How to Fix OneDrive for Mac Removing Finder Tags from Office Files
Question details
Users experience Finder color tags disappearing from Office files saved in the OneDrive sync folder after auto-save is triggered.
- Product
- OneDrive for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS (Apple silicon)
- Scenario
- Assigning a Finder color tag to an Office file synced via OneDrive, then editing the file with auto-save enabled.
- Observed behavior
- The assigned Finder color tag is removed automatically when the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file is saved or auto-saved in the OneDrive sync folder.
Verify that your documents are stored directly in the OneDrive sync folder and check your current versions of both Microsoft Office and the OneDrive macOS application to provide accurate diagnostic details.
Report the Bug via OneDrive Settings
Since this is a recognized synchronization issue on Apple silicon versions, reporting it directly to the development team is the primary method to expedite a permanent patch.
Microsoft support has confirmed that specific versions of OneDrive for Apple silicon may strip Finder tags when updating Office file metadata during auto-saves. Sending feedback with your version numbers helps the engineering team track and resolve the bug.
Click the OneDrive cloud icon located in the Apple menu bar at the top of your screen, then click the gear icon to open the menu.
Select 'Send Feedback' from the dropdown list.
Describe how Finder tags are removed when saving Office files. Be sure to include your exact Office version (e.g., 16.58) and OneDrive version (e.g., 22.022).
Workaround: Temporarily Pause OneDrive Sync
To prevent tags from disappearing while you are actively working, you can pause OneDrive syncing until your edits are complete.
Try WPS Office for a Stable Mac Experience
Tired of cloud syncing glitches and disappearing file tags? WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for macOS, offering excellent performance on Apple silicon without disrupting your native Finder organization.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Get the free WPS Office application for Mac from the official website and install it on your Apple silicon device.
- 2. Open Your Office Files: Double-click your existing .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx files to open them seamlessly in WPS Office.
- 3. Save and Tag Securely: Edit your documents and save them locally. You can assign Finder tags without worrying about background sync services stripping them away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Finder color tags disappear on OneDrive for Mac?
This is a known synchronization bug affecting certain preview and standalone versions of OneDrive on Apple silicon Macs. When Office files trigger an auto-save, the OneDrive client rewrites the file metadata, inadvertently stripping the macOS Finder color tags.
Does this tag removal issue affect all file types in OneDrive?
No, user reports and Microsoft support testing indicate that this issue primarily occurs with Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). Other generic file types like PDFs or images typically retain their color tags.
Can I recover the removed Finder tags automatically?
Unfortunately, no. Because the metadata is removed during the save process, you will need to manually reassign the color tags to your files in Finder once you are done editing them.
