow you see next to the document name in the title bar, click in the Tags field and enter a new tag, or select one from the drop-down list.

Using the tags in macOS you will keep all your files and folders well organized, at hand at any time and no matter where you saved them on your Mac.