Managing Tags in Notes Sidebar on iOS 15

With the release of iOS 15, Apple introduced native tag support to the Notes app, significantly overhauling note organization and navigation. This update brought a dedicated Tag Browser to the sidebar, automated folder-like tag aggregation, multi-tag filtering, and the ability to convert sidebar tags into custom Smart Folders. Below is a breakdown of the specific updates and capabilities introduced for managing tags directly from the Notes sidebar.

The Tag Browser in the Sidebar

In iOS 15, tags are generated whenever you type a hashtag followed by a word (e.g., #project) anywhere in a note. Once typed, the app automatically indexes these tags and displays them in a new "Tags" section located at the bottom of the main folders sidebar. Users do not need to manually create tags in the sidebar beforehand; the system dynamically populates the list as new tags appear across notes.

Multi-Tag Selection and Filtering

The sidebar Tag Browser allows users to filter their note library with precision:

  • Single Tag Filtering: Tapping any tag in the sidebar displays all notes associated with that specific tag.
  • Combined Filtering: Users can tap multiple tags simultaneously in the sidebar to narrow down search results to only include notes containing all selected tags.
  • Exclusion Toggle: Tapping an already selected tag allows users to deselect it or view notes matching an "All Tags" versus "Any Tag" criteria.

Creating Smart Folders from Tags

iOS 15 allows users to turn sidebar tags into permanent Smart Folders directly from the sidebar interface:

  1. Tap the "New Folder" icon at the bottom-left of the sidebar.
  2. Select "Make into Smart Folder."
  3. Choose one or multiple tags to define the criteria for the folder.

Once created, Smart Folders live alongside regular folders in the sidebar and automatically gather any new or existing notes containing the specified tags.

Renaming and Deleting Tags

To manage tag clutter, iOS 15 allows users to modify tags directly from the sidebar without opening individual notes:

  • Renaming Tags: Long-pressing a tag in the sidebar brings up a context menu with the option to rename it. Changing the name updates the tag across all notes where it appears.
  • Deleting Tags: Long-pressing a tag also provides the option to delete it. Deleting a tag removes the tag designation from all notes, leaving the note content intact while removing the tag from the sidebar completely.