How to use tags in Bear
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Tags are a powerful, flexible way to organize your work in Bear. They work similar to social media, so you can add tags like #work and #school and #errands to a note. Click a tag in the Sidebar to see notes containing that tag.
Here are some basic tips about tags to get you started:
- Notes can contain as many tags as you want
- Tags can be placed anywhere in a note, even in headings and paragraphs
- Autocomplete will help you add existing tags
Ways to add tags to a note
You have options!
- Type a #tag anywhere you want
- Drag one or multiple notes onto a tag in the Sidebar
- Automatically apply them when collecting content with our browser and app extensions (set these tags in Settings > Web content options)
Multi-word tags
Tags can contain multiple words, making them more versatile and legible. To create a multi-word tag, wrap the words in pound signs, like this:
#vacation plans# #meeting notes# #school projects#
Nested tags
Tags can be nested within other tags, just like folders in a typical file structure. This is great for things like keeping a journal, collecting related tags under parent topic, and more.
To create a nested tag, separate words with a forward slash, like this:
#recipes/italian #journal/2023/01
And yes, this works with multi-word tags, just wrap the nested tag in pound signs:
#school projects/biology 101# #novel/chapter 12#
Pin tags
PIC You can pin important tags to the top of the Sidebar for easy access. To pin a tag to the top of the Sidebar:
- Mac: Right-click a tag in the Sidebar and choose Pin to top
- iOS: Long-press a tag in the Sidebar and choose Pin to top
Rename tags
Sometimes, a tag’s name has run its course. If you need to change the name of a tag:
- Mac: Right-click a tag in the Sidebar and choose Edit Tag
- iOS: Long-press a tag in the Sidebar and choose Rename…
Remove tags from all notes
One quick way to remove a tag from a note is to select the tag in the Sidebar, then:
- Mac: Right-click a note in the Note List and choose Remove tag [name of tag]
- iOS: Long-press on a note in the Note List and choose **Remove tag [name of tag] **
To delete a tag from Bear and all the notes that contain it:
- Mac: Right-click a tag in the Sidebar and choose Delete Tag
- iOS: Long-press a tag in the Sidebar and choose Delete
Important detail: This will not delete the notes themselves. It only deletes the selected tag from the relevant notes.
Add or change a TagCon
Tags in the Sidebar can have cute little icons that we call TagCons. These help the tags to stand out and they’re just a little fun.
To add a TagCon to a tag in the Sidebar:
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Mac: Right-click a tag in the Sidebar and choose Edit Tag
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In the Edit Tag popover that appears, click the TagCon swatch in the lower left
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Browse or search for the TagCon that floats your boat
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Click it
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iOS: Long-press a tag in the Sidebar and choose Change Tag Icon…
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Browse or search for the TagCon that butters your bread
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Tap it