Is there a way to set a Finder Shortcut for 'Tags…' in macOS 10.14 Mojave?

Question

Prior to Mojave, I used a custom Shortcut (System Preferences>Keyboard> Shortcuts>App Shortcuts) for the 'Tags…' command (Finder, File>Tags…), as in this answer: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/112852/63961.

After updating, this shortcut stopped working, and the keystroke no longer appeared in Finder's File menu next to 'Tags…'. The custom setting was still present in System Preferences.

I've attempted to reset this by clearing the old shortcut and re-creating it, with a variety of different keystrokes, and with alternate spelling for 'Tags…' (i.e., with three periods for the ellipsis character). Other custom shortcuts do work in Finder, for menu items either already having built-in keystrokes, or when no built-in is present. The Finder Toolbar button for the 'Tags…' command works fine, as does the menu item itself.

Answer 1

In Finder, go to preferences, then Tags. Remove all favorite tags, and the shortcut should work.

Answer 2

I got it to work again!

In Finder settings, remove all the favorites in tags. Then go to a file and manually click Tags... from the menu bar, type in a tag and press enter. Next time the shortcut works, on all other files too.

Answer 3

The work around above doesn't work for me and I think there is a real bug in the OS. When you work with cursor keys manually (i.e. without using Karabiner and pressing ctrl-f2, right_arrow, right_arrow, down_arrow, t, in order) the final 't' command takes you to Rename since the OS cannot see the Tags… command. Even if you move the cursor by pressing the down_arrow key a few more times it moves to the 'Find' command at the bottom and then the next down_arrow keystroke makes the highlight disappear as if the Tags… item weren't there.

Answer 4

EDIT:
It seems that Apple very rigorously prevents keyboard access to "Tags…" in Mojave.
As I still work with High Sierra, I cannot test any workaround for this restriction. Sorry!

Here's a workaround [NOT for Mojave +], if you don't mind using a free third party app (GitHub:) "Karabiner Elements".
(KE is a key re-mapping tool and preference panel "app". It can easily be closed temporarily or uninstalled via its "Misc" tab.)

Start by copying/pasting this code into BBEdit/TextEdit.

[EDIT:] THEN save file as "Finder-Tags.json" into: ~/.config/karabiner/assets/complex_modifications.

{"title": "Finder … ''Tags…''",
 "rules": [
          { "description": "Finder:  ''Tags…'' ",
            "manipulators": [
                { "conditions": [
                      { "bundle_identifiers": ["^com.apple.finder"],
                        "type": "frontmost_application_if" }
                                ],
                        "from": { "key_code": "t",
                                  "modifiers": {
                                      "mandatory": ["left_command"] }
                                },
                          "to": [ { "key_code": "f2",
                                    "modifiers": ["left_control"] },
                                  { "key_code": "right_arrow"},
                                  { "key_code": "right_arrow"},
                                  { "key_code": "down_arrow"},  
                                  { "key_code": "t"},  
                                  { "key_code": "return_or_enter"}
                                ],
                        "type": "basic" }
                            ]
}    ]    }

Now, what you see is some code that re-maps your "Cmd-T" to a sequence of key-press´es, starting with Cmd-F2 to access finder's menus, followed by some simulated arrow-key navigation to pull down "File" menu and finally a "t" to reach and "enter" item "Tags…"

All this funny mixture is necessary, as there are TWO menus (Finder & File) with starting letters "Fi", which prevents getting to "File" easily.
At the beginning of the code "bundle_identifiers": ["^com.apple.finder"] restricts this shortcut to your Finder, and ONLY works if it is the frontmost_application.

Fine!
If you want to try this very easy method, do it this way:
– Find, download and install "Karabiner Elements" from GitHub
– Open it and its tab "Complex Modifications " – Press [+ Add rule], scroll to "Finder: Tags…" and press [+ Enable]

Btw:
It is just as easy to create a shortcut to open the context menu and next a "Tags…" window from there. But THAT shortcut would demand your cursor to hover over a selected file.

Answer 5

Accepted answer above work for me as well. But only after a restart of the computer. The culprit is most likely not the Tags, but the Shortcuts!

The problem with above solution is that deleting "Favorite Tags in Sidebar" in Finder Preferences also removes these custom tags from the files! So - if you want to keep your files tagged - try these steps below:

1.

• Reenter the shortcut in System Preferences.
• Restart your Mac.

2.

• If problem resists - Delete (or move) Finder prefs (path: ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist)
• Restart your Mac.
• Enter the shortcut in System Preferences.
• Restart your Mac.

Finder prefs contains the “App shortcuts” (and some other settings, not that hard to recreate), not the “Favourite Tags”. To remove the Finder prefs is a common solution to basic problems. If you never tried it before it may be handy to know that you keep the old file, and if you wish, put it in place again (and immediately restart your Mac) to get your old settings back.

————————————

The menu-name of “Tags…” can be entered with three dots or with an ellipse, they both work. The shortcut can be a global shortcut or a shortcut for the Finder only. The key combination given to the shortcut of “Tags…” will not show up in the File-menu as other shortcut key combinations does.

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Shortcuts in Mojave shows some buggy behaviours. Sometimes when entering four or five shortcuts at once the entered menu-names suddenly disappears. After a restart they show up properly.

The shortcut for “Tags..” seems extra troublesome. Tags seems to be hooked into Finder and also have some other dependencies. The problem is probably due to synchronisation of plist and defaults files.

If opening the window of “Finder Preferences - Tags” the shortcut of “Tags…” may stop working. Opening Finder Preferences - but not viewing the Tags section - seems to not render the shortcut nonfunctional.

Sometimes, but rarely, it is enough only opening System Preferences window to render the shortcut nonfunctional. Other entered custom shortcuts will work just fine though.

A restart always solves the problem.

————————————

A tip:

You can view your shortcuts in the default-file. Type “defaults read” (without quote-marks) in Terminal. Search for “NSUserKeyEquivalents” (without quote-marks).

The shortcuts will show in two places (if applied).

In “Apple Global Domain” section it may look like this:

NSUserKeyEquivalents =         {
      "About This Mac" = "@^a";
      "System Preferences..." = "@~,";
};

In “com.apple.finder” section it may look like this:

NSUserKeyEquivalents =         {
    "Show Search Criteria" = "@^s";
    "Tags..." = "@^t";
};

That means you could also do a “defaults-write” to set your shortcuts. (Not recommended if you do not know how to do it properly).