Tag Photos with Keywords and Captions in iOS 12

In iOS 12, Apple does not provide a native feature to add custom keywords or captions directly to photos within the Photos app on an iPhone or iPad. While the operating system includes advanced on-device machine learning to identify objects, scenes, and faces, users cannot manually assign custom text tags to individual images. However, you can work around this limitation by organizing photos into dedicated albums, using macOS to add metadata that syncs via iCloud, or relying on third-party photo management apps.

Native Limitations in iOS 12

The Photos app in iOS 12 features a powerful search tool that automatically detects categories such as animals, locations, and events. Despite this functionality, there is no field to type custom metadata, captions, or tags natively on the device. Apple only introduced the native "Add a Caption" field in later versions (starting with iOS 14).

Workaround 1: Use Custom Albums as Tags

The simplest native workaround in iOS 12 is using albums as makeshift tags:

  1. Open the Photos app and select the photos you want to categorize.
  2. Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow pointing up).
  3. Select Add to Album.
  4. Choose an existing album or create a new one named after your keyword (e.g., "Receipts," "Project A," or "Family Reunion").

Because an individual photo can exist in multiple albums simultaneously without duplicating file storage, albums function similarly to multi-tag systems.

Workaround 2: Add Metadata on a Mac via iCloud Photos

If you use iCloud Photos and have a Mac, you can add keywords and descriptions through macOS, which will index the photos for search on iOS 12:

  1. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
  2. Select an image and press Command + I to open the Info window.
  3. Enter your custom text in the Description field or assign tags in the Keywords field.
  4. Once synced via iCloud, you can search for those specific terms directly in the iOS 12 Photos search bar.

Workaround 3: Third-Party Apps

If you need full control over image metadata directly on an iOS 12 device, third-party apps available in the App Store provide complete Exif and IPTC metadata editing:

  • HashPhotos: Acts as an alternative photo gallery that lets you assign custom tags, add memos, and search your library by specific keywords.
  • Exif Metadata Editors: Dedicated tools like Exif Viewer or Metapho allow you to view, edit, and write custom metadata tags directly into image files.