Review and merge similar tags
Choose the tag to keep and review the affected files before combining two tags.
Last updated: 2026-09-11
Quick answer
In Actions > Manage Tags... > General, select one tag and click Merge.... Choose the existing tag to keep under Merge Into, review the impact, and click Start Merge. Cleanup > Suggested Merges can help you find candidates, but no suggestion merges tags by itself.
Merge two tags after reviewing the target
Video walkthrough coming soon. Follow the steps below.
Review a suggested merge
- Open Actions > Manage Tags... > Cleanup.
- Choose Suggested Merges.
- Read the tag names and the reason on a card.
- Click Merge... to review a candidate pair, or Dismiss to leave those tags separate and dismiss that suggestion.
Similar names do not always mean the same thing. The percentage is a comparison score, not a guarantee that a merge is correct. Use your intended tag meanings to decide.
Little Tagger combines name-based comparisons with Apple Intelligence comparisons when available. You can also start a manual merge without waiting for a suggestion.
Choose the source and the tag to keep
- In General, select exactly one source tag and click Merge... in its details.
- Check Source Tag. This is the tag being replaced.
- Under Merge Into, search for an existing tag and select it, or choose a suitable name under Similar Tags.
- To reverse the direction, click Swap source and target tags, then review the preview again.
The destination must already exist. To keep a completely new name, create that tag first, then use it as the merge target.
| Side | Result of a successful merge |
|---|---|
| Source Tag | Replaced by the target on matching accessible files and removed as a separate library tag. |
| Merge Into | The existing tag that remains, including its name and color. |
| Other file tags | Kept; this is not the workspace's whole-set Replace Tags action. |
Check the impact and start
- Reconnect the relevant volumes before opening the preview.
- Wait for Refreshing files in authorized locations... to finish.
- Review Merge Impact, the preset count, and the listed files.
- Click Start Merge when the source and target are correct.
- Wait for completion. Inspect Updated, Skipped, and Failed, then click Done.
Afterward, check an affected file and review presets, group memberships, and any saved conditions that use the old tag name. Do not assume every text-based condition was rewritten simply because the library merge completed.
More than two similar tags
A merge combines one source into one target. When a suggestion contains several tags, complete the pair shown in the dialog, then review the remaining names. Do not assume that accepting one pair combines the entire suggestion group.
When Start Merge is unavailable
Wait for the preview to finish and select a different existing target. You need at least two library tags for a manual merge. A typed name alone is not enough; select the matching result.
If no files appear, verify your locations before proceeding. A library-only result does not establish that files on inaccessible drives were changed.
When files or library changes fail
Keep the completion details. A Failed count can mean the result is incomplete, not that the operation was rolled back. Reconnect affected locations and use Retry Library Sync if the app offers it. This recovery may continue unfinished work. For repeated failures, contact support before attempting another merge with the same tags.