Windows 11 File Tags Autocomplete Not Working

Question

Windows 11 File Tags Autocomplete Not Working

Spencer H 150

Usually when I try to add EXIF tags to my files in Windows 11 File Explorer, it will show a list of autocomplete options, making it much easier and faster to add tags. However, the autocomplete has stopped working for me. It was working just a few days ago, but since then I installed the "2024-09 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5043076)". I suspect something in this update made this feature stop working. I've already used services.msc to make sure Windows Search is running, and checked the Indexing Options to make sure the folders that the files I'm trying to tag are in are under the included locations.

Leigh Ros 55 Reputation points

2024-10-02T00:37:36.81+00:00

I know it is something in this update Spencer - I spent over 4 hours with online chat and there suggestion in the end was to wipe my laptop computer. I not only did this but bought a brand new desktop. Auto fill worked for a while on tags but overnight the Window updates installed and the autofill no longer worked. This is essential feature for me as I have 10 years plus of complex scientific tagging on jpgs. I uninstalled the updates one by one and KB5043076 was the problem. I have paused updates for now and my auto fill working but I can't of course do this forever. I tried to reinstall windows 11 on my old laptop but the uninstall of KB5043076 was no longer option. And photo tagging autocomplete not working. This is a nightmare for me. Microsoft please address this issue.
Spencer H 150 Reputation points

2024-10-02T09:58:07.88+00:00

I just uninstalled the update, and the tag autocomplete is now working again. However, as far as I'm aware, there is no way to prevent Windows 11 from updating indefinitely, so I would appreciate if this could be fixed sooner than later. Furthermore, uninstalling the update seems to have broken my Start menu. Signing out or restarting have not fixed the issue. I have already submitted posts for both of these issues on Feedback Hub, so if anyone can direct to me a way to submit these issues that will actually be seen by people who can fix these problems in future updates, that would be appreciated.
Jason H 50 Reputation points

2024-10-11T14:28:43.97+00:00

Same here. I have detailed tags on thousands of files and need the auto population options. This needs to be fixed.
Jason H 50 Reputation points

2024-10-11T14:29:59.8533333+00:00

I'm having the same problem after the update. I have thousands of files with detailed tags and need them to auto populate.
Lois Hines 10 Reputation points

2024-10-11T18:07:10.9366667+00:00

I have the same problem. I noticed it a week or two ago and hoped that the next update would fix it, but unfortunately it did not. The October cumulative update was installed on my system 10/9/24 and the issue remains.
Minhquan Nguyen 15 Reputation points

2024-10-11T22:12:05.6133333+00:00

I'm also having the same problem. I don't have as much need for the auto-complete as some of you do, but it's really annoying to lose a convenient feature for no reason because of an update. I'm too nervous about messing up my start menu to uninstall the culprit update.
Robert Engle 10 Reputation points

2024-10-13T10:25:13.9066667+00:00

I also am having the same issue after installing the Oct update. Had to restore to previous saved image taken before the update. Backing out the update did not fix the problem. I had did not install the Sept non security preview.
Steven Bailey 20 Reputation points

2024-10-13T14:26:01.1233333+00:00

File explorer is killing me slowly! I can no longer easily edit metadata (Tags, Title, Author, Subject) for multiple selections (Details pane) without more menu "clicks". Now I find that searches have been knobbled and I can no longer search on any of the metadata (Tags etc.)
The only solution to the former seems to be "Old Explorer.exe" - but the search issue persists.
It seems that my life is dominated, these days, by spending hours after each windows update having to fix things - but this latest update has done horrible things, the solutions to which lie beyond my expertise.
Spencer H 150 Reputation points

2024-11-09T11:57:49.3966667+00:00

After pausing updates for the maximum of 5 weeks, Windows 11 has just forced me to download updates again. Unfortunately, this issue seems to still not have been fixed. Thankfully, my start menu did fix itself eventually when I restarted my computer, though I have no idea why that didn't work the first time I did it. I have no idea what to do in regards to the autocomplete though. The option to uninstall the culprit update no longer appears, and after over a month of no response from Microsoft, I just don't know how I'm supposed to bring to their attention that an important feature in their product has been completely broken. When looking up where to report Windows bugs, the Windows Feedback Hub seems to be the only option given. I have already made my own post there about this issue, and when I look up "tags", I can see several other people have also made posts about this exact issue, yet multiple updates later, it has not been fixed. This is a pretty poor look for Microsoft and their Feedback Hub.
Spencer H 150 Reputation points

2024-11-11T01:29:37.7233333+00:00

I've made a new post on the Feedback Hub about this issue and everything we know about it so far. It's called "Windows 11 File Tags Autocomplete Still Not Working". Please go upvote and comment on that post and all the other posts about this issue (just press the Windows key + F on your Windows machine to open Feedback Hub, then look up "tags" and you should find them). Getting enough upvotes and comments on your feedback posts is the only way I can find to get an issue in front of Microsoft and fixed.
Mark Read 5 Reputation points

2024-12-17T18:59:04.05+00:00

Please add your upvote to Spencer H post to the Feedback Hub as noted above on Nov 10 8:29pm
Matthew Bokach 15 Reputation points

2025-01-05T18:01:50.4566667+00:00

Echoing this request for the same reason as others - I have an enormous library of wildlife photography and use tags to keep track of common and scientific names. Having to type them all in takes more time and also increases the chance of typos. I've upvoted the topic in the Feedback Hub also.
Michael Barsanti 20 Reputation points

2025-04-23T09:16:25.8966667+00:00

Same problem here, I upgraded from Win 10 to Win 11 23H2 build 22631.5189 and the tag autocomplete is not working. I cannot uninstall updates because my laptop is managed by my employer and i don't have admin rights. We need to hope that someone in microsoft reads our concerns and push out an update to fix the tag autocomplete functionality.
Michael Barsanti 20 Reputation points

2025-05-28T11:53:52.42+00:00

I have the same problem, still not fixed in 2025
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
StaceySC 10 Reputation points

2025-07-03T13:45:04.65+00:00

Same problem after KB5044285. Need this fixed!
Vicki Carlson 5 Reputation points

2025-07-23T12:15:50.92+00:00

My new computer has Windows 11 and apparently Microsoft has not solved the problem with tagging. It simply will not remember tags and each time I have to enter them manually. It's so time consuming since I work with photos all day.

1 answer

Your answer

Leigh Ros 55 Reputation points

2024-10-02T00:37:36.81+00:00

I know it is something in this update Spencer - I spent over 4 hours with online chat and there suggestion in the end was to wipe my laptop computer. I not only did this but bought a brand new desktop. Auto fill worked for a while on tags but overnight the Window updates installed and the autofill no longer worked. This is essential feature for me as I have 10 years plus of complex scientific tagging on jpgs. I uninstalled the updates one by one and KB5043076 was the problem. I have paused updates for now and my auto fill working but I can't of course do this forever. I tried to reinstall windows 11 on my old laptop but the uninstall of KB5043076 was no longer option. And photo tagging autocomplete not working. This is a nightmare for me. Microsoft please address this issue.
Spencer H 150 Reputation points

2024-10-02T09:58:07.88+00:00

I just uninstalled the update, and the tag autocomplete is now working again. However, as far as I'm aware, there is no way to prevent Windows 11 from updating indefinitely, so I would appreciate if this could be fixed sooner than later. Furthermore, uninstalling the update seems to have broken my Start menu. Signing out or restarting have not fixed the issue. I have already submitted posts for both of these issues on Feedback Hub, so if anyone can direct to me a way to submit these issues that will actually be seen by people who can fix these problems in future updates, that would be appreciated.
Jason H 50 Reputation points

2024-10-11T14:28:43.97+00:00

Same here. I have detailed tags on thousands of files and need the auto population options. This needs to be fixed.
Jason H 50 Reputation points

2024-10-11T14:29:59.8533333+00:00

I'm having the same problem after the update. I have thousands of files with detailed tags and need them to auto populate.
Lois Hines 10 Reputation points

2024-10-11T18:07:10.9366667+00:00

I have the same problem. I noticed it a week or two ago and hoped that the next update would fix it, but unfortunately it did not. The October cumulative update was installed on my system 10/9/24 and the issue remains.
Minhquan Nguyen 15 Reputation points

2024-10-11T22:12:05.6133333+00:00

I'm also having the same problem. I don't have as much need for the auto-complete as some of you do, but it's really annoying to lose a convenient feature for no reason because of an update. I'm too nervous about messing up my start menu to uninstall the culprit update.
Robert Engle 10 Reputation points

2024-10-13T10:25:13.9066667+00:00

I also am having the same issue after installing the Oct update. Had to restore to previous saved image taken before the update. Backing out the update did not fix the problem. I had did not install the Sept non security preview.
Steven Bailey 20 Reputation points

2024-10-13T14:26:01.1233333+00:00

File explorer is killing me slowly! I can no longer easily edit metadata (Tags, Title, Author, Subject) for multiple selections (Details pane) without more menu "clicks". Now I find that searches have been knobbled and I can no longer search on any of the metadata (Tags etc.)
The only solution to the former seems to be "Old Explorer.exe" - but the search issue persists.
It seems that my life is dominated, these days, by spending hours after each windows update having to fix things - but this latest update has done horrible things, the solutions to which lie beyond my expertise.
Spencer H 150 Reputation points

2024-11-09T11:57:49.3966667+00:00

After pausing updates for the maximum of 5 weeks, Windows 11 has just forced me to download updates again. Unfortunately, this issue seems to still not have been fixed. Thankfully, my start menu did fix itself eventually when I restarted my computer, though I have no idea why that didn't work the first time I did it. I have no idea what to do in regards to the autocomplete though. The option to uninstall the culprit update no longer appears, and after over a month of no response from Microsoft, I just don't know how I'm supposed to bring to their attention that an important feature in their product has been completely broken. When looking up where to report Windows bugs, the Windows Feedback Hub seems to be the only option given. I have already made my own post there about this issue, and when I look up "tags", I can see several other people have also made posts about this exact issue, yet multiple updates later, it has not been fixed. This is a pretty poor look for Microsoft and their Feedback Hub.
Spencer H 150 Reputation points

2024-11-11T01:29:37.7233333+00:00

I've made a new post on the Feedback Hub about this issue and everything we know about it so far. It's called "Windows 11 File Tags Autocomplete Still Not Working". Please go upvote and comment on that post and all the other posts about this issue (just press the Windows key + F on your Windows machine to open Feedback Hub, then look up "tags" and you should find them). Getting enough upvotes and comments on your feedback posts is the only way I can find to get an issue in front of Microsoft and fixed.
Mark Read 5 Reputation points

2024-12-17T18:59:04.05+00:00

Please add your upvote to Spencer H post to the Feedback Hub as noted above on Nov 10 8:29pm
Matthew Bokach 15 Reputation points

2025-01-05T18:01:50.4566667+00:00

Echoing this request for the same reason as others - I have an enormous library of wildlife photography and use tags to keep track of common and scientific names. Having to type them all in takes more time and also increases the chance of typos. I've upvoted the topic in the Feedback Hub also.
Michael Barsanti 20 Reputation points

2025-04-23T09:16:25.8966667+00:00

Same problem here, I upgraded from Win 10 to Win 11 23H2 build 22631.5189 and the tag autocomplete is not working. I cannot uninstall updates because my laptop is managed by my employer and i don't have admin rights. We need to hope that someone in microsoft reads our concerns and push out an update to fix the tag autocomplete functionality.
Michael Barsanti 20 Reputation points

2025-05-28T11:53:52.42+00:00

I have the same problem, still not fixed in 2025
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
StaceySC 10 Reputation points

2025-07-03T13:45:04.65+00:00

Same problem after KB5044285. Need this fixed!
Vicki Carlson 5 Reputation points

2025-07-23T12:15:50.92+00:00

My new computer has Windows 11 and apparently Microsoft has not solved the problem with tagging. It simply will not remember tags and each time I have to enter them manually. It's so time consuming since I work with photos all day.

Answer 1

Geraldine P 0

I recently discovered same problem. For me what worked was uninstalling KB5044285 and autocomplete drop down box reappeared. Along with uninstalling that update I also un-installed one other from same date plus two from subsequent dates. Microsoft Tech tried same thing earlier today and it didn't work. He restored computer back to prior to uninstalling updates. I tried it again tonight though and thankfully it worked this time. Not sure what made the difference.

StaceySC 10 Reputation points

2024-12-20T06:53:47.6866667+00:00

I have the same problem. I use metadata on jpg extensively; loosing this is crazy! Need Microsoft to fix this. I'm not confident enough to start uninstalling things. But I have that update KB5044285, it was installed on 10/9/2024 that's about when this stopped working. The other option is find a replacement for windows explorer. Something that will let me edit all metadata properties for photos, and tag them and remember what tags I've already used. I've looked at these before and honestly I don't want another piece of software! But, I'm going to have to find something, this is unacceptable for me.
Paul Mc 5 Reputation points

2024-12-29T00:56:29.3633333+00:00

This has happened to me before, but like you, this removes a vital function for me. Please let me know if you find an alternative.
Michael Barsanti 20 Reputation points

2025-05-28T11:55:06.94+00:00

Still not working in 2025...

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Windows 11 File Tags Autocomplete Not Working

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