Find and remove unused tags
Review unused-tag findings before removing anything from your library.
Last updated: 2026-09-11
Quick answer
Open Actions > Manage Tags... > Cleanup, choose Health Issues, and select Unused when that filter is available. Review each finding against your granted locations and saved presets before deleting it. An unused finding is limited to the available scan; it is not a recommendation to delete every listed tag.
Review an unused-tag finding
Video walkthrough coming soon. Follow the steps below.
Prepare the usage check
- Open Actions > Manage Tags... > Locations.
- Check that the folders and volumes where you use tags are listed and available.
- Click Rescan and read any warnings.
- Return to General and allow usage scanning to finish before reviewing cleanup results.
An offline archive drive or an unapproved folder can make a tag appear unused in the available data. Resolve those gaps before doing cleanup that depends on file counts.
Find the unused-tag results
- Open Cleanup.
- Click Health Issues at the top.
- Choose Unused in the filter row when it is shown.
- Read the explanation on each tag's card.
Only filters that have matching findings are displayed. If Unused is absent, it may mean there are no such findings or that file usage has not yet been established. It is not a control you need to enable in Settings.
Distinguish the findings
| Finding | What it establishes |
|---|---|
| Not Used in Preset | The tag is not selected by a saved preset. It may still be on files. |
| Not Assigned to Files | No scanned file was found using the tag. The tag may still be selected by a preset. |
| Unused | No selected-tag preset reference and no scanned file use were found. |
Read the reason on the card as well as its short heading. Group membership, a tag you plan to use later, and tag names in saved conditions can still matter even when a cleanup finding appears.
For the scan states and recent-use limitations, see Find tagged files and understand usage counts.
Delete only a reviewed tag
- Verify that you no longer need the tag, including in groups and preset conditions.
- On its health card, click the trash control labeled Delete tag.
- Read the confirmation and click Delete to proceed, or Cancel to keep it.
- Wait for the result and check for errors before deleting another tag.
You can also perform a reviewed deletion in General. The complete deletion procedure and scope are covered in Create, rename, and delete tags.
If the tag is still useful, leave it in place. Cleanup findings are information, not a requirement to reach an empty dashboard.
When results change or deletion fails
A tag may leave the list after a location becomes available or after its preset membership changes. Recheck the current evidence rather than relying on a previous count.
When a deletion reports a failure, keep the message and inspect affected locations. Some file changes may already have happened. Follow any Retry Library Sync recovery offered by the app, or contact support when recovery cannot complete. Do not use Overwrite as a substitute for repairing an interrupted deletion.