diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
index cdc81ce..5516cc7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modal/TagAutocomplete.vue
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 <template>
   <div class="fc-tag-autocomplete">
-    <div class="d-flex" style="gap: 6px;">
-      <v-select
-        v-model="kind" :items="kindOptions" :item-title="(k) => k.label" :item-value="(k) => k.value"
-        density="compact" hide-details style="max-width: 140px;"
-      />
-      <v-text-field
-        v-model="query" placeholder="Add tag…" density="compact" hide-details
-        @keydown.down.prevent="moveHighlight(1)" @keydown.up.prevent="moveHighlight(-1)"
-        @keydown.enter.prevent="onEnter" @keydown.esc="$emit('cancel')"
-      />
-    </div>
-    <v-list v-if="hits.length || allowCreate" density="compact" class="fc-tag-autocomplete__list">
+    <v-text-field
+      v-model="query"
+      placeholder="Add tag (or kind:name — artist/character/fandom/series/meta/rating)"
+      density="compact" hide-details
+      @keydown.down.prevent="moveHighlight(1)"
+      @keydown.up.prevent="moveHighlight(-1)"
+      @keydown.enter.prevent="onEnter"
+      @keydown.esc="$emit('cancel')"
+    />
+    <v-list
+      v-if="hits.length || allowCreate"
+      density="compact" class="fc-tag-autocomplete__list"
+    >
       <v-list-item
         v-for="(h, idx) in hits" :key="h.id"
         :active="idx === highlight" @click="onPick(h)"
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@
           <span v-if="h.fandom_name" class="text-caption">— {{ h.fandom_name }}</span>
         </v-list-item-title>
         <template #append>
-          <span class="text-caption">{{ h.image_count }}</span>
+          <span class="text-caption">{{ h.kind }}</span>
         </template>
       </v-list-item>
       <v-list-item
@@ -34,9 +35,13 @@
         @click="onCreate"
       >
         <template #prepend>
-          <v-icon size="small" :color="store.colorFor(kind)">{{ iconFor(kind) }}</v-icon>
+          <v-icon size="small" :color="store.colorFor(parsedKind)">
+            {{ iconFor(parsedKind) }}
+          </v-icon>
         </template>
-        <v-list-item-title>Create "{{ query }}" as {{ kind }}</v-list-item-title>
+        <v-list-item-title>
+          Create "{{ parsedName }}" as {{ parsedKind }}
+        </v-list-item-title>
       </v-list-item>
     </v-list>
 
@@ -54,65 +59,96 @@ import FandomPicker from './FandomPicker.vue'
 const emit = defineEmits(['pick-existing', 'pick-new', 'cancel'])
 const store = useTagStore()
 
-const kind = ref('general')
+// Single text input; no kind dropdown. Client-side mirror of the
+// backend's parse_kind_prefix lives below — kept in sync with
+// KNOWN_KINDS in backend/app/utils/tag_prefix.py. The backend is the
+// canonical parser; this mirror just powers the live Create-label
+// preview ("Create 'Eric' as artist") and the autocomplete query.
 const query = ref('')
 const hits = ref([])
 const highlight = ref(0)
 const fandomDialog = ref(false)
 let pendingNewName = null
 
-const kindOptions = store.kindOptions()
+const KNOWN_KINDS = new Set([
+  'artist', 'character', 'fandom', 'series', 'meta', 'rating',
+])
 const KIND_ICONS = {
   general: 'mdi-tag', artist: 'mdi-palette', character: 'mdi-account-circle',
   fandom: 'mdi-book-open-page-variant', series: 'mdi-bookshelf',
-  meta: 'mdi-cog-outline', rating: 'mdi-shield-check-outline'
+  meta: 'mdi-cog-outline', rating: 'mdi-shield-check-outline',
 }
-function iconFor(k) { return KIND_ICONS[k] || 'mdi-tag' }
+function iconFor (k) { return KIND_ICONS[k] || 'mdi-tag' }
+
+const parsed = computed(() => {
+  const raw = query.value.trim()
+  if (raw.includes(':')) {
+    const idx = raw.indexOf(':')
+    const prefix = raw.slice(0, idx).toLowerCase()
+    if (KNOWN_KINDS.has(prefix)) {
+      return { kind: prefix, name: raw.slice(idx + 1).trim() }
+    }
+  }
+  return { kind: 'general', name: raw }
+})
+const parsedKind = computed(() => parsed.value.kind)
+const parsedName = computed(() => parsed.value.name)
 
 let debounceId = null
-watch([query, kind], () => {
+watch(query, () => {
   highlight.value = 0
   if (debounceId) clearTimeout(debounceId)
   debounceId = setTimeout(async () => {
-    const q = query.value.trim()
+    const q = parsedName.value
     if (!q) { hits.value = []; return }
-    hits.value = await store.autocomplete(q, kind.value, 10)
+    // Autocomplete across ALL kinds. When the user typed a prefix the
+    // matches list is naturally narrower because the parsed name is
+    // shorter; we don't filter server-side by kind.
+    hits.value = await store.autocomplete(q, null, 10)
   }, 200)
 })
 
 const allowCreate = computed(() => {
-  const q = query.value.trim()
-  return q && !hits.value.some(h => h.name.toLowerCase() === q.toLowerCase() && h.kind === kind.value)
+  const q = parsedName.value
+  if (!q) return false
+  return !hits.value.some(h =>
+    h.name.toLowerCase() === q.toLowerCase() && h.kind === parsedKind.value,
+  )
 })
 
-function moveHighlight(delta) {
+function moveHighlight (delta) {
   const total = hits.value.length + (allowCreate.value ? 1 : 0)
   if (total === 0) return
   highlight.value = (highlight.value + delta + total) % total
 }
 
-function onPick(hit) { emit('pick-existing', hit); reset() }
+function onPick (hit) { emit('pick-existing', hit); reset() }
 
-function onCreate() {
-  const name = query.value.trim()
-  if (kind.value === 'character') {
-    // Character requires a fandom — open the picker.
+function onCreate () {
+  const name = parsedName.value
+  const kind = parsedKind.value
+  if (kind === 'character') {
     pendingNewName = name
     fandomDialog.value = true
     return
   }
-  emit('pick-new', { name, kind: kind.value, fandom_id: null })
+  // Pass explicit kind here; the backend accepts both shapes. Passing
+  // it makes the parsed kind preview match the actual server outcome
+  // for users who didn't use a prefix (general goes through cleanly).
+  emit('pick-new', { name, kind, fandom_id: null })
   reset()
 }
 
-function onFandomChosen(fandom) {
+function onFandomChosen (fandom) {
   fandomDialog.value = false
-  emit('pick-new', { name: pendingNewName, kind: 'character', fandom_id: fandom.id })
+  emit('pick-new', {
+    name: pendingNewName, kind: 'character', fandom_id: fandom.id,
+  })
   pendingNewName = null
   reset()
 }
 
-function onEnter() {
+function onEnter () {
   if (highlight.value < hits.value.length) {
     onPick(hits.value[highlight.value])
   } else if (allowCreate.value) {
@@ -120,7 +156,7 @@ function onEnter() {
   }
 }
 
-function reset() { query.value = ''; hits.value = []; highlight.value = 0 }
+function reset () { query.value = ''; hits.value = []; highlight.value = 0 }
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>