How to Add Tags to Files in Windows 10

Tags let you label files with keywords like “taxes,” “vacation,” or “client A,” then find them instantly with a search, no matter which folder they’re in. Windows 10 supports tags through file properties, but only for certain file types, such as photos and Office documents. This guide shows how to add tags, search by them, and what to do with file types that don’t support tagging.

Quick answer

Right-click the file, choose Properties, open the Details tab, click the field next to Tags, type your tags separated by semicolons, and click OK. Then search for tags:yourtag in File Explorer to find tagged files.

Which files can be tagged?

Tags are stored inside the file’s metadata, so only formats that support it can hold them. Common taggable files include:

• Photos: JPEG (.jpg) and some other image formats
• Office documents: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)
• Some video and audio files, depending on the format

Plain text, PNG images, PDFs, and many other formats don’t show a Tags field. If you don’t see it, that file type can’t be tagged in File Explorer.

Method 1: Add tags in Properties

1. Open File Explorer and find the file.
2. Right-click it and choose Properties.
3. Click the Details tab.
4. Click the empty space to the right of Tags.
5. Type a tag. To add more than one, separate them with semicolons, like receipts; 2026; home.
6. Click OK.

To tag several files at once, select them all, right-click, and choose Properties. Tags you add on the Details tab apply to every selected file, as long as they’re all a supported type.

Method 2: Use the Details pane

1. In File Explorer, click the View tab and select Details pane, or press Alt + Shift + P.
2. Click a file. Its information appears on the right.
3. Click Add a tag, type your tags, and click Save.

The Details pane is the fastest way to tag many files one after another, because you don’t have to open a separate Properties window for each one.

Method 3: Add tags inside Office

In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, click File > Info, then click Add a tag under Properties on the right. Save the file. These tags show up in File Explorer too.

Add ratings, titles, and comments too

The same Details tab holds other useful fields alongside Tags. Depending on the file type, you can set a Title, Subject, Rating (one to five stars), Comments, and Authors. Ratings are especially handy for photos: give your best shots five stars, then search for them later. Like tags, these fields are stored in the file and can be searched, sorted, and shown as columns in File Explorer’s Details view.

Find files by tag

1. Open the folder you want to search, or This PC to search everywhere.
2. Click the search box in the top-right corner.
3. Type tags: followed by your tag, such as tags:receipts.
4. Press Enter.

You can also add a Tags column in Details view: right-click any column header, choose Tags, and then sort or group files by tag.

Edit or remove tags

Open the file’s Properties > Details tab, click the Tags field, and edit or delete the text. To remove all personal metadata at once, including tags, click Remove Properties and Personal Information at the bottom of the Details tab.

Organizing files that can’t be tagged

• Descriptive file names: Include keywords in the name, like 2026-receipt-dentist.pdf. File Explorer search finds them easily.
• Folders: Group related files into clearly named folders and subfolders.
• Convert where useful: Saving a document as .docx or an image as .jpg lets you use tags.

Tips for a useful tagging system

• Keep tags short and consistent. Decide on “invoice” or “invoices,” not both.
• Use a few broad tags rather than dozens of specific ones.
• Remember that tags travel with the file, so avoid putting private notes in them if you share files.

Related: How to make Windows 11 File Explorer look like Windows 10.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there no Tags field for my file?

The file format doesn’t support metadata tags. Try one of the alternatives above.

Can a tag have spaces in it?

Yes. Windows uses semicolons to separate tags, so “home office” counts as one tag. Searching works best with quotes, such as tags:”home office”.

Do tags work on Windows 11?

Yes. The steps are almost the same in Windows 11’s File Explorer.

Will tags stay if I copy the file to a USB drive?

Yes. Tags are saved inside the file, so they go wherever the file goes.