SiftVid

Use Custom Tags to Create Your Perfect System

Auto-tags are great. But your tags are better. Here's how to build a tagging system that fits your workflow — ceremony clips, drone footage, coaching drills, or any category you define.

BY SIFTVID TEAM · MAY 2026 · 4 MIN READ

Auto-Tags Cover 80%. Custom Tags Cover the Rest.

SiftVid auto-tags your videos with subjects, categories, and file metadata from filenames. That handles 80% of searches. But what about the other 20%?

The clips you'll remember with tags only you would think of:

  • “all-time favorites”
  • “summer 2023 batch”
  • “need to rewatch”
  • “client review pending”
  • “wide angle ceremony”

Custom tags let you organize your way.

How Custom Tags Work

Adding a Tag

  1. Right-click any video → “Add Tag”
  2. Type your tag. Press Enter.
  3. Done. The tag is saved instantly.

Tags are stored locally. They persist across sessions. You can add multiple tags to one video.

Searching by Custom Tag

Type your tag in the search bar. All matching videos appear. Sort them by duration, size, or date.

Or: Click “Tags” in the sidebar. Browse all your custom tags. Click one. See everything tagged with it.

Bulk Tagging

Select multiple videos (Ctrl+click or Shift+click). Right-click → “Add Tag to Selection.” One action, all selected videos tagged.

Use this to tag an entire folder's worth of clips in seconds.

Real-World Tagging Systems

Wedding Videographer

  • ceremony-wide, ceremony-close — angle reference
  • first-dance, reception-speeches — event moments
  • drone-b-roll — aerial footage across all weddings
  • delivered-2024 — tracking completed projects

Sports Coach

  • game-film, practice-drill — session type
  • zone-defense, fast-break — play types
  • highlight — best clips for review

Action-Cam Archivist

  • alps-2022, patagonia-2023 — location batches
  • keeper — clips worth editing
  • timelapse — specific shot type

Power User Tips

Tag Across Categories

Custom tags ignore category boundaries. A tag like keeper can span drone footage, coaching drills, and ceremony clips. Search finds them all.

Use Tags for Workflow State

Tags like to-edit, delivered, and archived turn SiftVid into a lightweight project tracker for your footage.

Combine with Filters

Tag filter + search + sort. Filter by keeper, search for a specific subject, sort by duration. That narrows 10,000 clips to the 3 you actually want.

Auto-tags organize everything. Custom tags organize what matters to you.