How do I create a new tag in OneNote on the Mac?

Justin 5 Reputation points
2026-03-25T11:37:44.2533333+00:00

I am running OneNote 16.107.2 (26032211) on a MacBook Pro running 26.4. When I click on the drop down arrow and click on + Create New Tag, a side pane opens that shows "Custom Tags" but no other information or details are contained in the pane. As such, there is not a way to add a new tag.

In preferences, turning on optional connected experiences does nothing. Other than when you turn off that feature, the Create New Tag does not appear. When you turn that preference back on, the Create New Tag option appears but still does nothing other than open a side pane as described.

Screenshot 2026-03-25 at 7.35.57 AM

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | Other | MacOS

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  1. Cindy 0 Reputation points
    2026-07-29T04:27:25.64+00:00

    These instructions did not solve the problem. We've taken the exact steps to get to the pane, but the issue is the Create a Tag pane is empty, even with the latest MS OneNote version.

    Please fix this bug, thanks.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-03-25T11:38:00.31+00:00

    Creating a new custom tag in OneNote for Mac is done entirely from the Tags gallery on the Home tab. The documented steps are:

    1. In the note, select the text that should receive the tag.
    2. On the Home tab, move the mouse over the Tags gallery and select the down‑facing arrow at the bottom of the gallery.
    3. Select Create New Tag.
    4. In the Create a Tag pane that opens on the right, enter a name for the tag.
    5. Choose an icon for the tag from Featured or All icons.
    6. Select Create.
    7. With the pane closed, select the text again if needed.
    8. Open the Tags gallery, then select the new tag to apply it.

    If the Create a Tag pane only shows the heading “Custom Tags” and does not display the name and icon options described above, this behavior is not covered in the product documentation. In that case, use the built‑in tags from the Tags gallery (for example, Critical, Question, To Do) until the pane displays the documented fields for creating a tag.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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