Apply keywords using the Keywords HUD

The Keywords HUD provides an efficient way to apply keywords to photos. You simply drag keywords to any photo or selection of photos in the Viewer or Browser.

Figure. Keywords HUD showing the keyword list and a keyword group.

The Keywords HUD contains a predefined library of keywords that you can browse and search. You can also add new keywords, remove keywords, and create keyword groups. For example, if you added the keyword Fish to your list, you might want to add Angelfish, Dolphin, Tuna, and Shark under the Fish keyword to further define your photos.

The Keywords HUD is automatically updated with any keywords you add. For example, when you enter a new keyword in the Info inspector, that keyword also appears in the Keywords HUD. When you change a keyword—by changing its spelling or capitalization, for example—the keyword is updated on all photos that have that keyword assigned.

When entering a large group of keywords in the Keywords HUD, it’s not uncommon to make spelling mistakes. It’s easy to modify existing keywords to fix the mistakes.

Assign keywords using the Keywords HUD

  1. To show the Keywords HUD, do one of the following:

    • Choose Window > Show Keywords HUD (or press Shift-H).

    • Click the Keywords button in the toolbar.

    The Keywords HUD appears.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • To browse for a keyword: Scroll up and down to review the keywords, and click the disclosure triangles to reveal the keywords in each keyword group.

      Figure. Keywords HUD showing keywords in a keyword group.
    • To search for a keyword: Type the keyword you’re looking for in the Keywords HUD search field.

      Figure. Keywords HUD showing a keyword entered in the search field.
  3. To select the keyword or multiple keywords you want to apply, do one of the following:

    • Click to select a single keyword in the list.

    • Hold down the Shift key while pressing the Up Arrow or Down Arrow key to select several keywords.

    • Shift-click a group of adjacent keywords.

    • Command-click nonadjacent keywords.

    The selected keywords are highlighted in the keyword list.

  4. To apply a keyword or keywords, do one of the following:

    • If the Browser is in filmstrip view or grid view: Drag a keyword or selected keywords from the Keywords HUD to a photo or selected photos in the Viewer or Browser.

      Figure. Keyword being dragged from the Keywords HUD to an image in the Viewer.
    • If the Browser is in list view: Drag a keyword or selected keywords from the Keywords HUD to a photo selection in the Browser list. The keyword appears in the Keywords column for the photo or photos.

      Note: Depending on the metadata options you have set, the Keywords column may not appear. For more information, see View a photo’s keywords.

    • If Aperture is set to full-screen view: Drag a keyword, selected keywords, or keyword group from the Keywords HUD to a photo or selected photos displayed onscreen or in the filmstrip.

The keyword or keywords are applied to the photo or selection of photos. To view keywords applied to photos, see View a photo’s keywords.

Add new keywords to the keyword library

  1. To show the Keywords HUD, do one of the following:

    • Choose Window > Show Keywords HUD (or press Shift-H).

    • Click the Keywords button in the toolbar.

    The Keywords HUD appears.

  2. Click the Add Keyword button.

    A new, untitled keyword appears in the keyword list.

    Figure. Keywords HUD showing the Add Keyword button and a new, untitled keyword added to the keyword list.
  3. Type a name for the new keyword, then press Return.

    The new keyword is added to the keyword library.

    Figure. Keywords HUD showing the new keyword appearing in alphabetical order in the keyword list.

Add keywords to a keyword group

  1. In the Keywords HUD, select the keyword group to which you want to add a keyword.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Click the Add Subordinate Keyword button, type the new keyword, then press Return.

      Figure. Keywords HUD showing the Add Subordinate Keyword button and a new, untitled keyword added to a keyword group.
    • Drag an existing keyword into the keyword group.

The new keyword appears in the keyword group you selected, sorted alphabetically within the group.

Create a new keyword group with keywords in it

  1. In the Keywords HUD, click the Add Keyword button, then type a name for the new keyword group.

  2. With the new keyword group name selected, click the Add Subordinate Keyword button, type a keyword, then press Return.

    The keyword you just added becomes the first keyword in the new group.

  3. To add another keyword to the new group, click the Add Subordinate Keyword button, type a keyword, then press Return.

Remove a keyword or keyword group from the keyword library

  1. In the Keywords HUD, select the keyword or keyword group you want to remove.

    Figure. Keywords HUD showing a selected keyword.
  2. Do one of the following:

    • Click the Remove Keyword button.

    • Press the Delete key.

      Figure. Keywords HUD showing the Remove Keyword button and the previously selected keyword removed from the list.

    If the keyword you are attempting to remove is assigned to any photo in your library, a dialog appears, indicating the number of times it’s being used. If you still want to remove the keyword, click “Remove from all versions.”

    Important: Removing a keyword from the keyword library removes it from any photos to which it’s already assigned.

Modify an existing keyword in the Keywords HUD

When entering a large group of keywords in the Keywords HUD, it’s not uncommon to make spelling mistakes. It’s easy to modify existing keywords to fix the mistakes.

  1. In the Keywords HUD, double-click the keyword you want to change.

    The selected keyword is highlighted, and you can edit it.

  2. Enter the correction, then press Return.

    If the keyword you are attempting to modify is assigned to any photo in your library, a dialog appears, indicating the number of times it’s being used. If you still want to change the keyword, click “Rename in all versions.”

Note: If you’re planning to enter a large group of keywords, it may be easier to enter them in a tab-delimited text (.txt) file, using an application such as TextEdit, and then import the list of keywords into Aperture. For more information, see Export and import keyword lists.