Managing Tags in Apple Reminders on iOS 15

With the release of iOS 15, Apple integrated a dedicated tagging system into the native Reminders app to help users organize, categorize, and locate tasks more efficiently. This update transformed task management by introducing inline tag creation, dedicated keyboard shortcuts, multi-tag filtering through a new Tag Browser, and integration with custom Smart Lists.

Inline Tag Creation

Users can create a tag anywhere within a reminder's title or notes field simply by typing the hashtag symbol (#) followed by a word. The application automatically recognizes the text as a tag without requiring users to navigate to a separate metadata menu. Tags must be single words or hyphenated phrases, as spaces break the tag formatting.

Quick Toolbar Integration

A dedicated tag button (represented by a # icon) was added to the quick toolbar directly above the keyboard. Tapping this icon allows users to:

  • Create a new tag instantly at the cursor's current position.
  • View a pop-up list of previously created tags.
  • Tap an existing tag to append it to the task without retyping it.
  • Receive predictive auto-suggestions as they begin typing after a hash symbol.

Batch Tagging

iOS 15 introduced the ability to apply tags to multiple tasks simultaneously. By entering the selection mode in any reminder list, users can select multiple items, tap the three-dot more menu, and assign or remove tags across all selected tasks at once.

The Tag Browser

All created tags are automatically compiled into the Tag Browser, located at the bottom of the main Reminders screen. The Tag Browser displays:

  • An alphabetical directory of every tag currently in use.
  • A count of active reminders associated with each tag.
  • Multi-selection filtering, allowing users to tap multiple tags simultaneously to filter tasks that contain all or any of the selected tags.

Smart Lists Integration

Tags in iOS 15 serve as core criteria for creating custom Smart Lists. When creating a Smart List, users can set rules to automatically gather reminders based on specific tags, using parameters such as "Include Any Selected Tag" or "Include All Selected Tags," enabling advanced workflow automation within the application.