Flags: A Guide

March 27 2025 11:27pm • Est. Read Time: 7 MIN

Enhance your YNABing experience with the Flags feature, which allows you to tag and add detail to expenses, help track reimbursements, and color-code related transactions. Learn how to name, add, change, and remove flags from transactions, and how to search by flag. Note that flags are an optional feature— your YNAB setup can be successful with or without them!

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In This Article

What Can I Do With Flags?
Explains the customizable functionality of this feature

How to Name a Flag

How to Add a Flag to a Transaction

How to Change a Flag

How to Remove a Flag

How to Add or Edit Flags on Multiple Transactions

How to Search and Sort by Flag

What Can I Do With Flags?

Want to add some extra detail to your expenses? Want to really dial in on tracking reimbursements and shared expenses? Try out our Flags feature! Flags can serve multiple functions in your account register and spending plan as a whole, including:

  • Adding detail to your expenses, and color-coding related transactions. Flags help group expenses that have separate categories, like tax-deductible expenses. You can also export your flagged transactions ↗️ and then share them with anyone who will listen to you.

  • Helping you follow up on reimbursable expenses (who owes you, or what it's for). 

  • If you're YNABing with a partner, you can flag transactions that you need to discuss together.

  • Reminders to take action, like remembering to pay a bill that isn't on autopay.

  • If you're frequently needing to get a total amount that you've spent on something—but the transactions span multiple categories or accounts—using a flag allows you to search for the flag color, and get a selected total with ease.

  • Adding splashes of color to your accounts and transactions!

 Do I need to use flags in YNAB?   

No. Flags are one of those cherry-on-top features. Your YNAB setup can be just as successful with them as without them. 😊

Keep in mind that you can change your mind, and change your spending plan to reflect that. If you choose not to use flags now, but want to in the future, you can absolutely start using flags at a later date, and vice versa!

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How to Name a Flag

Use these steps to name a new flag or edit an existing one. You can then follow the steps in the How to Add a Flag to a Transaction section to tag any transactions you'd like!

  •  Web
  •  iOS
  •  Android
  1. From the web app, click on an account (or All Accounts) in the left sidebar.

  2. Click on the flag icon of any transaction (found to the left of the date).

  3. Click Edit Flags at the bottom of the flag picker pop-up menu.

  4. Click the text box of the flag color you'd like to name.

  5. Type the custom name.

  6. Click Done.
  1. From the mobile app or iPad, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on the transaction you'd like to edit. 

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap Edit Flags and type in the custom flag name or description for the color of your choice. 

  6. Tap Save. 
  1. From the mobile app, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on the transaction you'd like to edit to bring up the Transaction window.

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap Edit Flags and type in the custom flag name or description. 

  6. Tap Save. 

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How to Add a Flag to a Transaction

  •  Web
  •  iOS
  •  Android
  1. From the web app, click on an account (or All Accounts) in the left sidebar.

  2. Click on the flag icon of any transaction (found to the left of the date).

  3. Choose the flag by using of these options:

    1. Click the color from the flag window that appears.

    2. Use a keyboard shortcut ↗️ by typing the number to the right of the flag.
  1. From the mobile app or iPad, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on the transaction you'd like to edit. 

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap on the color flag you'd like.

  6. Tap Save to finish. 
  1. From the mobile app, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on the transaction you'd like to edit. 

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap on the color flag you'd like. 

  6. Tap Save. 

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How to Change a Flag

  •  Web
  •  iOS
  •  Android
  1. From the web app, click on an account (or All Accounts) in the left sidebar.

  2. Select the transaction(s). This will bring up a transaction action bar at the bottom of your screen. The options presented will depend on the statuses of the selected transactions (whether they need to be cleared, approved, categorized, etc.).

  3. If you see a Flag option, click it now. If you don't yet see it, click the    More button and then select the Flag option.

  4. Select the new flag option from the menu.
  1. From the mobile app or iPad, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on a transaction to open the details window.

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap the color you want instead.

  6. Tap Save to finish.
  1. From the mobile app, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on a transaction to open the details window.

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap the color you want instead.

  6. Tap Save. 

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How to Remove a Flag

  •  Web
  •  iOS
  •  Android
  1. From the web app, click on an account (or All Accounts) in the left sidebar.

  2. Select the transaction(s).

  3. Select Flag.

  4. Click the Clear option.
  1. From the mobile app or iPad, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on a transaction to open the details window.

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap the Clear option to remove the flag entirely.

  6. Tap Save. 
  1. From the mobile app, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap on a transaction to open the details window.

  4. Tap Flag.

  5. Tap the  Clear Flag option to remove the flag entirely.

  6. Tap Save. 

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How to Add or Edit Flags on Multiple Transactions

  •  Web
  •  iOS
  •  Android
  1. From the web app, click on an account (or All Accounts) in the left sidebar.

  2. Select all of the transactions you'd like to edit using the checkboxes on the left-hand side of the account register. This will bring up a transaction action bar at the bottom of your screen. The options presented will depend on the statuses of the selected transactions (whether they need to be cleared, approved, categorized, etc.).

  3. If you see a Flag option, click it now. If you don't yet see it, click the    More button and then select the Flag option. 

  4. From this window, you can choose whatever bulk flag action you'd like: 

    1. Remove the flags: tap Clear. You will only see this option if one or more of the selected transactions has a flag currently. 

    2. Add a flag: select the color of your choice.

    3. Change the flag color: choose your preferred color option.

    4. Edit the flag name. Click Edit Flags, rename the color of your choice, and click Done when finished. 
  1. From the mobile app or iPad, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Tap Select at the top right.

  4. Select all of the transactions you'd like to edit using the circles on the left-hand side of the account register. 

  5. Tap the More button (three dots icon ) at the bottom of the screen. 

  6. Tap Flag. 

  7. From this window, you can choose whatever bulk flag action you'd like: 

    1. Remove the flags: tap Clear Flag. You will only see this option if one or more of the selected transactions has a flag currently. 

    2. Add a flag: select the color of your choice.

    3. Change the flag color: choose your preferred color option.

    4. Edit the flag name. Click Edit Flags, rename the color of your choice, and click Save when finished. 
  1. From the mobile app, tap the Accounts tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Tap on an account (or All Transactions).

  3. Select all of the transactions you'd like to edit, using the checkboxes at the left of the register. 

  4. Tap the three dots icon   at the bottom of the screen to bring up more options.  

  5. Tap Flag. 

  6. From this window, you can choose whatever bulk flag action you'd like: 

    1. Remove the flags: tap Clear Flags. You will only see this option if all of the selected transactions have the same color flag currently. 

    2. Add a flag: select the color of your choice.

    3. Change the flag color: choose your preferred color option.

    4. Edit the flag name: this option is not available for bulk action on Android, so you'll want to select an individual transaction in order to access this edit functionality (using these steps from above).

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If you’re using flags to earmark a certain group of transactions, you can later use the search function to search for the flag. In the search bar (either within the account register or when reviewing all transactions), type the flag color or custom name of the flag you're searching for. 

 Can’t see the search box on mobile?   

For iOS, try scrolling up to reveal it. For Android, tap on the search icon in the top bar to reveal it.

Searching by the flag color or custom name of the flag will filter the register so that only the transactions assigned that flag will be shown. From there, you can select all of them (or only some of them) using the checkboxes or circles to the left of each transaction to see the Selected Total of those transactions' amounts in the top of your register. Check out our article on the power of the search function ↗️ (and selected totals) for more specifics and instructions! 

You can also use flags to sort your transactions ↗️. 

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