Whenever you upload an image to a library in SharePoint in Microsoft 365, descriptive keywords (or tags) based on the content of the image are automatically added to an Image Tags column in the library. If an image contains tags at the time you upload it, those tags will also be added to the Image Tags column.
In addition, once an image is added to a library, you can edit the tags for that image by adding or removing terms.
Make the "Image Tags" column visible
If you don't see the Image Tags column in your library, you can quickly make it appear:
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In a list view, select any column heading, then select Column settings > Show/hide columns.
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Select Image Tags in the list.
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Select Apply.
View and edit image tags
When you add tags to images, as described below, they aren't added instantaneously. It takes up to 24 hours for the tags to be uploaded to the list.
View and edit image tags in a List view
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Ensure that the Image Tags column is visible, as described in the procedure above.
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On the toolbar, select Edit in grid view.
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In the Image Tags column, double click the cell you want to edit.
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To add a tag, type term you want to add, then press Enter.
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To remove a tag, select the term and press Delete.
Note: There is a limit of 255 characters for entries in the Tags column.
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View and edit image tags in Tiles view
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Point your mouse at an image and select See details.
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In the details pane on the right, scroll down to the Image Tags field.
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Enter or remove terms from the box containing the terms. You can click the × next to a term to remove it.
Note: There is a limit of 255 characters for entries in the Tags column.
Search for an image by using tags
Image tags are searchable in SharePoint. In the Search box at the top of the page, enter a tag name, then press Enter. The search results will include any images that are tagged with that term.
Note: If you are searching from within the library, the results will be limited to just those images. If you are searching from a different place within SharePoint, other related items may also be included in the search results.
How SharePoint manages tags
SharePoint examines images at upload time and automatically assigns keywords to them. There may be cases where inaccuracies occur—incorrect tags are added or correct tags are missing. You can manually add or remove tags, as described above.
Automatically generated image tags are reanalyzed every time the image is updated. So there may be a case where the image is updated and old tags are removed and new tags added. However, tags that you manually add are never removed.
Basic tags
Currently SharePoint supports basic tags—a set of 37 terms:
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banner |
blackboard |
book |
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business card |
clappberboard |
clipart |
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display |
document |
doorplate |
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drawing |
envelope |
file folder |
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image |
indoor |
lanyard |
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linedrawing |
map |
mosaic |
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newspaper |
object |
office |
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outdoor |
person |
photo |
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plaque |
receipt |
restaurant |
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scoreboard |
screenshot |
sign |
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stamp |
stationary |
text |
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vector graphics |
video |
whiteboard |
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x-ray film |
Send feedback on image tags
Your feedback helps us build more responsible AI and improve accuracy. Please send feedback about image and automatically generated tag pairings that don't seem right. We will further evaluate feedback in accordance with Microsoft's Responsible AI principles. Learn moreabout the principles.
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Open the image to send feedback on.
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Open the Details pane by selecting the
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Under Properties > Image Tags, select Send Feedback to Microsoft.
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Select the automatically generated tag to report for the image.
Note: You can only report automatically generated tags. If you don't see a tag on the drop-down list, then it's a custom tag that someone manually added to the image.
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Choose the category of issue (Not relevant, Offensive, or Other).
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For all issues, you may describe more about your feedback in the last box.
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If allowed by your organization's policies, you may share the image to help us better understand the issue.
Note: Your organization's policies may not allow you to send images to Microsoft.
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You may share your email address so we can contact you if we have further questions about your feedback.
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Select Send Feedback
Optimize tagging for your image organizational asset library for Copilot
To get the best search results in your Organization Assets Library (OAL) in SharePoint, follow these tagging recommendations. This will help Copilot locate the images you need efficiently.
Notes: For Copilot to find your images, you must first:
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Create an organization assets library: Create an organization assets library
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Connect your OAL library to Copilot: Connect organizational asset libraries to Copilot for an on-brand experience
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Ensure your OAL includes the Image Tags column for tagging your images: Work with image tags in a SharePoint library
Basic Guidelines
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Descriptive content: Ensure tags, descriptions, and titles clearly reflect the subject and purpose of the image, aligned with the company's context and use cases.
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Searchable tags: Include terms that employees are likely to use when searching for the image.
Using Keywords Effectively
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Specific keywords: Incorporate terms related to your company's departments, projects, or initiatives.
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Synonyms: Use alternate words or phrases to broaden search possibilities.
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Literal descriptions: Include words that describe the physical elements in the image, like "laptop" or "conference room."
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Symbolic tags: Add keywords that reflect what the image represents, such as "collaboration" or "innovation."
Adding Descriptive Phrases
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Adjectives: Use terms like "bright,” "modern," or "black and white photo” to describe the setting or style of the image.
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Context: Make sure descriptions explain how the image is used within company and its relevance to the company's goals or projects.
Here's an example of these tagging recommendations:
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Title: Vattenfall Windmills in the Baltic Sea.
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Description: Close up of Vattenfall windmill in the Baltic Sea on a sunny day.
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Tags: renewable energy source, resource efficiency, circular economy, sustainable business model, windmill farm, Vattenfall windmill, sustainability, environment, carbon reduction, windmill, Baltic Sea, multiple windmills in the ocean.
