Think folders are just too one-dimensional for organizing files? Want a flat hierarchy and one document to show up in one, two, three or more places? Find out here how to tag files and folders on a Mac ⤓ to organize them flexibly and find them quickly.
First, Learning to Read
Learning to read METAR and TAF is nothing of the sort; it is, dare I say it, a breeze! Some of the abbreviations used in those airport weather reports and forecasts can be arcane or mystifying, though.
It helps to know that some of the terms are taken from French. The obscure BR is brume, for instance — mist. You can, of course, also join aviators everywhere (but France perhaps) in remembering the condition as baby rain.
Now, whether it’s tagged brume or baby rain, let’s clear the fog of indiscriminate files — and tag them with foresight:
How to Tag Files and Folders in macOS Finder on a Mac
Using the Finder Context Menu
Time needed: 1 minute
To apply a tag to a file or folder in Finder on a Mac:
- Switch to Finder on your Mac.
- Click on the file, folder or multiple items you want to tag in Finder with the right mouse button.
Multiple items: To tag more than one item at a time, hold Command to edit a selection of items or use the mouse to draw an outline around items; you can hold Shift to select a range.
- Select Tags… from the context menu.
One folder: With one folder selected choose Customize Folder… instead, then click + for tags and select Edit Tags… from the menu (or use the menu to pick the desired tag right away, of course).
- Select from the list to assign a tag or type and let Finder auto-complete existing tags.
New tag: Type the desired name for a new tag and select Create new tag “tag name” in the list to add a new tag.
Expansion: To expand the list to include all tags, click Show All….
Setting up: You can configure all your macOS tags in Finder settings.
Their word: Apple include information on tagging files and folders in the Mac User Guide.
Files and folders neatly tagged and labeled?
Tips help fuel these email and tech how-tos.
Using Dragging and Dropping to Tag Files and Folders
To quickly tag any number of files in Finder:
- Select the files and folders you want to tag in Finder.
Here's how using the keyboard: Click any file to select or deselect it, click while you hold Command to toggle its inclusion in the selection and hold Shift to select a range.
Here’s how with the mouse: You can also draw an outline around files and folders to include in your selection. - Drag and drop the highlighted items to the desired tag in the sidebar.
No tags: If you do not see the list of tags initially, hover the selection over the Tags header in the sidebar until the list expands.
No sidebar: If you do not see the sidebar, select View | Show Sidebar from the menu or press Command Option S.
Not in the list: If the tag you want to assign is not in the list, do make recently used tags visible in addition to your favorites (see below) or, to access absolutely all tags, open the full tags list in one Finder window (also see below), then drag and drop your selection from another.
It’s also for browsing: How to View Tagged Files and Folders on a Mac
See Recently Used Tags in the Finder Sidebar
To set up Finder to show tags you have recently used in the TAGS list in its sidebar:
- Open Finder settings.
Here’s how: Select Finder | Settings… from the menu bar in Finder. - Go to the Sidebar tab.
- Turn on Recent Tags under Tags.
See All Tags in Finder
To make all tags visible in a Finder window (so you can drag and drop for tagging, for instance, or browse your tag collection at leisure):
- Make tags visible in the Finder sidebar.
Here’s how: Click the greater than sign > that appears next to Tags in the sidebar if the list is collapsed.
No sidebar: If you do not see the sidebar, select View | Show Sidebar in the menu. - Select All Tags… beneath the list of visible tags.
No tags: If you see no list of tags appear, try hiding the sidebar (View | Hide Sidebar in the menu(; it’s possible to hide the tags list under the sidebar.
Assign Tags to a File Using its App
To tag a file from its window in an app:
- Open the file drop-down menu.
Here’s how:Click the current file name in the title bar. - Use the Tags: field to edit the list of tags for the document.
Where else: You can also find the Tags: field in the standard file saving dialog.
Use the Info Sheet to Tag
To assign tags to a file or folder using its Finder information sheet:
- Highlight the file or folder in Mac Finder.
More sheets than one: You can highlight more than one file or folder; do keep in mind, though, that a separate info sheet will open for each item. - Press Command I.
Using the menus: You can also select File | Get Info from the top menu or right-click and select Get Info from the context menu. - Edit the list of assigned tags in the Add Tags… field.
How to Tag Files and Folders in macOS Finder on a Mac: FAQ
Can I use Shortcuts to tag files?
Only in a rudimentary manner.
You can use the Label Files action in a shortcut to apply a standard color label.
Can I use tags in Terminal?
Yes.
Using both built-in and third-party tools, you can use tags flexibly on the Mac Terminal.
(Tested with macOS Tahoe 26.0; first published October 2025, last updated March 2026)