Updated May 05, 2022: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Updated March 17, 2022: Microsoft have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Currently, when images are uploaded to SharePoint, a column named Tags is automatically created and includes descriptive labels to help with search. With the new update, we will migrate tags from the previous text-based and read only Tags column and implement a new editable Image Tags column. End-users will be able to manually add or remove tags from this column. The tags will also appear in the details pane. This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 88708.
Image tags are automatically created and includes descriptive labels when they are uploaded into SharePoint within Microsoft 365. This improves Microsoft Search results. With the new update, people will be able to manually add or remove tags from this column using freeform text or from the managed metadata service (your company taxonomy). Additionally, we are designing a new flow trigger in Power Automate that will allow programmable actions based on these tags.
When this will happen
We expect this update to begin rolling out at in early February (previously late January) and expect the rollout to be completed by late May (previously late April).
How this will affect your organization
With this change, we will migrate tags from the previous text-based and read-only Tags column to a new editable Image Tags column. If users have library views or flows that include the old column, the old column will disappear from the view and the new column will need to be added manually. To manually add a column to a view, see Change the view of a list or library. To manually add a column to a flow, see Overview of using flows with SharePoint.
Note: the current limit of tags per image will remain. Microsoft is planning to provide a licensed-based method should your image tagging requirements go beyond this limit. More on this later this year.
What you need to do to prepare
We recommend that you notify your users about the upcoming change and new functionality and include steps to recreate library views and flows.
Learn more
About image tag functionality: Work with Image Tags in a SharePoint Library
Message ID: MC272451
Published: 23 July 2021
Updated: 05 May 2022
