diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Assets/GivenTheSearchLocalisationKeys.cs b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Assets/GivenTheSearchLocalisationKeys.cs
index d2e1f9c7..b88951c5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Assets/GivenTheSearchLocalisationKeys.cs
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Assets/GivenTheSearchLocalisationKeys.cs
@@ -58,4 +58,8 @@ public void when_read_then_search_no_results_key_exists() =>
     [Fact]
     public void when_read_then_search_result_delete_button_key_exists() =>
         RootElement().TryGetProperty("Search.Result.Delete.Button", out _).ShouldBeTrue();
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void when_read_then_search_tags_loading_key_exists() =>
+        RootElement().TryGetProperty("Search.Tags.Loading", out _).ShouldBeTrue();
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Search/GivenASyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Search/GivenASyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs
index 7c01bf7d..ab0c74e9 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Search/GivenASyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client.Tests.Unit/Search/GivenASyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs
@@ -502,4 +502,49 @@ public void when_instantiated_then_capped_notice_text_delegates_to_localisation_
 
         sut.CappedNoticeText.ShouldBe("Showing top 500 results. Refine your search to see more.");
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void when_instantiated_then_tags_loading_text_delegates_to_localisation_service()
+    {
+        loc.GetLocal("Search.Tags.Loading").Returns("Loading categories...");
+        var sut = CreateSut();
+
+        sut.TagsLoadingText.ShouldBe("Loading categories...");
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task when_view_is_activated_then_is_loading_tags_is_false_after_load()
+    {
+        repository.GetDistinctTagNamesAsync(TestAccountId, Arg.Any<CancellationToken>()).Returns([]);
+        var sut = new SyncedFileSearchViewModel(repository, fileOpenerService, fileTypeClassifier, accountRepository, dispatcher, loc);
+        sut.SetActiveAccount(TestAccountId);
+
+        await sut.OnViewActivatedAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+
+        sut.IsLoadingTags.ShouldBeFalse();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task when_view_is_activated_with_no_tags_then_show_no_classifications_hint_is_true()
+    {
+        repository.GetDistinctTagNamesAsync(TestAccountId, Arg.Any<CancellationToken>()).Returns([]);
+        var sut = new SyncedFileSearchViewModel(repository, fileOpenerService, fileTypeClassifier, accountRepository, dispatcher, loc);
+        sut.SetActiveAccount(TestAccountId);
+
+        await sut.OnViewActivatedAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+
+        sut.ShowNoClassificationsHint.ShouldBeTrue();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task when_view_is_activated_with_tags_then_show_no_classifications_hint_is_false()
+    {
+        repository.GetDistinctTagNamesAsync(TestAccountId, Arg.Any<CancellationToken>()).Returns(["Image", "Video"]);
+        var sut = new SyncedFileSearchViewModel(repository, fileOpenerService, fileTypeClassifier, accountRepository, dispatcher, loc);
+        sut.SetActiveAccount(TestAccountId);
+
+        await sut.OnViewActivatedAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+
+        sut.ShowNoClassificationsHint.ShouldBeFalse();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-GB.json b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-GB.json
index 7278b0a0..96465447 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-GB.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-GB.json
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@
   "Search.MinSize.Label": "Min size (bytes)",
   "Search.MaxSize.Label": "Max size (bytes)",
   "Search.Tags.Label": "Tags",
+  "Search.Tags.Loading": "Loading categories...",
   "Search.Tags.NoClassifications": "No classifications found.",
   "Search.DuplicatesOnly.Label": "Duplicates only",
   "Search.Button": "Search",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-US.json b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-US.json
index e37aee61..ded0c957 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-US.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Assets/Localization/en-US.json
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@
   "Search.MinSize.Label": "US-Min size (bytes)",
   "Search.MaxSize.Label": "US-Max size (bytes)",
   "Search.Tags.Label": "US-Tags",
+  "Search.Tags.Loading": "US-Loading categories...",
   "Search.Tags.NoClassifications": "US-No classifications found.",
   "Search.DuplicatesOnly.Label": "US-Duplicates only",
   "Search.Button": "US-Search",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchView.axaml b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchView.axaml
index 334a2f79..f2338539 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchView.axaml
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchView.axaml
@@ -58,11 +58,16 @@
                     <TextBlock Text="{Binding TagsLabelText}"
                                FontSize="{StaticResource FontSizeXs}"
                                Foreground="{DynamicResource TextTertiaryBrush}"/>
+                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding TagsLoadingText}"
+                               FontSize="{StaticResource FontSizeSm}"
+                               Foreground="{DynamicResource TextTertiaryBrush}"
+                               FontStyle="Italic"
+                               IsVisible="{Binding IsLoadingTags}"/>
                     <TextBlock Text="{Binding TagsNoClassificationsText}"
                                FontSize="{StaticResource FontSizeSm}"
                                Foreground="{DynamicResource TextTertiaryBrush}"
                                FontStyle="Italic"
-                               IsVisible="{Binding AvailableTags.Count, Converter={StaticResource IntZeroToBoolConverter}}"/>
+                               IsVisible="{Binding ShowNoClassificationsHint}"/>
                     <ScrollViewer MaxHeight="120"
                                   VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto"
                                   HorizontalScrollBarVisibility="Disabled"
diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs
index 272f7d1c..edb68dbe 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/Search/SyncedFileSearchViewModel.cs
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ public sealed partial class SyncedFileSearchViewModel(ISyncedItemRepository repo
     [ObservableProperty]
     public partial bool IsCapped { get; private set; }
 
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    public partial bool IsLoadingTags { get; private set; }
+
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    public partial bool ShowNoClassificationsHint { get; private set; }
+
     public ObservableCollection<SyncedFileResultViewModel> Results { get; } = [];
     public ObservableCollection<string> SelectedTags { get; } = [];
     public ObservableCollection<string> AvailableTags { get; } = [];
@@ -76,6 +82,9 @@ public sealed partial class SyncedFileSearchViewModel(ISyncedItemRepository repo
     /// <summary>Localised "Tags" label.</summary>
     public string TagsLabelText => loc.GetLocal("Search.Tags.Label");
 
+    /// <summary>Localised message shown while categories are being loaded.</summary>
+    public string TagsLoadingText => loc.GetLocal("Search.Tags.Loading");
+
     /// <summary>Localised message shown when no classifications exist for the active account.</summary>
     public string TagsNoClassificationsText => loc.GetLocal("Search.Tags.NoClassifications");
 
@@ -125,10 +134,18 @@ public async Task OnViewActivatedAsync(CancellationToken ct)
         if (activeAccountId is null)
             return;
 
+        IsLoadingTags = true;
+        ShowNoClassificationsHint = false;
+
         var tags = await repository.GetDistinctTagNamesAsync(activeAccountId.Value, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
         if (tags.Count <= cachedTagCount)
+        {
+            IsLoadingTags = false;
+            ShowNoClassificationsHint = AvailableTags.Count == 0;
+
             return;
+        }
 
         cachedTagCount = tags.Count;
 
@@ -137,6 +154,8 @@ public async Task OnViewActivatedAsync(CancellationToken ct)
             AvailableTags.Clear();
             foreach (string tag in tags)
                 AvailableTags.Add(tag);
+            IsLoadingTags = false;
+            ShowNoClassificationsHint = tags.Count == 0;
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/appsettings.json b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/appsettings.json
index 5d8843b1..26ea5f5c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/appsettings.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/AStar.Dev.OneDrive.Sync.Client/appsettings.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "AuthorityForMicrosoftAccountsOnly": "https://login.microsoftonline.com/consumers"
   },
   "AStarDevOneDriveClient": {
-    "ApplicationVersion": "0.28.0",
+    "ApplicationVersion": "0.29.0",
     "ApplicationName": "AStar Dev OneDrive Sync Client",
     "CacheTag": 1,
     "UserPreferencesPath": "astar-dev/astar-dev-onedrive-client",