What tags are for
An alphabetical contacts list is fine if you remember someone's name. But when you're trying to find "that designer I met at the conference last spring," names are useless. Tags let you find people by the context you actually remember: where you met, who you were with, what you were working on.
The tag types
betterpal supports four meaningful tag categories plus a generic "other" type. The categories keep your tag list tidy, but they're suggestions. Nothing stops you from using a Group tag where a Project tag would also fit.
- Event. A specific occasion. "Wedding 2025", "Friend's birthday", "Tech Conference Berlin", "Book Club".
- Location. A place. "San Francisco", "Coffee shop on 5th", "Office", "Climbing gym".
- Group. An ongoing group of people. "College friends", "Work team", "Family", "D&D group".
- Project. Something you're working on. "Startup idea", "Podcast guests", "Volunteer crew".
- Other. Anything that doesn't fit. "Vegan", "Neighbors", "Knows my mom".
How to add a tag
- Open a person's profile.
- Tap the tag area near the top of their card.
- Pick an existing tag or create a new one. Choose a category and a color.
- Save. The tag now appears on their profile, in the Pals list, and on the Network graph.
Color coding
Each tag has a color you choose. The color shows up as a small overlay on person cards and as the node fill on the Network view. A consistent palette makes the list scannable: at a glance you can see how many "Wedding 2025" pals are in your Pals view without reading anything.
Use one color family per category. For example, blues for events, greens for groups, ambers for projects. Your eyes learn the meaning faster than they learn individual tag names.
Color a whole group at once
On the Tags screen your tags are grouped by category, and each group heading has a pencil icon next to its name. Tap it to rename the group or give it a color, and every tag in that group takes on that color at once. It's the fast way to make all your Event tags one shade and all your Group tags another, without recoloring each tag by hand.
Override every color temporarily
Prefer a calmer, single-color look? Tap the palette icon at the top of the Tags screen, next to the tag count, and pick a color. While the override is on, every tag shows that one color across the app. Tap the palette again to turn it off and your individual tag colors come straight back; nothing is lost. Handy when a colorful Network graph or Pals list feels like too much.
Filtering by tag
Tap the filter button on the Pals tab and pick a tag. The list collapses to just the people with that tag. Filters persist across the app, so when you switch to the Network view, the same tag is still applied. Two taps to come back: filter button, clear.
You can also stack filters. "Wedding 2025" + "Vegan" gives you the dietary list for that wedding without scrolling.
Editing and deleting tags
Long-press a tag to edit its name, change its color, or delete it. Deleting a tag removes it from every person who had it. The people stay; the tag goes away.
How many tags is too many?
More than you think, fewer than you'd hope. The useful frame: a tag earns its place if it answers a question you'll ask later. "Wedding 2025" earns it because you'll want to remember who was there. "Tall" probably doesn't.
If a tag only ever applies to one person, it's a note, not a tag.
Common questions
Can a person have unlimited tags?
Yes. There's no cap. Most people end up with two or three tags per person.
Can two tags share a name?
No. Tag names are unique within a category. If you need a clearer separation, prefix the name: "Work: Engineering" vs. "Climbing: Belay partners".
Will tags sync across devices?
betterpal stores tags locally on your iPhone. To move them to another device, use the export/import feature in Settings.
Next up
Tags answer "where do I know this person from." Relationships answer "and how do they connect to everyone else."