diff --git a/templates/customize-adventure.html b/templates/customize-adventure.html
index bae7ce9968f..405975b773a 100644
--- a/templates/customize-adventure.html
+++ b/templates/customize-adventure.html
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@ <h3 class="text-center mt-0 mb-4">{{_('general_settings')}}</h3>
 
                     <div class="flex flex-row items-center mb-4">  
                         <label for="tags" class="inline-block w-40 text-xl">{{_('tags')}}</label>
-                        <div class="flex flex-row w-full">
-                                <input type="text" name="tag" placeholder="{{_('tag_input_placeholder')}}" id="input_adventure_tags"
-                                    _="on keypress if event.keyCode == 13 then event.stopPropagation()" 
+                        <div class="flex flex-row w-full relative" id="add_tags">
+                                <input type="text" name="tag" placeholder="{{_('tag_input_placeholder')}}" id="search_tags_input"
+                                    class="appearance-none w-full bg-gray-200 border border-gray-200 text-gray-700 py-3 px-4 ltr:pr-8 rtl:pl-8 rounded"
                                     hx-trigger="enter"
                                     hx-post="/tags/create/{{adventure.id}}" hx-target="#tags-list" hx-swap="outerHTML"
-                                    _="on htmx:afterRequest focus()"
-                                    class="appearance-none w-full bg-gray-200 border border-gray-200 text-gray-700 py-3 px-4 ltr:pr-8 rtl:pl-8 rounded"
+                                    _="on click event.stopPropagation()
+                                    on keypress if event.keyCode == 13 event.stopPropagation() end
+                                    on htmx:afterRequest focus()" 
                                     >
                                 <button class="green-btn" id="add_adventure_tags"
                                     hx-trigger="click"
@@ -48,8 +49,16 @@ <h3 class="text-center mt-0 mb-4">{{_('general_settings')}}</h3>
                                     hx-target="#tags-list"
                                     hx-swap="outerHTML"
                                     hx-include="[name='tag']"
-                                    _="on htmx:afterRequest set value of #input_adventure_tags to ''"
+                                    _="on htmx:afterRequest set value of #search_tags_input to ''"
                                     >{{_('add')}}</button>
+
+                                <div
+                                    id="tags-dropdown"
+                                    hx-trigger="load"
+                                    hx-get="/tags?adventure_id={{adventure.id}}"
+                                    hx-target="#tags-dropdown"
+                                    hx-swap="outerHTML"
+                                ></div>
                         </div>
                     </div>
                     {{ render_partial('htmx-tags-list.html', tags=adventure_tags, adventure_id=adventure.id, creator=adventure.creator) }}
diff --git a/templates/htmx-tags-dropdown-item.html b/templates/htmx-tags-dropdown-item.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a54f5696725
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/htmx-tags-dropdown-item.html
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<!-- Requires #search_tags_input to exist -->
+<div class="relative cursor-pointer !w-full border-2 rounded-lg border-green-300 p-2 px-5 m-1 shadow"
+    id="tag_{{tag['name']}}" hx-post="/tags/create/{{adventure_id}}/{{tag.name}}" hx-target="#tags-list"
+    hx-swap="outerHTML" _="on click event.stopPropagation()
+        on htmx:afterRequest 
+            if detail.xhr.status == 200
+                remove me
+                set #tags_dropdown's *display to 'none'
+                call #search_tags_input's focus()
+            end
+        on keyup from #search_tags_input
+            set v to its value
+            if not my innerHTML.includes(v.trim())
+                set my *display to 'none'
+            else 
+                set my *display to 'block'
+            ">{{tag["name"]}}</div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/htmx-tags-dropdown.html b/templates/htmx-tags-dropdown.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0dca89c511a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/htmx-tags-dropdown.html
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<!-- Requires #search_tags_input to exist -->
+<div id="tags_dropdown" class="dropdown-menu dropdown-blue z-20 min-w-full flex-wrap !border-gray-400"
+    style="display: none; width: 100%; opacity: 0; border: none; top: 100%; padding: 0px !important; margin: 0px; margin-top: 0.25rem;"
+    _="on click event.stopPropagation() end
+    on keyup or focus from #search_tags_input debounced at 500ms
+        set my *display to 'flex'
+        transition my *opacity to 1 over 500ms end
+        ">
+    {% for tag in tags %}
+        {{ render_partial('htmx-tags-dropdown-item.html', tag=tag, adventure_id=adventure_id) }}
+    {% endfor %}
+</div>
diff --git a/templates/htmx-tags-list.html b/templates/htmx-tags-list.html
index d42bf53425d..26e69c95bab 100644
--- a/templates/htmx-tags-list.html
+++ b/templates/htmx-tags-list.html
@@ -2,35 +2,23 @@
 <ul id="tags-list" class="flex flex-wrap items-center mb-4 list-none">
     {% for tag in tags %}
     <!-- TODO: allow teacher to edit tags; not urgent, but for a better ux! -->
-    <!-- _="on click toggle .hidden on #update-tag-input_{{loop.index}}
-        set the value of #update-tag-input_{{loop.index}} to '{{tag}}'
-        
-        toggle .hidden on me" -->
         <li 
             id="tag_{{loop.index}}" 
-            class='relative border-2 rounded-lg border-green-300 p-2 px-5 mx-2 mb-2 shadow'
-                        >
+            class='relative border-2 rounded-lg border-green-300 p-2 px-5 mx-2 mb-2 shadow'>
             {{tag}}
             {% if not public and username == creator %}
                 <span class='absolute top-0.5 right-0.5 text-gray-600 hover:text-red-400 fa-regular fa-circle-xmark'
                 {% if adventure_id %}
+                    hx-target="#tags_dropdown"
                     hx-delete="/tags/delete/{{tag}}/{{adventure_id}}" 
-                    hx-swap="none"
-                    _="on htmx:afterRequest if detail.xhr.status == 200 then remove #tag_{{loop.index}}
-                        if JSON.parse(detail.xhr.response).tags.length == 0 toggle .hidden on #no-tags"
+                    hx-swap="beforeend"
+                    _="on htmx:afterRequest
+                        if detail.xhr.status == 200 then remove #tag_{{loop.index}} end"
                 {% else %}
                     _='on click remove #tag_{{loop.index}}'
                 {% endif %}
                 ></span>
             {% endif %}
         </li>
-        <!-- <input type="text"
-            autofocus
-            id="update-tag-input_{{loop.index}}"
-            class='relative border-2 rounded-lg border-green-400 p-2 px-5 mx-2 mb-2 hidden'
-            _="on blur toggle .hidden on me then toggle .hidden on #tag_{{loop.index}}"
-            value="{{tag}}"
-            > -->
     {% endfor %}
-    <li id="no-tags" class='border-2 rounded-lg border-green-400 p-2 px-5 mx-2 mb-2 {% if tags|length > 0 %}hidden{% endif %}'>{{_('no_tags')}}</li>
 </ul>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/cypress/e2e/for-teacher_page/customize-adventure_page/tags.cy.js b/tests/cypress/e2e/for-teacher_page/customize-adventure_page/tags.cy.js
index f8d7a22973d..39e99a49024 100644
--- a/tests/cypress/e2e/for-teacher_page/customize-adventure_page/tags.cy.js
+++ b/tests/cypress/e2e/for-teacher_page/customize-adventure_page/tags.cy.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ describe("Tags of adventures", () => {
   })
 
   it("has tags input and button", () => {
-    cy.get("#input_adventure_tags")
+    cy.get("#search_tags_input")
       .should("be.visible")
       .should("be.empty")
 
@@ -18,26 +18,23 @@ describe("Tags of adventures", () => {
 
   it("has no tags initially", () => {
     cy.get("#tags-list")
-      .should("be.visible")
-      .get("#no-tags")
-      .should("be.visible")
+      .should("be.not.visible")
   })
 
   it("adds a tag to adventure by pressing enter within the input field", () => {
-    cy.get("#input_adventure_tags")
+    cy.get("#search_tags_input")
       .should("be.empty")
       .type("statements{enter}")
     cy.wait(500)
     cy.get("#tags-list")
       .should("be.visible")
-      .get("#no-tags")
-      .should("be.hidden")
+
     cy.get("#tags-list li")
       .should("include.text", "statements")
   })
 
   it("adds a tag to adventure by pressing the add button", () => {
-    cy.get("#input_adventure_tags")
+    cy.get("#search_tags_input")
       .should("be.empty")
       .type("training")
     cy.get("#add_adventure_tags")
@@ -46,8 +43,7 @@ describe("Tags of adventures", () => {
     cy.wait(500)
     cy.get("#tags-list")
       .should("be.visible")
-      .get("#no-tags")
-      .should("be.hidden")
+
     cy.get("#tags-list li")
       .should("include.text", "training")
   })
@@ -59,7 +55,7 @@ describe("Tags of adventures", () => {
       times: 1,
     }).as("createTag")
 
-    cy.get("#input_adventure_tags")
+    cy.get("#search_tags_input")
       .should("be.empty")
       .type("training{enter}")
     cy.wait("@createTag").should('have.nested.property', 'response.statusCode', 400)
diff --git a/website/database.py b/website/database.py
index 44c5a11b2b5..4a848564376 100644
--- a/website/database.py
+++ b/website/database.py
@@ -611,6 +611,15 @@ def read_tag(self, tag_name):
     def read_tags(self, tags):
         return [self.read_tag(name) for name in tags]
 
+    def read_public_tags(self):
+        """Public tags are tagged within one or more public adventure or those that aren't in use."""
+        all_tags = TAGS.scan()
+        public_tags = []
+        for tag in all_tags:
+            if not tag["tagged_in"] or any([adv["public"] for adv in tag["tagged_in"]]):
+                public_tags.append(tag)
+        return public_tags
+
     def read_tags_by_username(self, username):
         tags = TAGS.get_many({"creator": username})
         return tags if tags else {}
@@ -645,6 +654,9 @@ def get_second_teacher_adventures(self, classes, teacher):
     def all_adventures(self):
         return ADVENTURES.scan()
 
+    def public_adventures(self):
+        return ADVENTURES.get_many({"public": True})
+
     def get_student_classes_ids(self, username):
         ids = USERS.get({"username": username}).get("classes")
         return list(ids) if ids else []
diff --git a/website/tags.py b/website/tags.py
index ce17333eb66..38d2d319b11 100644
--- a/website/tags.py
+++ b/website/tags.py
@@ -22,6 +22,20 @@ def __init__(self, db: Database, achievements: Achievements):
         self.db = db
         self.achievements = achievements
 
+    @route("/<adventure_id>", methods=["GET"])
+    @route("/", methods=["GET"], defaults={"adventure_id": None})
+    @requires_teacher
+    def get_public_tags(self, user, adventure_id):
+        public_tags = self.db.read_public_tags()
+        adventure_id = request.args.get("adventure_id")
+        if adventure_id:
+            adventure = self.db.get_adventure(adventure_id)
+            # exclude current adventure's tags
+            public_tags = list(filter(lambda t: t["name"] not in adventure.get("tags", []), public_tags))
+
+        return jinja_partials.render_partial('htmx-tags-dropdown.html',
+                                             tags=public_tags, adventure_id=adventure_id, creator=user)
+
     @route("/create/<adventure_id>", methods=["POST"])
     @route("/create/<adventure_id>/<new_tag>", methods=["POST"])
     @requires_teacher
@@ -91,6 +105,4 @@ def delete_from_adventure(self, user, tag, adventure_id):
         adventure_tags = list(filter(lambda name: name != tag_name, adventure_tags))
         self.db.update_adventure(adventure_id, {"tags": adventure_tags})
 
-        return adventure_tags, 200
-        # return jinja_partials.render_partial('htmx-tags-list.html', tags=adventure_tags,
-        #                             adventure_id=adventure_id, creator=user["username"])
+        return jinja_partials.render_partial('htmx-tags-dropdown-item.html', tag=db_tag, adventure_id=adventure_id)