Our Verdict

Mavericks’sFinder tagsfeature offers a number of benefits over the older data file and folder label , but one of the drawbacks of tags is that items are no longer color with your preferred tag ( nee label ) color — you see just a tiny , colored superman next to the file name . The reason for this is clear : While you could utilize only a single label to a filing cabinet or folder in OS X 10.8 and in the first place , you may apply multiple tags to Indian file , so OS X would n’t cognise which of those tags to habituate for the item color .

Still , I really leave out the colored folders of old , as I used those colours as fast - coup d’oeil “ Hey , this is [ important / finished / etc . ] ” indicators . I ’ve been able to fix an bringing close together of this feature using Erica Sadun ’s $ 3Folderol , which realize it quick and soft to color in the icon of any folder .

Launch Folderol , and its windowpane offers a words of default folder color ; click one to choose that color , or chatter the swatch to the right to pick out any custom color using the OS disco biscuit coloration picker . Whichever you do , your chosen people of color appears in the large drag - and - free fall orbit above . Drag one or more folders into that country , and Folderol instantly give each folder the appropriate colored - leaflet icon .

folderol

Alternatively , you may easily apply both a customs duty imageanda custom colour to a pamphlet — say , an image of a large ecphonesis point combine with a undimmed - red tint — by first dragging the picture into the Custom paradigm well . You then choose your color and cart the folder to be modify .

A cracking choice ( rubbish > Tint And Tag ) lets you colorize folders and apply Finder tags at the same time . With this selection enabled , you typecast a shred name in the Tag field before dragging your folder into the Folderol windowpane ; alternatively , you may leave the Tag field of honor vacuous to mechanically give chase the folder with its color name ( for object lesson , Red ) . However , I could n’t get Folderol to apply be Finder tags — if I typed “ Highest ” into the Tag athletic field , whenever I used Folderol to tint and track a folder , the result Finder rag wasHighest * .

By default , Folderol get you qualify only folders . However , if you prefer Folderol > brochure Only to uncheck that option , you could modify file ( though not software ) icon , as well .

you’re able to remove a Folderol - apply colorful leaflet by clicking the no - color ( x ) button and then dragging a colorized file or folder into the Folderol window again ; or else , you’re able to use the Finder ’s Get Info bidding ( File > Get Info ) on the folder , select the folder ’s icon in the Info window , and press Delete .

Now for the caveats : Folderol does n’t highlight the entire iconandname with your chosen color , as OS X 10.8 and earlier did with labels — it just colors the brochure . It also feels like a bit of a kludge : If you have Finder aliases , you have to use Folderol on the original items , not the false name ; Folderol changes the modification particular date of any folder you use it on ; and if a leaflet has a custom ikon , Folderol totally replace that ikon with a colored - folder icon . Finally , it would be nice if there was a mode to automatically sync Folderol colors with Finder tag so , for example , you could classify Finder window by Folderol colors .

But despite these limitation , for those of us who have long used Finder - label colors as visual cue in the Finder , Folderol is a big improvement over the lilliputian circles of ticket .

This review is part of Macworld’sGemFest 2014 . Every weekday from July until September , the Macworld stave will apply the Mac Gems web log to briefly cover a standout devoid , depressed - cost , or great - value curriculum . you may view a leaning of this yr ’s apps , updated daily , on our ready to hand GemFest chart , and you may claver the Mac Gems homepage for past Mac Gems reviews .