How to Organize Your Notes with Tags in Obsidian

“Tags aren’t just labels—they’re a way to find meaning across your notes.”

When I first started with Obsidian, I thought folders alone would do the job. Spoiler alert: folders are great for structure, but they can be too rigid.

Enter tags — those little #hashtags you sprinkle throughout your notes that make searching and organizing way more flexible.

Let me show you how to tag like a pro in Obsidian and why tags can be the secret weapon in your digital brain.

What Are Tags in Obsidian?

Tags are keywords prefixed by a hash # that you add anywhere in your notes:

#project #idea #urgent

They’re easy to spot and Obsidian treats them as metadata you can filter, search, and visualize.

Unlike folders, tags let you categorize notes across multiple topics without duplication.

Why Use Tags Instead of (or Alongside) Folders?

Folders give you a fixed hierarchy — a single place for a note. But ideas aren’t linear, right?

Tags let you:

Connect notes across projects, themes, or contextsCreate overlapping categories (e.g., #project and #research)Easily filter notes by tags using Obsidian’s search and tag paneQuickly add context to notes without moving files around

I personally combine both. Folders for broad categories, tags for dynamic sorting.

How to Add Tags in Obsidian

Simply type # and start writing your tag name. Obsidian will auto-suggest existing tags as you type, helping you stay consistent.

Example:

#journal #daily #meeting-notes

You can add multiple tags per note or even inline in the middle of sentences.

Tagging Best Practices1. Be Consistent With Tag Names

Don’t create #proj in one note and #project in another. Pick one naming style.

2. Use Hierarchical Tags Sparingly

Obsidian supports nested tags like:

#project/launch #status/in-progress

These can help organize large vaults but avoid overcomplicating.

3. Keep Tags Simple and Descriptive

Tags like #idea, #todo, #quote work well. Avoid too generic ones like #note.

4. Create Tag Index Notes

Some people create an index note that explains or groups tags:

# Project Tags

- #project/launch

- #project/research

# Status Tags

- #status/done

- #status/pending

This is great for teams or vaults with lots of tags.

Using Tags for Note Discovery

Obsidian’s tag pane gives you an overview of all tags in your vault and how many notes use each.

You can click a tag to instantly filter all notes containing it.

You can also combine tag searches with text search:

tag:#project AND meeting

This powerful combo lets you drill down quickly.

How Tags Complement Links

Links create explicit connections between notes. Tags add flexible, broad context.

For example, you might link:

[[Project: Launch New Website]] inside your meeting notes

But tag those notes with:

#project and #meeting-notes

This way you can group all project-related content, whether directly linked or not.

Real-Life Use Case: My Tagging System

Here’s a sneak peek into my tags:

#daily — all daily notes#journal — personal reflections#project/obsidian-series — everything related to this article series#idea — random ideas#task and #task/done — task statuses

When I want to review all open tasks, I search for tag:#task -tag:#task/done.

It’s like having a smart filter on autopilot.

Conclusion

Tags are your flexible sidekick in Obsidian. They help you organize, search, and discover notes without wrestling with folders.

Start small—add a few tags to your notes today. Over time, you’ll see how these little hashtags build a powerful web of context that makes your vault feel alive and organized.

 What’s your tagging style? Do you use nested tags or keep it simple? Share your tips and tag hacks in the comments!

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