How to Organize Files with Finder Tags in macOS 13

Organizing files using Finder tags in macOS 13 (Ventura) is an efficient way to categorize and locate documents across different folders without moving them from their original locations. This guide explains how to apply tags to files, create custom tags, manage existing tags through Finder settings, and quickly locate your tagged files using the Finder sidebar and search tools.

How to Apply Tags to Files and Folders

There are several ways to tag items in macOS 13 depending on where you are working:

Method 1: The Context Menu

  1. Open Finder and navigate to the file or folder you want to tag.
  2. Right-click (or Control-click) the item.
  3. Select a color tag directly from the bottom of the pop-up menu, or click Tags... to view all available tags or type a custom name.
  4. Press Return to apply the tag.

Method 2: The Finder Toolbar

  1. Select the file or folder in Finder.
  2. Click the Tag icon (a tag-shaped symbol) in the Finder window toolbar.
  3. Choose an existing tag or type a new tag name, then press Return.

Method 3: From an Open Document

  1. While working in an app like Pages, TextEdit, or Preview, hover your cursor over the document’s title at the top of the window.
  2. Click the down arrow next to the document title.
  3. Click inside the Tags field, type or select your tag, and press Return.

How to Create and Customize Tags

You can personalize tags with specific names and colors to fit your workflow:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. In the top menu bar, click Finder and select Settings (or press Command + ,).
  3. Click the Tags tab.
  4. To create a new tag, click the Plus (+) button at the bottom of the list, type the name, and select a color.
  5. To rename a tag, right-click the tag in the list and select Rename.
  6. To change a tag's color, click the colored circle next to its name and pick a new color.

How to Find and Filter Tagged Files

Once your files are tagged, you can retrieve them instantly:

  • Finder Sidebar: Open any Finder window and look at the Tags section in the left sidebar. Click on any tag to display all files associated with it. If the sidebar is hidden, enable it via View > Show Sidebar.
  • Finder Search: Open a Finder window, type tag:TagName (replace "TagName" with your actual tag) into the search bar in the top-right corner, and press Return.
  • Spotlight: Press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type the tag name, and press Return to view matched items.

How to Remove Tags from Files

  1. Right-click the tagged file or folder.
  2. Click Tags....
  3. Select the tag bubble you want to remove and press the Delete (Backspace) key, or click the colored circle in the quick menu to toggle it off.