Mac OS · macOS
Use Color Tags to Organize Folders on Mac
Source-checked About 3 minutes
Answer
macOS does not offer a universal folder-colour setting, but Finder lets you apply color tags to folders and find them later. Tags are supported for folders stored on your Mac or in iCloud Drive.
Open Finder
Click the Finder icon in the Dock and open the location that contains the folder you want to label.
Select the folder
Click the folder once. Do not open or modify files inside it just to apply a tag.
Open the tag choices
Choose File from the menu bar, or Control-click the folder, to reveal the available tag controls.
Choose a color tag
Choose one of the displayed tag colours, or choose Tags to select an existing label or create a descriptive new one.
Confirm the label
Check that the tag colour or name is now associated with the folder in Finder.
Find tagged folders
Use the Finder sidebar tag list or search for the tag’s name or colour when you need to locate the folder again.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If you do not see a tag in the Finder sidebar, open Finder Settings, select Tags, and enable that tag for the sidebar.
- If the goal is a permanently recoloured icon rather than a searchable label, do not assume tags change the icon itself. Apple documents tags as the supported organisational method.
- You can apply more than one tag to the same folder. Use clear tag names for projects, status, or ownership rather than relying only on a colour. Tags remain useful when a folder moves because Finder can search the tag across supported locations and show all matching folders together.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: macOS.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.