How to Use Tags to Organize Files and Folders in macOS

Love me some tags!

 

I really can’t get into tags. I wish they hadn’t replaced the old labels with them, they were way more helpful I reckon.
(I appreciate the tips though, thanks!)

 

Back in the good ole days when Apple actually cared about macOS, tags were labels

I rather preferred it that way.

 

not mentioned in the article but helpful as well (at least for me personally)—

you can apply multiple tags to the same file.

 

I don't think its a case of not caring more a case of the minimalistic approach to macOS these days. The quality period of Snow Leopard is long gone

 

Absolutely. Remember the good old days ...


... and:

 

Keep going with these articles. They might be simple things, but sometimes it's good to be reminded about something that you've forgotten about.

Case in point, my file system is a disaster at the moment. And a few tags will be helpful until I get around to sorting it out.

 

Tags always end up getting so messy.

 

Can you search tags with complex criteria? Example: red or blue tag, and green tag, but no yellow tag, image file, with “project” in the name.
Can you save commonly used complex searches?
Can you nest tags under other tags like in evernote?

I’ve always wanted to use Mac tags but I fear it’s too limited for my needs.

 

What’s lacking is tag support in Mail. Tags in the file system are fantastic, but it would be so much more valuable if we could tag more than files. It gives an organizational structure beyond the folder heirarchy.

 

Tags would be even better if they worked correctly with 3rd-party apps in the Files app. Looking at you Box for one.

 

Yes.

Yes.

I don't believe so. Nor am I sure that kind of complexity would be a good idea.

--- Post Merged, Apr 11, 2018 ---

I hear MailTags works OK.

 

Wow! This is super useful. As I start using iCloud Drive more, I'm dipping into using tags a bit more regularly -- but it really takes some effort as I've got years and years of folder-based organization habits.

 

If only, the tag can be used and searched in external drives. If only, there is a way to search external drive files.

 

Yeah, I can see that point of view, but personally I wouldn't mind nested tags.

One of the tags I always use is the year. Right now I've got years 2013-2018 as tags (but only show 2018 in the Finder sidebar). When you view all tags it's more complicated than it needs to be. If I could have a master tag called Year that I can hide all my years tags under, that'd make it neater for navigating. I'd never actually tag anything with that master "Year" tag.

 

I use tags and Hazel to drive my filing system.

 

Thank you for those answers and visuals. Very appreciated and good to know.
I do like using nested tags in both evernote and Gmail. It helps me keeps my tags organized, and saves a little effort because when I apply a nested tag it automatically applies its parent tags.

 

Ah, yes. My concern is twofold: one, it already seems too complicated for people to actually use (people in this thread seem to clamor for a return to the previous simpler labels, and I find myself also not using this in practice), and two, the definition seems ambiguous.

In your case, it seems to be merely about making groups of tags?

But the meaning could also be: if a subtag is checked, the parent tag is also checked. But if so, does it get checked explicitly or implicitly? Or does checking the parent tag first check all child tags, and then you can selectively uncheck? Does it AND-combine or OR-combine?

--- Post Merged, Apr 12, 2018 ---

Interesting. Yeah, maybe Apple could take another stab at this.

 

Yeah just grouping tags for me. And good point, it’s not as simple as it sounds in my head.

For me I use tags in place of filing because tags let me hold files in multiple places. I keep two folders - an @InBox where all my files yet to be named and tagged sit and a @tagged & filed folder where the finished product sits. Pretty simple. Works for me.

 

I thought it is pretty useless

 

Life is too short to go around doing this to all your files.

 

Start by tagging new files. There is a box in the Save dialogue.

 

You can add multiple tags to any file.

• Tag an open file: Hold the pointer to the right of the document title, click the arrow, click in the Tags field, then enter a new tag, or choose one from the list.
  
  
• Tag a new file when you save it: Click File > Save. In the Save dialog, click in the Tags field, then enter a new tag, or choose one from the list.
  
  
• Tag a file on the desktop or in the Finder: Select the item, then open the File menu. You can also Control-click the item, or tap it with two fingers. Choose a color below Tags, or click Tags to choose from more tags or enter a new tag.
  
  In a Finder window, you can also select the item, click the Tags button, then enter a new tag, or choose one from the list.
  

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Hi you know if it's works in shared folder ? I've tried but i can't find the soluction.