Using labels and colors in Windows 11 File Explorer

Where was that photo of the cat or the screenshot of the piece of furniture you wanted to buy? We generate tons of files every day and without good organization, locating something specific becomes a pain.Folders help, yes, but they're not always sufficient or fast enough when the volume grows.

Windows 11 offers several ways to organize and speed up your searches: Labels (metadata) for supported files, visible colors on folders/entries with tools or icons, and sensitivity labels with Microsoft PurviewCombining them allows you to find what you need faster, filter by category, and, if you work in a business, protect sensitive information without the hassle.

What are labels and why are they worth using?

Tags are keywords that are stored within the file's metadata. File Explorer can then display, sort, and search for them. So, even if you don't remember the file name, you can locate it by topic, client, event, or any other criteria that suits you.

Not all formats support traditional metadata tags., but in Windows 11 they work with documents from Microsoft Office, with popular image formats (such as .jpg/.jpeg and others), with PDF and even with some files like ISO where Windows exposes fields in the Details tab. Also, in corporate environments, Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels add classification and protection that travels with the file.

grace is that Labeling once saves you time forever: You'll find everything faster and be able to group by tags or filter in Explorer views, without relying so heavily on deep folder paths.

Another leg of the organization is color, Although Explorer doesn't natively colorize folders, you can change icons to yellow/blue/gray variants and, with tools like Q-Dir, apply useful color filters for browsing at a glance.

If you work with sensitive data, Purview's sensitivity labels They let you apply permissions, expiration, and encryption from within Explorer, maintaining control even outside your organization.

How to add labels to files in Windows 11

You can tag from File Explorer in several ways: using Properties, with the Details Pane, or even during saving in applications Microsoft 365 , the WordTo save time, you can tag multiple files at once if the format supports it.

Option 1: File Properties in Explorer

1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar or Start menu.
2. Select one or more compatible files that you want to tag (Office documents, .jpg/.jpeg/.png images, PDF, ISO, etc.).
3. Right click > Properties and go to the Details tab.
4. Locate the Labels field, write one or more words separated by commas according to your criteria.
5. Apply and accept the changes so that the tags are saved in the metadata.

When you see those files again in Explorer, you can add the Labels column in the details view to see at a glance which keyword each one has.

Option 2: Details Panel

1. In Explorer, select View > Show > Details Pane to open the information column on the right.
2. When you select a compatible file you will see the Tags field editable directly in that panel.
3. Add or remove tags and save the changes so that they are reflected without opening Properties.

This route is very comfortable because allows you to edit labels “on the fly” while browsing a folder or search results.

Option 3: When saving from Microsoft Office

If you work with Word, Excel or PowerPoint, You can enter tags when you Save AsIn the save dialog box, in addition to the name, type, and location, you'll see an option to add tags. Even if the document title doesn't contain certain words, These labels will make it easier to find later..

Organize, sort, and search files by tags

Once your material is labeled, It's time to get the most out of the Explorer viewIn the column options, activate Tags to view them; from there, you can sort alphabetically and, most importantly, group by tag so everything is in easily visible blocks.

In folders with many entries, The Tags header will allow you to filter quickly sort by specific values ​​or leave out what doesn't fit. It's a way to "create categories" without physically moving files between folders.

Explorer's built-in search also benefits from: the results show an extra column with the labels, so you can quickly identify which items belong in each category and decide how to filter them.

If you feel more comfortable with additional context, enables the Details Panel to see attributes, date, dimensions (on images) and of course the tags applied to each file.

As good practices, use few labels, but consistent ones. Sometimes, using year, area, and client is fine: “2025, Marketing, ClientX.” You’ll avoid duplicates like “invoice” vs. “invoices,” which dilute results.

Change the color of folders using system icons

Although Windows 11 does not come with folder “painting” as standard, Yes, you can change their icon to differentiate them visually.The system includes yellow, blue, and gray variants, and you can choose any other icon you like.

1. Right click on the folder (own or shortcut; the shortcut shows the small arrow).
2. If it's a shortcut, go to Shortcut tab > Change icon. If it is a normal folder, go to Customize tab > Change icon.
3. Browse and paste the path c:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\imageres.dll to view the system icon gallery.
4. Choose the blue, gray or whatever icon you prefer, apply and accept. If it doesn't update instantly, press F5 to refresh.

This trick is very practical if you want color-code three levels or states (e.g., grey “file”, yellow “active”, blue “priority”) without installing anything else.

Apply color filters with Q-Dir for faster navigation

If you need to go a step further, Q-Dir is an alternative browser that allows you to use color filters. to visually highlight folders and files. It doesn't replace labels; it complements them with very clear visual cues.

In Q-Dir, look for the option Menu > Extras > Tree View > Use Color FiltersFrom there, you can activate colors by type, status, or criteria you define, and customize palettes to fit your flow.

What is it used for in practice? Useful scenarios that benefit from filters:

• Project management: blue for completed, yellow for in progress, red for urgent.
• Teamwork: assign a color per person to recognize responsibilities at a glance.
• personal organization: bills in red, personal documents in blue and work in green.
• Reports by periods: different colors for weeks or months and find them in seconds.

Although Windows Explorer does not include native color filters, tools like Q-Dir work in Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and 11, and they make a difference when you work with thousands of files every day.

Sensitivity and protection labels with Microsoft Purview

In professional or educational settings, Microsoft Purview Information Protection adds classification and encryption right from within ExplorerUnlike "classic" labels, these sensitivity labels can apply permissions, control access, and record justifications for downgrading.

Apply a sensitivity label from the Explorer

1. Open Explorer (icon on the taskbar, Start menu, or Windows logo key).
2. Right click on the file, multi-select or folder that you want to protect and choose Apply sensitivity label with Microsoft Purview.
3. In the labeler box, select the label defined by your organization (just as you would in Office).
4. If your administrator allows it, choose Protect with custom permissions to adjust access and expiration.
5. Click Apply and wait for the “Job completed” message; then Close.

Since then, The label and protection travel with the file; if you mail it or copy it to another location, the rules still apply.

Available permissions and options

• Choose permissions: assign levels such as Viewer, Reviewer, Co-Author, Co-Owner, or Only Me. For types without unprotected tag support, the following applies: generic protection that authenticates the user and respects View, Edit, Save As, Print and Copy permissions.
• Select users, groups, or organizations: Define recipients by email (e.g., user@domain.com), distribution lists, or entire domains (contoso.com).
• Expire access: Set a date after which recipients cannot open the file; as the encrypted owner, you can always open the original.

In some cases, When applying protection the extension changes and you'll see a lock icon. For example, "capture.png" could become "capture.ppng."

View and change a label/protection

1. Right-click > Apply Sensitivity Label with Microsoft Purview about the element.
2. Choose View Permissions to view owner, applied tag, and active permissions.

If you need to adjust the level, run the wizard again and select another label or modify your custom protection. When downgrading (e.g., from High Confidential to Confidential), you may be asked to provide a reason.

Remove a label or protection

1. Select file(s) or folder, right click and enter the tagger again.
2. Remove label (if protection was applied, it will be automatically removed) or uncheck Protect with custom permissions.
3. Apply and that's it; the result will be displayed when the job is finished.

If you just want to change the label or permissions, no need to remove first; directly applies the new settings.

Supported file types for labeling and protection

In the traditional metadata part, Windows exposes the Labels field in multiple formats (Office, .jpg/.jpeg/.png images, PDF, ISO in certain contexts). Microsoft Purview also offers extensive support for tagging and/or protecting:

• PDF: . Pdf
• Microsoft project: .mpp, .mpt
• Publisher: .pub
• XPS: .xps, .oxps
• Images: .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .jif, .jfif, .jfi, .png, .tif, .tiff
• Autodesk Design Review: .dwfx
• Adobe Photoshop: .psd
• Digital negative: .dng
• Microsoft Office (includes 97-2003 and OOXML): .doc, .docm, .docx, .dot, .dotm, .dotx, .potm, .potx, .pps, .ppsm, .ppsx, .ppt, .pptm, .pptx, .vdw, .vsd, .vsdm, .vsdx, .vss, .vssm, .vst, .vstm, .vssx, .vst, .xls, .xlsb, .xlt, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx

Note that Some labels are only displayed when you activate protectionFor example, a “General” label (unprotected) could be applied to “sales.pdf” but not to “sales.txt.” However, a “Confidential \ All Employees” label (protected) could be applied to both “sales.pdf” and “sales.txt.”