What TagSpaces actually is
MakeUseOf describes it as a privacy-focused file manager for organizing, tagging and browsing files and folders locally, without the cloud. The project's own documentation backs this up. It describes a tool that works on the local file system with no cloud account or database, with tags stored in filenames or lightweight sidecar files.
Shareef's use case is relatable. He produces a dozen or more images a day, plus videos, research documents and drafts, and he syncs phone files with Syncthing. For a pile like that, tags are far easier to search than folder hierarchies.
Syncing is a separate layer. TagSpaces documents compatibility with Dropbox, Google Drive, Nextcloud and Syncthing, but it doesn't supply sync itself.
Two ways to tag, and each has trade-offs
This is the most important design decision in TagSpaces, and it affects how portable your metadata is.
Filename tags (the default). Tags are written into the name itself. The project's example turns IMG-2653.jpg into IMG-2653[vacation alps].jpg. The documentation says these tags survive sync across Dropbox and Google Drive. Any file browser or search tool can read them.
The downside is that names change. Filename tags also eat into path length. The docs warn that Windows limits paths to roughly 256 characters, which caps how many tags you can add.
Sidecar files. Metadata goes into JSON files in a hidden .ts folder next to your files. A file named file1.jpg gets a sidecar at .ts/file1.jpg.json. That is slightly different from the simplified "wallpaper.jpg.json" example in the MakeUseOf piece. The sidecar is named after the original file, not after the tag.
The documentation lists these advantages and drawbacks for sidecars:
- Original filenames stay untouched.
- There is theoretically no limit on the number of tags.
- If you move or rename files outside TagSpaces, you must move or rename the sidecars by hand.
- Hidden
.tsfolders may not sync unless you enable hidden-file sync in your cloud tool.
Folder tags are always stored as sidecars, in a tsm.json file inside the folder's .ts directory.
You choose the method in Settings, under Tagging Method. It can also be set per location.
Getting started on Windows
- Install TagSpaces and accept the license on first launch.
- Create a location, which is just a folder. Use the "New" button, choose New Location, pick the folder and give it a name. TagSpaces also pre-connects standard folders such as Downloads, Documents, Music and Desktop. You can remove these.
- Select one or more files. Hold Ctrl and click to multi-select.
- Add tags through the Tags toolbar button, the right-click menu, or the details panel. You can enter several tags separated by commas. You can also drag tags from the tag library onto files.
- Choose your tagging method before you tag in bulk.
A cautious approach is to try both tagging methods on a copied test folder. Then check that the tags survive your real workflow, meaning your sync tool, your file moves and any other utilities you use. That is my practical inference from the documented trade-offs. I haven't tested every sync setup.
Search: what the free version covers
The search operators match what MakeUseOf describes. The docs say search can also look inside supported plain-text files when full-text search is activated for a location. Tag shortcuts are + to require a tag, - to exclude one, and | for "at least one of." Matching is fuzzy by default, with semistrict and strict modes available.
Two points in the original article need qualifying.
Full-text search is not simply Pro-only. MakeUseOf says full-text search inside documents is locked to Pro. That is only partly true now. TagSpaces 6.12 made full-text search inside plain text files free, covering .txt, .md and source code. Indexing office and document formats such as PDF, DOCX, ODT, XLSX, PPTX and EPUB remains a Pro capability. The practical result:
| Content type | Full-text search in Lite? |
|---|---|
| TXT, Markdown, HTML, CSV, source code | Yes, since 6.12 |
| PDF, DOCX, ODT, XLSX, PPTX, EPUB | No, Pro only |
If your library is mostly Markdown notes, that is good news. If it is mostly PDFs and Office files, the original criticism still stands. Full-text indexing is enabled per location, in the Edit Location dialog.
Global search is Pro. MakeUseOf's walkthrough has you switch search scope from Folder to Global. TagSpaces documentation says Pro offers searching across all locations, called Global search. The product comparison table also labels Global search as beta. Lite users can still search the current folder or location, using the scope chip in the search box. They shouldn't expect cross-location search to be included. WindowsForum has previously noted the same licensing catch.
Pricing: treat $47 with caution
MakeUseOf puts Pro at $47 a year. TagSpaces's own product page confirms a free Lite tier and a paid Pro tier with an annual option and a one-time license. The page text I retrieved doesn't show a price figure. A third-party download listing, FileHorse, shows Pro at €39 per year per user. Pricing varies by currency and may have changed, so check the current checkout page before paying.
The Pro list on the product page includes:
- Collaborative tags
- AI-generated tags and descriptions
- Bookmarks and geo-tagging
- Kanban, map and calendar views
- Advanced full-text search
The product page lists file revisions and auto-save as Pro rows in its feature comparison.
Notes, previews and the Explorer comparison
TagSpaces includes editors for Markdown, plain text and HTML. Notes are saved as ordinary files in the current folder. That makes it a reasonable viewer for an Obsidian vault, as Shareef uses it. He doesn't see it replacing Obsidian.
Windows users should keep one gotcha in mind. Filename tags are plain text in the name, so File Explorer's ordinary text search can find them. Explorer's separate tags: filter reads a file's Tags property and generally won't. That is the explanation WindowsForum previously gave for why filename tags show up in one kind of Explorer search but not the other. Either way, searching for a tag word still works outside TagSpaces. That is a real advantage over a database-only organizer.
Why it may be underused
I can't verify the claim that TagSpaces is unpopular. Plausible reasons, drawn from general industry knowledge rather than any source, include:
- It is an Electron app with a dense interface.
- Tagging is a habit most people don't have.
- The Lite/Pro split can blur which features cost money.
Shareef himself says the app can look bloated at first glance and recommends the built-in guided tour. The developers have also been moving features into the free tier. The 6.12 release notes say more features are moving from Pro into the free Lite edition. That could make the free version more attractive over time.
Bottom line
TagSpaces is worth a trial if you want tags that live in ordinary files rather than in an opaque database. Filename tags give you maximum portability at the cost of changing names. Sidecars preserve names but need care with moves and sync. Lite covers tagging, local search and plain-text full-text search. Searching across locations and indexing PDFs or Office documents require Pro. Test on a copy first, and check current pricing before you pay.