Deleting multiple keywords in Photoshop Elements

Question

When I installed PSE2019 in my new computer, it imported many, many keywords that were setup by me on my old computer. I think there may literally be over a thousand random words, perhaps as a result of it importing photos/graphics from screenshots, etc that I didn't know were on my computer. I was able to identify and delete those images - but I think their keywords remain (with no images).

Is there any way to delete multiple keywords at once? So far I have only been able to select them one at a time to delete them - which means it might be a never ending task.

Appreciate any insights, help.

Greg_S. · Accepted Answer

If all you want to do is delete the keyword tags from the Tags panel, simply multi-select the tags, using shift-click for contiguous tags or Ctrl-click for non-contiguous tags. When you have selected them, right-click on one of the tags and you will be given the option to Delete them. A message willl pop up giving you a warning about the deletion. Click OK and the tags will be deleted.

(It is also possible to delete tags from multiple photos without deleting the tag from the hierarchy. Let us know if you need to do that too.)

Mt_Mike · Answer

Deleting keywords in Elements organizer WILL NOT delete the keyword (Tag) from the photos if the meta data was saved. Anytime you re-import or import the pictures into a new catalog the keywords will come back. When importing photos you are given the option of also importing the attached keywords. If you select all & advanced the Organizer will attempt to place the keywords into the existing keyword structure and you will be given the option of selecting the keyword you want the picture to use if it cannot be found. A problem that I encounter is that the whole process is case sensitive. If the embedded tags (keywords) are "bird", "swimming", "dad". Organizer will not automatically put them into the "Bird", "Swimming", "Dad" keywords you already set up because the first letter case is different. To eliminate importing keywords you no longer want you will have to delete them from the photo file data. I have been doing this in Windows explorer. Go to the folder, in the search box type tag: and the keyword you are looking for, tag:chicken or tag:"boat house" or tag:lake+boat. Select all pictures, right click, select properties, select details, click to the right of tags and it will list all tags that are common to all the pictures. You can click on a tag and hit delete, click ok.

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