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User profile for user: Steve Zodiac
Steve Zodiac Author
User level: Level 1
94 points

File tags disappeared from sidebar

I have a few of the files in my Mac's Finder tagged with coloured blobs, and until recently the coloured blobs appeared in my Finder sidebar so that I could easily go straight to the files so tagged.


Today I noticed that one colour of blob was missing from the sidebar, and so I had to go delving into folders in order to find them. I found them and the coloured blobs were not against the filenames in Finder as they used to be. So I re-added the tags as purple blobs, and they now show in the folder with purple blobs alongside them.


But the purple blobs still do not appear in the sidebar, although other colours do appear there... (See screen-shot which shows the tags in the folder, but not in the sidebar.)


Anyone have any idea how to get the tags working as they should do again please?


I have a 2017 Intel MacBook Pro running macOS 13.6, which is the latest macOS it will accept.


MacBook Pro 13″

Posted on Sep 29, 2023 10:40 AM

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User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
207,775 points

Posted on Sep 29, 2023 12:24 PM

Go into the Finder's settings and remove all tags and then add them back. Reboot and see if they all show up. If the don't boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and check the sidebar again. Reboot normally and recheck.


Note:  if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode.  This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.



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User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
207,775 points

Sep 29, 2023 12:24 PM in response to Steve Zodiac

Go into the Finder's settings and remove all tags and then add them back. Reboot and see if they all show up. If the don't boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and check the sidebar again. Reboot normally and recheck.


Note:  if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode.  This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.



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User profile for user: Steve Zodiac
Steve Zodiac Author
User level: Level 1
94 points

Sep 29, 2023 11:53 AM in response to Old Toad

Hi. Thanks for replying.


Yes, in Sidebar Settings I can confirm that 'Recent Tags' is ticked. (And of course in my screen shot the yellow, red & orange ones are present in the Sidebar, but not the purple one.)


The expander arrow was already in the expanded position, hence the yellow, red & orange tags.


But the purple one is continuing to refuse to put in a sidebar appearance.

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File tags disappeared from sidebar

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