How to add a tag to a file in Finder on Mac: step by step

This page covers the Finder route most people need, then the other ways in. Tags are short labels you attach to files and folders. Finder shows them as coloured dots, and Spotlight can find files by tag. Apple's help pages say the steps are the same on macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS Golden Gate 27, so you can follow them on either.

Add a tag with the Tag button in Finder

The Tag button is the fastest route when the file sits in a Finder window. Select the file, then click the Tag button in the toolbar. Apple's macOS 27 page says you enter or choose a tag from there. You can add more than one tag to any item. A single report might carry 'Client', 'Invoice' and 'Paid' at the same time. Add each tag in turn, and check the result before you move on.

Add a tag with Control-click or the File menu

If the toolbar is hidden, or you would rather work from the file itself, use Control-click. Select the file, then Control-click it. Apple says the menu shows a row of colours above the word Tags. Click a colour to apply that tag. Click Tags instead to open the full list, pick more tags or type a new name. The File menu offers the same options when the file is selected, so you can work from the menu bar alone.

• Tag button in the Finder toolbar: best when you want to type a name or pick several tags.
• Control-click the file and choose a colour above Tags: best for one quick colour.
• Control-click the file and choose Tags: best when you want the full list.
• File menu with the file selected: the same choices, without a right-click.

Tag an open document or a file you are about to save

Apple's guide covers two cases that do not start in a Finder window. For an open document, hover to the right of the document title, click the down arrow, then click the Tags field. Type a new tag or pick one from the list. For a new file, choose File > Save, then click the Tags field in the Save dialog before you click Save. That sets the tag as the file is created. It saves a trip back to Finder later, which matters when you save many files in a row.

Use Control-1 to Control-7 for favourite tags

Finder keeps a short list of favourite tags. Apple says the Favorite Tags shortcut menu holds up to seven tags. With a file selected, Control-1 through Control-7 add or remove one of those favourites. Control-0 removes all tags from the file. To change the list, drag a tag onto a slot in that section to replace it. To remove a slot, drag the tag out until the Remove sign appears. Put the tags you use every day in the first slots, so the keys are easy to remember.

Compare the routes at a glance

Pick the route by where the file is. If it sits in a folder, use the Tag button. If it is still open in an app, use the arrow beside the title.

Remove a tag from a file or delete it from your Mac

Removing a tag from one file is not the same as deleting the tag. Select the file, click Edit Tags, select the tag, and press Delete. Only that file loses the tag. To delete a tag from your whole Mac, open Finder > Settings, click Tags, select the tag, click Remove, then click Delete Tag. Older guides say Finder > Preferences. Apple's current pages say Settings, so search for that name. Never press Command Delete to remove a tag. That moves the file to the Trash.

Show your tags in the Finder sidebar

Tags can sit in the Finder sidebar, one click from any window. Open Finder > Settings, click Tags, then tick the checkbox next to a tag under Show these tags in the sidebar. Use the Add button in the same pane to create a new tag. If you also want to change what else appears in the sidebar, see how to change the sidebar in Finder on Mac.

Check your Mac and macOS version first

The steps on this page work on macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS Golden Gate 27. MacRumors reports that Golden Gate reached all compatible Macs on Monday 14 September 2026. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with an M1 chip or newer. Intel Macs are not supported. macOS 26 Tahoe is the last release that runs on them. If you have an Intel Mac, your tagging steps stay the same on Tahoe, and Tahoe is the newest release you can run.

A worked example: tagging a folder of client files

Say you keep client files in one folder, and you need the paid invoices later. Open that folder in Finder and select the paid invoices. Click the Tag button, type Paid, and press Return. Check the first file to confirm the tag went on. Then add a second tag, such as the client's name, to the same files. Later, search for Paid in Finder or Spotlight, and the matching files appear. Keep the spelling identical each time, so the search finds every file.

Why tags help when you cannot find a file

Tags pay off in a folder full of similar files. Coveo's 2022 Workplace Relevance Report, based on a survey of 4,000 employees in the UK and US, found workers spend an average of 3.6 hours every day searching for information. That figure covers search in general, not file tagging, so treat it as background only. Tags still give you a second way to find a file, because Spotlight can search by tag name.

Fix tags that do not show up or do not stick

Most tag problems fall into a few groups: shortcuts, storage, search and sync. Start with the shortcut check if Control-1 does nothing. If a tag is missing on a drive or share, check the file system before you try anything else. The fixes below follow that order, and each one names the source behind it.

Mistakes people make with Finder tags

• Following an old guide that says Finder > Preferences. Current Apple pages use Finder > Settings.
• Putting colons in tag names. Some macOS versions handle them badly, so avoid them.
• Expecting tags to show on iCloud.com. Apple's iCloud guide does not mention tags at all.
• Tagging files on a network share that drops tags. Ask whoever runs the share whether it uses SMB.
• Pressing Command Delete to remove a tag, which moves the file to the Trash instead.

Keep the tag list short. A small set of tags you use every week is easier to trust than a long list you forget. Apple's favourite slots push you that way too. This is advice, not a rule from Apple.

Where to go next

Once your files carry tags, the next useful step is making Finder easier to move around. For hidden items, see how to show hidden files in Finder on Mac. To see where you are in a deep folder, read how to show the path bar in Finder on Mac.