diff --git a/Source/Utility/include/Utility/Tags.h b/Source/Utility/include/Utility/Tags.h
index dbc86dc28..3704aa976 100644
--- a/Source/Utility/include/Utility/Tags.h
+++ b/Source/Utility/include/Utility/Tags.h
@@ -5,14 +5,15 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <optional>
+#include <utility>
 
 namespace nc::utility {
 
 class Tags
 {
 public:
-    enum class Color : unsigned char
-    {
+    enum class Color : unsigned char {
         None = 0,
         Gray = 1,
         Green = 2,
@@ -32,18 +33,37 @@ class Tags
     // Parses the "com.apple.FinderInfo" xattr and extracts a tag color if any is present.
     // Returns an empty vector as an error mechanism.
     static std::vector<Tag> ParseFinderInfo(std::span<const std::byte> _bytes) noexcept;
-        
+
     // Loads the contents an the xattrs and processes it with ParseMDItemUserTags
     static std::vector<Tag> ReadMDItemUserTags(int _fd) noexcept;
-    
+
     // Loads the contents an the xattrs and processes it with ParseFinderInfo
     static std::vector<Tag> ReadFinderInfo(int _fd) noexcept;
 
     // Loads tags from MDItemUserTags (1st priority) or from FinderInfo(2nd priority), works with file handles
     static std::vector<Tag> ReadTags(int _fd) noexcept;
-    
+
     // Loads tags from MDItemUserTags (1st priority) or from FinderInfo(2nd priority), works with file paths
     static std::vector<Tag> ReadTags(const std::filesystem::path &_path) noexcept;
+
+    // Composes a binary blob representing the contents of the "com.apple.metadata:_kMDItemUserTags" xattr corresponding
+    // to the specified list of tags. Empty blob is returned if no tags were provided.
+    static std::vector<std::byte> BuildMDItemUserTags(std::span<const Tag> _tags) noexcept;
+
+    // Writes the "com.apple.metadata:_kMDItemUserTags" and "com.apple.FinderInfo" xattrs to the specified file
+    // according to the provided set of tags.
+    static bool WriteTags(int _fd, std::span<const Tag> _tags) noexcept;
+
+    // Writes the "com.apple.metadata:_kMDItemUserTags" and "com.apple.FinderInfo" xattrs to the specified file
+    // according to the provided set of tags.
+    static bool WriteTags(const std::filesystem::path &_path, std::span<const Tag> _tags) noexcept;
+
+    // Executes a "kMDItemUserTags=*" query by Spotlight to gather all indexed items on the filesystem that contain any
+    // tags.
+    static std::vector<std::filesystem::path> GatherAllItemsWithTags() noexcept;
+
+    // Gather a current set of tags used by the items on the filesystem.
+    static std::vector<Tag> GatherAllItemsTags() noexcept;
 };
 
 // Non-owning class that represent a text label and a color of a tag.
@@ -62,3 +82,17 @@ class Tags::Tag
 };
 
 } // namespace nc::utility
+
+namespace std {
+
+template <>
+class hash<nc::utility::Tags::Tag>
+{
+public:
+    size_t operator()(const nc::utility::Tags::Tag &_tag) const noexcept
+    {
+        return std::hash<std::string>{}(_tag.Label()) + std::to_underlying(_tag.Color());
+    }
+};
+
+} // namespace std
diff --git a/Source/Utility/source/Tags.cpp b/Source/Utility/source/Tags.cpp
index 9f4e85290..44afc057d 100644
--- a/Source/Utility/source/Tags.cpp
+++ b/Source/Utility/source/Tags.cpp
@@ -9,12 +9,15 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <optional>
 #include <CoreFoundation/CoreFoundation.h>
+#include <CoreServices/CoreServices.h>
 #include <Base/CFStackAllocator.h>
 #include <Base/CFPtr.h>
+#include <Base/CFString.h>
 #include <memory_resource>
 #include <sys/xattr.h>
 #include <frozen/unordered_map.h>
 #include <frozen/string.h>
+#include <ranges>
 
 namespace nc::utility {
 
@@ -345,6 +348,15 @@ std::vector<Tags::Tag> Tags::ParseFinderInfo(std::span<const std::byte> _bytes)
     return {};
 }
 
+static void SetFinderInfoLabel(std::span<uint8_t, 32> _bytes, Tags::Color _color) noexcept
+{
+    if( _bytes.size() == 32 ) {
+        const uint8_t orig_b = _bytes[9];
+        const uint8_t new_b = (orig_b & 0xF1) | static_cast<uint8_t>(std::to_underlying(_color) << 1);
+        _bytes[9] = new_b;
+    }
+}
+
 std::vector<Tags::Tag> Tags::ReadMDItemUserTags(int _fd) noexcept
 {
     assert(_fd >= 0);
@@ -378,7 +390,7 @@ std::vector<Tags::Tag> Tags::ReadTags(int _fd) noexcept
 
     // 1st - try MDItemUserTags
     const bool has_usertags =
-        memmem(buf.data(), res, g_MDItemUserTags, std::string_view{g_MDItemUserTags}.length()) != nullptr;
+        memmem(buf.data(), res, g_MDItemUserTags, std::string_view{g_MDItemUserTags}.length() + 1) != nullptr;
     if( has_usertags ) {
         auto tags = ReadMDItemUserTags(_fd);
         if( !tags.empty() )
@@ -386,7 +398,8 @@ std::vector<Tags::Tag> Tags::ReadTags(int _fd) noexcept
     }
 
     // 2nd - try FinderInfo
-    const bool has_finfo = memmem(buf.data(), res, g_FinderInfo, std::string_view{g_FinderInfo}.length()) != nullptr;
+    const bool has_finfo =
+        memmem(buf.data(), res, g_FinderInfo, std::string_view{g_FinderInfo}.length() + 1) != nullptr;
     if( !has_finfo )
         return {};
 
@@ -406,6 +419,306 @@ std::vector<Tags::Tag> Tags::ReadTags(const std::filesystem::path &_path) noexce
     return tags;
 }
 
+static void WriteVarSize(unsigned char _marker_type, size_t _size, std::pmr::vector<std::byte> &_dst)
+{
+    if( _size < 15 ) {
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_marker_type + _size)});
+    }
+    else if( _size < 256 ) {
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_marker_type + 15)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{0x10});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_size)});
+    }
+    else if( _size < 65536 ) {
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_marker_type + 15)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{0x11});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_size >> 8)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_size & 0xFF)});
+    }
+    else {
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(_marker_type + 15)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{0x12});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>((_size >> 24) & 0xFF)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>((_size >> 16) & 0xFF)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>((_size >> 8) & 0xFF)});
+        _dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>((_size >> 0) & 0xFF)});
+    }
+    // not supporting sizes larger than 4GB.
+    // Finder actually doesn't allow even tags longer that 255 bytes
+}
+
+static std::pmr::vector<std::byte> WritePListObject(const Tags::Tag &_tag, std::pmr::memory_resource &_mem) noexcept
+{
+    // NB! Finder does sometimes skip the color information if the label text matches some of the predefined ones.
+    // I don't understand the logic on write it makes these decisions.
+    // It's possible to do that as well, but then binary blobs will be a bit different - need to update the test corpus.
+    // So for now the color information is written unconditionally (of course if that color is not None)
+    std::pmr::vector<std::byte> dst(&_mem);
+    const std::string &label = _tag.Label();
+    const bool is_ascii = std::ranges::all_of(label, [](auto _c) { return static_cast<unsigned char>(_c) <= 0x7F; });
+    if( is_ascii ) {
+        const size_t len_color = _tag.Color() == Tags::Color::None ? 0 : 2;
+        const size_t len = label.length() + len_color;
+
+        // write the byte marker and size
+        WriteVarSize(0x50, len, dst);
+
+        // write the label
+        dst.insert(dst.end(),
+                   reinterpret_cast<const std::byte *>(label.data()),
+                   reinterpret_cast<const std::byte *>(label.data() + label.length()));
+        if( len_color != 0 ) {
+            // write the color if it's not None
+            dst.push_back(std::byte{'\x0a'});
+            dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>('0' + std::to_underlying(_tag.Color()))});
+        }
+        return dst;
+    }
+    else {
+        // Build CF strings out of our label
+        base::CFStackAllocator alloc;
+        auto cf_str =
+            base::CFPtr<CFStringRef>::adopt(CFStringCreateWithBytesNoCopy(alloc,
+                                                                          reinterpret_cast<const UInt8 *>(label.data()),
+                                                                          label.length(),
+                                                                          kCFStringEncodingUTF8,
+                                                                          false,
+                                                                          kCFAllocatorNull));
+        if( !cf_str )
+            return {}; // corrupted utf8?
+
+        // Calculate the about of bytes required to store it as UTF16BE
+        const CFRange range = CFRangeMake(0, CFStringGetLength(cf_str.get()));
+        CFIndex target_size = 0;
+        const CFIndex converted =
+            CFStringGetBytes(cf_str.get(), range, kCFStringEncodingUTF16BE, ' ', false, nullptr, 0, &target_size);
+        if( converted != range.length )
+            return {}; // corrupted utf8?
+
+        assert(target_size % 2 == 0);
+        const size_t len_color = _tag.Color() == Tags::Color::None ? 0 : 2;
+        const size_t len = target_size / 2 + len_color;
+
+        // write the byte marker and size
+        WriteVarSize(0x60, len, dst);
+
+        // write the label
+        const size_t label_pos = dst.size();
+        dst.resize(dst.size() + target_size);
+        CFStringGetBytes(cf_str.get(),
+                         range,
+                         kCFStringEncodingUTF16BE,
+                         ' ',
+                         false,
+                         reinterpret_cast<UInt8 *>(dst.data() + label_pos),
+                         target_size,
+                         &target_size);
+
+        if( len_color != 0 ) {
+            // write the color if it's not None
+            dst.push_back(std::byte{'\x00'});
+            dst.push_back(std::byte{'\x0a'});
+            dst.push_back(std::byte{'\x00'});
+            dst.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>('0' + std::to_underlying(_tag.Color()))});
+        }
+
+        return dst;
+    }
+}
+
+std::vector<std::byte> Tags::BuildMDItemUserTags(const std::span<const Tag> _tags) noexcept
+{
+    if( _tags.empty() )
+        return {};
+
+    std::array<char, 4096> mem_buffer;
+    std::pmr::monotonic_buffer_resource mem_resource(mem_buffer.data(), mem_buffer.size());
+
+    // Build serialized representation of the tags
+    std::pmr::vector<std::pmr::vector<std::byte>> objects(&mem_resource);
+    for( auto &tag : _tags ) {
+        objects.emplace_back(WritePListObject(tag, mem_resource));
+    }
+
+    if( objects.size() > 14 ) {
+        // for now the algorithm is simpified to support only up to 14 tags simultaneously, which will be enough unless
+        // the system is abused.
+        objects.resize(14);
+    }
+
+    std::pmr::vector<size_t> offsets; // offset of every object written into the plist will be gathered here
+
+    // Write the magick prologue
+    std::pmr::vector<std::byte> plist;
+    plist.insert(plist.end(),
+                 reinterpret_cast<const std::byte *>(g_Prologue.data()),
+                 reinterpret_cast<const std::byte *>(g_Prologue.data() + g_Prologue.length()));
+
+    // Write an array object with up to 14 objects
+    offsets.push_back(plist.size());
+    plist.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(0xA0 + objects.size())});
+
+    // Write the object references
+    for( size_t i = 0; i < objects.size(); ++i )
+        plist.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(i + 1)});
+
+    // Write the objects themselves
+    for( auto &object : objects ) {
+        offsets.push_back(plist.size());
+        plist.insert(plist.end(), object.begin(), object.end());
+    }
+
+    // Deduce the stride of the offset table
+    size_t offset_int_size = 1;
+    if( const size_t max = *std::max_element(offsets.begin(), offsets.end()); max > 255 ) {
+        abort(); // TODO: implement
+    }
+
+    // Compose the trailer to be written later on
+    Trailer trailer;
+    memset(&trailer, 0, sizeof(trailer));
+    trailer.offset_int_size = static_cast<uint8_t>(offset_int_size);
+    trailer.object_ref_size = 1;
+    trailer.num_objects = std::byteswap(static_cast<uint64_t>(objects.size() + 1));
+    trailer.offset_table_offset = std::byteswap(static_cast<uint64_t>(plist.size()));
+
+    // Write the offset table
+    for( const size_t offset : offsets ) {
+        if( offset_int_size == 1 ) {
+            plist.push_back(std::byte{static_cast<unsigned char>(offset)});
+        }
+        else {
+            abort(); // TODO: implement
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Write the trailer
+    plist.insert(plist.end(),
+                 reinterpret_cast<const std::byte *>(&trailer),
+                 reinterpret_cast<const std::byte *>(&trailer) + sizeof(trailer));
+
+    // Done.
+    return {plist.begin(), plist.end()};
+}
+
+static bool ClearAllTags(int _fd)
+{
+    std::array<char, 8192> buf; // Given XATTR_MAXNAMELEN=127, this allows to read up to 64 max-len names
+    const ssize_t buf_len = flistxattr(_fd, buf.data(), buf.size(), 0);
+    if( buf_len < 0 )
+        return false;
+
+    if( buf_len == 0 )
+        return true; // nothing to do
+
+    const bool has_usertags = memmem(buf.data(), buf_len, g_MDItemUserTags, strlen(g_MDItemUserTags) + 1) != nullptr;
+    if( has_usertags ) {
+        if( fremovexattr(_fd, g_MDItemUserTags, 0) != 0 )
+            return false;
+    }
+
+    const bool has_finfo = memmem(buf.data(), buf_len, g_FinderInfo, strlen(g_FinderInfo) + 1) != nullptr;
+    if( has_finfo ) {
+        std::array<uint8_t, 32> finder_info;
+        const ssize_t ff_read = fgetxattr(_fd, g_FinderInfo, finder_info.data(), finder_info.size(), 0, 0);
+        if( ff_read != finder_info.size() )
+            return false;
+
+        SetFinderInfoLabel(finder_info, Tags::Color::None);
+        if( fsetxattr(_fd, g_FinderInfo, finder_info.data(), finder_info.size(), 0, 0) != 0 )
+            return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool Tags::WriteTags(int _fd, std::span<const Tag> _tags) noexcept
+{
+    if( _tags.empty() ) {
+        return ClearAllTags(_fd);
+    }
+
+    // it's faster to first get a list of xattrs and only if one was found to read it than to try reading upfront as
+    // a probing mechanism.
+    std::array<char, 8192> buf; // Given XATTR_MAXNAMELEN=127, this allows to read up to 64 max-len names
+    const ssize_t res = flistxattr(_fd, buf.data(), buf.size(), 0);
+    if( res < 0 )
+        return false;
+
+    auto blob = BuildMDItemUserTags(_tags);
+    if( fsetxattr(_fd, g_MDItemUserTags, blob.data(), blob.size(), 0, 0) != 0 )
+        return false;
+
+    std::array<uint8_t, 32> finder_info;
+    finder_info.fill(0);
+    const bool has_finfo = memmem(buf.data(), res, g_FinderInfo, strlen(g_FinderInfo) + 1) != nullptr;
+    if( has_finfo ) {
+        const ssize_t ff_read = fgetxattr(_fd, g_FinderInfo, finder_info.data(), finder_info.size(), 0, 0);
+        if( ff_read != finder_info.size() )
+            return false;
+    }
+    SetFinderInfoLabel(finder_info, _tags.front().Color());
+
+    if( fsetxattr(_fd, g_FinderInfo, finder_info.data(), finder_info.size(), 0, 0) != 0 )
+        return false;
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool Tags::WriteTags(const std::filesystem::path &_path, std::span<const Tag> _tags) noexcept
+{
+    const int fd = open(_path.c_str(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK); // TODO: is read-write required to change xattr??
+    if( fd < 0 )
+        return false;
+
+    const bool res = WriteTags(fd, _tags);
+
+    close(fd);
+
+    return res;
+}
+
+std::vector<std::filesystem::path> Tags::GatherAllItemsWithTags() noexcept
+{
+    const CFStringRef query_string = CFSTR("kMDItemUserTags=*");
+
+    const base::CFPtr<MDQueryRef> query =
+        base::CFPtr<MDQueryRef>::adopt(MDQueryCreate(nullptr, query_string, nullptr, nullptr));
+    if( !query )
+        return {};
+
+    const bool query_result = MDQueryExecute(query.get(), kMDQuerySynchronous);
+    if( !query_result )
+        return {};
+
+    std::vector<std::filesystem::path> result;
+    for( long i = 0, e = MDQueryGetResultCount(query.get()); i < e; ++i ) {
+        const MDItemRef item = static_cast<MDItemRef>(const_cast<void *>(MDQueryGetResultAtIndex(query.get(), i)));
+        base::CFPtr<CFStringRef> item_path =
+            base::CFPtr<CFStringRef>::adopt(static_cast<CFStringRef>(MDItemCopyAttribute(item, kMDItemPath)));
+        if( item_path ) {
+            result.emplace_back(base::CFStringGetUTF8StdString(item_path.get()));
+        }
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+std::vector<Tags::Tag> Tags::GatherAllItemsTags() noexcept
+{
+    auto files = GatherAllItemsWithTags();
+
+    robin_hood::unordered_flat_set<Tags::Tag> tags;
+    for( auto &file : files ) {
+        auto file_tags = ReadTags(file); // this can be actually done in multiple threads...
+        for( auto &file_tag : file_tags )
+            tags.emplace(file_tag);
+    }
+
+    // any sort???
+    return {tags.begin(), tags.end()};
+}
+
 Tags::Tag::Tag(const std::string *const _label, const Tags::Color _color) noexcept
     : m_TaggedPtr{reinterpret_cast<const std::string *>(reinterpret_cast<uint64_t>(_label) |
                                                         static_cast<uint64_t>(std::to_underlying(_color)))}
diff --git a/Source/Utility/tests/Tags_UT.mm b/Source/Utility/tests/Tags_UT.mm
index b0f69d1e3..894ccd40d 100644
--- a/Source/Utility/tests/Tags_UT.mm
+++ b/Source/Utility/tests/Tags_UT.mm
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@
 #include "UnitTests_main.h"
 #include <set>
 #include <fmt/core.h>
+#include <fmt/std.h>
+#include <fmt/printf.h>
+#include <fmt/os.h>
 #include <Utility/ObjCpp.h>
+#include <Base/CommonPaths.h>
+#include <Base/algo.h>
 #include <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
 
 using nc::utility::Tags;
@@ -297,3 +302,192 @@
         unlink(path.c_str());
     }
 }
+
+TEST_CASE(PREFIX "BuildMDItemUserTags")
+{
+    std::set<std::string> labels;
+    auto tag = [&labels](const char *_l, Tags::Color _c) { return Tags::Tag(&*labels.emplace(_l).first, _c); };
+
+    struct TC {
+        std::vector<Tags::Tag> labels;
+        std::vector<unsigned char> expected_bytes;
+    } const tcs[] = {
+        {{}, {}},
+        {{tag("None", Tags::Color::None)},
+         {0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x54, 0x4e, 0x6f, 0x6e, 0x65, 0x08, 0x0a,
+          0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00,
+          0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f}},
+        {{tag("Gray", Tags::Color::Gray)},
+         {0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x56, 0x47, 0x72, 0x61, 0x79, 0x0a, 0x31,
+          0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+          0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x11}},
+        {{tag("Green", Tags::Color::Green)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x57, 0x47, 0x72, 0x65, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x0a, 0x32,
+           0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x12}}},
+        {{tag("Purple", Tags::Color::Purple)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x58, 0x50, 0x75, 0x72, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x0a,
+           0x33, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x13}}},
+        {{tag("Blue", Tags::Color::Blue)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x56, 0x42, 0x6c, 0x75, 0x65, 0x0a, 0x34,
+           0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x11}}},
+        {{tag("Yellow", Tags::Color::Yellow)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x58, 0x59, 0x65, 0x6c, 0x6c, 0x6f, 0x77, 0x0a,
+           0x35, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x13}}},
+        {{tag("Red", Tags::Color::Red)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x55, 0x52, 0x65, 0x64, 0x0a, 0x36, 0x08,
+           0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x10}}},
+        {{tag("Orange", Tags::Color::Orange)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x58, 0x4f, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x67, 0x65, 0x0a,
+           0x37, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x13}}},
+        {{tag("Blue", Tags::Color::Blue),
+          tag("Grey", Tags::Color::Gray),
+          tag("Green", Tags::Color::Green),
+          tag("Orange", Tags::Color::Orange),
+          tag("Purple", Tags::Color::Purple),
+          tag("Red", Tags::Color::Red),
+          tag("Yellow", Tags::Color::Yellow),
+          tag("Home", Tags::Color::None)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa8, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07, 0x08,
+           0x56, 0x42, 0x6c, 0x75, 0x65, 0x0a, 0x34, 0x56, 0x47, 0x72, 0x65, 0x79, 0x0a, 0x31, 0x57, 0x47, 0x72,
+           0x65, 0x65, 0x6e, 0x0a, 0x32, 0x58, 0x4f, 0x72, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x67, 0x65, 0x0a, 0x37, 0x58, 0x50, 0x75,
+           0x72, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x0a, 0x33, 0x55, 0x52, 0x65, 0x64, 0x0a, 0x36, 0x58, 0x59, 0x65, 0x6c, 0x6c,
+           0x6f, 0x77, 0x0a, 0x35, 0x54, 0x48, 0x6f, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x08, 0x11, 0x18, 0x1f, 0x27, 0x30, 0x39, 0x3f,
+           0x48, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x09,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x4d}}},
+        {{tag("This is a very long and meaningless tag label", Tags::Color::Red)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x5f, 0x10, 0x2f, 0x54, 0x68, 0x69,
+           0x73, 0x20, 0x69, 0x73, 0x20, 0x61, 0x20, 0x76, 0x65, 0x72, 0x79, 0x20, 0x6c, 0x6f, 0x6e, 0x67,
+           0x20, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x64, 0x20, 0x6d, 0x65, 0x61, 0x6e, 0x69, 0x6e, 0x67, 0x6c, 0x65, 0x73, 0x73,
+           0x20, 0x74, 0x61, 0x67, 0x20, 0x6c, 0x61, 0x62, 0x65, 0x6c, 0x0a, 0x36, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3c}}},
+        {{tag("Привет!!!", Tags::Color::Blue)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x6b, 0x04, 0x1f, 0x04, 0x40, 0x04, 0x38,
+           0x04, 0x32, 0x04, 0x35, 0x04, 0x42, 0x00, 0x21, 0x00, 0x21, 0x00, 0x21, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x34, 0x08,
+           0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x21}}},
+        {{tag("Синий", Tags::Color::Blue)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x67, 0x04, 0x21, 0x04, 0x38,
+           0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x38, 0x04, 0x39, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x34, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x19}}},
+        {{tag("Зеленый", Tags::Color::Green)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x69, 0x04, 0x17, 0x04, 0x35, 0x04,
+           0x3b, 0x04, 0x35, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x4b, 0x04, 0x39, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x32, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1d}}},
+        {{tag("Это очень длинное имя для тэга  длина которого точно не поместится в четыре бита", Tags::Color::Green)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x6f, 0x10, 0x52, 0x04, 0x2d, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04,
+           0x3e, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x47, 0x04, 0x35, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x4c, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x34, 0x04,
+           0x3b, 0x04, 0x38, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x35, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x38, 0x04, 0x3c, 0x04,
+           0x4f, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x34, 0x04, 0x3b, 0x04, 0x4f, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04, 0x4d, 0x04, 0x33, 0x04,
+           0x30, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x34, 0x04, 0x3b, 0x04, 0x38, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x30, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04,
+           0x3a, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x40, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x33, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04,
+           0x42, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x47, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x3d, 0x04, 0x35, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04,
+           0x3f, 0x04, 0x3e, 0x04, 0x3c, 0x04, 0x35, 0x04, 0x41, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04, 0x38, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04, 0x41, 0x04,
+           0x4f, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x32, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x47, 0x04, 0x35, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04, 0x4b, 0x04, 0x40, 0x04,
+           0x35, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 0x31, 0x04, 0x38, 0x04, 0x42, 0x04, 0x30, 0x00, 0x0a, 0x00, 0x32, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xb1}}},
+        {{tag("🤓🥸🤩🥳😏", Tags::Color::None)},
+         {{0x62, 0x70, 0x6c, 0x69, 0x73, 0x74, 0x30, 0x30, 0xa1, 0x01, 0x6a, 0xd8, 0x3e, 0xdd, 0x13, 0xd8, 0x3e,
+           0xdd, 0x78, 0xd8, 0x3e, 0xdd, 0x29, 0xd8, 0x3e, 0xdd, 0x73, 0xd8, 0x3d, 0xde, 0x0f, 0x08, 0x0a, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00,
+           0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1f}}},
+    };
+
+    for( const auto &tc : tcs ) {
+        auto bytes = Tags::BuildMDItemUserTags(tc.labels);
+        CHECK(tc.expected_bytes ==
+              std::vector<unsigned char>{reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char *>(bytes.data()),
+                                         reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char *>(bytes.data() + bytes.size())});
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE(PREFIX "Our tags can be read back by Cocoa")
+{
+    std::set<std::string> labels;
+    auto tag = [&labels](const char *_l, Tags::Color _c) { return Tags::Tag(&*labels.emplace(_l).first, _c); };
+    TempTestDir dir;
+    const auto path = dir.directory / "f.txt";
+    close(open(path.c_str(), O_CREAT, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR));
+    struct TC {
+        std::vector<Tags::Tag> tags;
+        NSArray<NSString *> *expected_labels;
+        Tags::Color expected_color;
+    } const tcs[] = {
+        {{}, @[], Tags::Color::None},
+        {{tag("Hello!", Tags::Color::Green)}, @[@"Hello!"], Tags::Color::Green},
+        {{tag("N", Tags::Color::None)}, @[@"N"], Tags::Color::None},
+        {{tag("Gy", Tags::Color::Gray)}, @[@"Gy"], Tags::Color::Gray},
+        {{tag("Gn", Tags::Color::Green)}, @[@"Gn"], Tags::Color::Green},
+        {{tag("P", Tags::Color::Purple)}, @[@"P"], Tags::Color::Purple},
+        {{tag("B", Tags::Color::Blue)}, @[@"B"], Tags::Color::Blue},
+        {{tag("Y", Tags::Color::Yellow)}, @[@"Y"], Tags::Color::Yellow},
+        {{tag("R", Tags::Color::Red)}, @[@"R"], Tags::Color::Red},
+        {{tag("O", Tags::Color::Orange)}, @[@"O"], Tags::Color::Orange},
+        {{tag("1", Tags::Color::Orange), tag("2", Tags::Color::Blue)}, @[@"1", @"2"], Tags::Color::Orange},
+        {{tag("2", Tags::Color::Blue), tag("1", Tags::Color::Orange)}, @[@"2", @"1"], Tags::Color::Blue},
+        {{tag("🤡", Tags::Color::Green)}, @[@"🤡"], Tags::Color::Green},
+    };
+
+    for( auto &tc : tcs ) {
+        CHECK(Tags::WriteTags(path, tc.tags));
+        NSURL *url = [[NSURL alloc] initFileURLWithFileSystemRepresentation:path.c_str()
+                                                                isDirectory:false
+                                                              relativeToURL:nil];
+
+        id tag_names;
+        CHECK([url getResourceValue:&tag_names forKey:NSURLTagNamesKey error:nil]);
+        if( tc.expected_labels.count )
+            CHECK([nc::objc_cast<NSArray>(tag_names) isEqualToArray:tc.expected_labels]);
+        else
+            CHECK(tag_names == nil);
+
+        id number;
+        CHECK([url getResourceValue:&number forKey:NSURLLabelNumberKey error:nil]);
+        CHECK(nc::objc_cast<NSNumber>(number).integerValue == std::to_underlying(tc.expected_color));
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE(PREFIX "Spotlight detects items with new tags invented by NC")
+{
+    // Need to place these temp files into an indexable location (which the temp dir is not)
+    auto basepath = std::filesystem::path{nc::base::CommonPaths::Library()} / "__nc_testing_tags_ut__";
+    std::filesystem::create_directory(basepath);
+    auto cleanup = at_scope_end([basepath] { std::filesystem::remove_all(basepath); });
+
+    const std::string label =
+        fmt::format("Hello! This is a new tag created via Nimble Commander! My PID is {}", getpid());
+    const Tags::Color color = Tags::Color::Orange;
+
+    {
+        // Write a temp file with a newly invented tag
+        const auto path = basepath / "f.txt";
+        CHECK(close(open(path.c_str(), O_CREAT, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR)) == 0);
+        CHECK(Tags::WriteTags(path, std::vector<Tags::Tag>{{&label, color}}));
+        CHECK(system(fmt::format("mdimport {}", path.c_str()).c_str()) == 0);
+    }
+
+    // Try a few times to find the new tag via Spotlight, need multiple attempts since there's still a race condition
+    // even after an explicit call to mdimport
+    for( int attempt = 0; attempt < 10; ++attempt ) {
+        auto all_tags = Tags::GatherAllItemsTags();
+        if( std::ranges::find(all_tags, Tags::Tag{&label, color}) == all_tags.end() ) {
+            std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds{100});
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        // Sucessfully found the newly created tag among all tags found via Spotlight, i.e. success
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Failed to find the new tag after the number of attempts
+    FAIL();
+}