diff --git a/source/MRCommonPlugins/ViewerButtons/MRAddCustomTheme.cpp b/source/MRCommonPlugins/ViewerButtons/MRAddCustomTheme.cpp
index 49397951dff3..fe7578445979 100644
--- a/source/MRCommonPlugins/ViewerButtons/MRAddCustomTheme.cpp
+++ b/source/MRCommonPlugins/ViewerButtons/MRAddCustomTheme.cpp
@@ -282,47 +282,7 @@ std::string AddCustomThemePlugin::save_()
     {
         auto visualObjs = getAllObjectsInTree<VisualObject>( &SceneRoot::get() );
         for ( auto obj : visualObjs )
-        {
-            obj->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectMesh ), true );
-            obj->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectMesh ), false );
-            obj->setBackColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::BackFaces ) );
-MR_SUPPRESS_WARNING_PUSH
-MR_SUPPRESS_WARNING( "-Wdeprecated-declarations", 4996 )
-            obj->setLabelsColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::Labels ) );
-MR_SUPPRESS_WARNING_POP
-#ifndef MESHLIB_NO_VOXELS
-            if ( auto objVoxels = std::dynamic_pointer_cast< ObjectVoxels >( obj ) )
-            {
-                objVoxels->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectVoxels ), true );
-                objVoxels->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectVoxels ), false );
-            }
-            else
-#endif
-            if ( auto objDM = std::dynamic_pointer_cast< ObjectDistanceMap >( obj ) )
-            {
-                objDM->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectDistanceMap ), true );
-                objDM->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectDistanceMap ), false );
-            }
-            else if ( auto meshObj = std::dynamic_pointer_cast< ObjectMesh >( obj ) )
-            {
-                meshObj->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectMesh ), true );
-                meshObj->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectMesh ), false );
-                meshObj->setSelectedFacesColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedFaces ) );
-                meshObj->setSelectedEdgesColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedEdges ) );
-                meshObj->setEdgesColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::Edges ) );
-                meshObj->setPointsColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::Points ) );
-            }
-            else if ( auto objPoints = std::dynamic_pointer_cast< ObjectPoints >( obj ) )
-            {
-                objPoints->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectPoints ), true );
-                objPoints->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectPoints ), false );
-            }
-            else if ( auto objLines = std::dynamic_pointer_cast< ObjectLines >( obj ) )
-            {
-                objLines->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectLines ), true );
-                objLines->setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectLines ), false );
-            }
-        }
+            obj->resetColors();
     }
     updateThemeNames_();
     return {};
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObject.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRObject.cpp
index 7a95c56a12ec..4a5bd88d471e 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObject.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObject.cpp
@@ -435,6 +435,11 @@ void Object::serializeFields_( Json::Value& root ) const
 
     // Type
     root["Type"].append( Object::TypeName() ); // will be appended in derived calls
+
+    // tags
+    auto& tagsJson = root["Tags"] = Json::arrayValue;
+    for ( const auto& tag : tags_ )
+        tagsJson.append( tag );
 }
 
 Expected<void> Object::deserializeModel_( const std::filesystem::path&, ProgressCallback progressCb )
@@ -463,6 +468,10 @@ void Object::deserializeFields_( const Json::Value& root )
         locked_ = root["Locked"].asBool();
     if ( const auto& json = root["ParentLocked"]; json.isBool() )
         parentLocked_ = json.asBool();
+    if ( const auto& tagsJson = root["Tags"]; tagsJson.isArray() )
+        for ( const auto& tagJson : tagsJson )
+            if ( tagJson.isString() )
+                tags_.emplace( tagJson.asString() );
 }
 
 void Object::sendWorldXfChangedSignal_()
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObject.h b/source/MRMesh/MRObject.h
index e1257f9c88d0..5285c939f22c 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObject.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObject.h
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "MRAffineXf3.h"
-#include "MRBox.h"
 #include "MRBitSet.h"
-#include "MRViewportProperty.h"
-#include "MRProgressCallback.h"
+#include "MRBox.h"
 #include "MRExpected.h"
+#include "MRProgressCallback.h"
 #include "MRSignal.h"
-#include <memory>
-#include <vector>
+#include "MRViewportProperty.h"
+
 #include <array>
-#include <future>
 #include <filesystem>
+#include <future>
+#include <memory>
+#include <unordered_set>
+#include <vector>
 
 namespace Json
 {
@@ -250,6 +252,12 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS Object : public ObjectChildrenHolder
     /// e.g. ObjectMesh has valid mesh() or ObjectPoints has valid pointCloud()
     [[nodiscard]] virtual bool hasModel() const { return false; }
 
+    /// provides read-only access to the tag storage
+    /// the storage is a set of unique strings
+    const std::unordered_set<std::string>& tags() const { return tags_; }
+    /// provides read-write access to the tag storage
+    std::unordered_set<std::string>& varTags() { return tags_; }
+
     /// returns the amount of memory this object occupies on heap
     [[nodiscard]] MRMESH_API virtual size_t heapBytes() const;
 
@@ -297,6 +305,7 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS Object : public ObjectChildrenHolder
     bool selected_{ false };
     bool ancillary_{ false };
     mutable bool needRedraw_{false};
+    std::unordered_set<std::string> tags_;
 
     // This calls `onWorldXfChanged_()` for all children recursively, which in turn emits `worldXfChangedSignal`.
     // This isn't virtual because it wouldn't be very useful, because it doesn't call itself on the children
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.cpp
index 2d26825d2854..b5b7d9ce996a 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.cpp
@@ -178,6 +178,12 @@ Expected<std::future<Expected<void>>> ObjectDistanceMap::serializeModel_( const
     } );
 }
 
+void ObjectDistanceMap::resetFrontColor()
+{
+    // cannot implement in the opposite way to keep `setDefaultColors_()` non-virtual
+    setDefaultColors_();
+}
+
 void ObjectDistanceMap::setDefaultColors_()
 {
     setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectDistanceMap ), true );
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.h b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.h
index 5974946137b8..32901ff72b4e 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectDistanceMap.h
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS ObjectDistanceMap : public ObjectMeshHolder
 
     MRMESH_API virtual Expected<std::future<Expected<void>>> serializeModel_( const std::filesystem::path& path ) const override;
 
+    /// reset basic object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API void resetFrontColor() override;
+
 private:
     std::shared_ptr<DistanceMap> dmap_;
     AffineXf3f dmap2local_;
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.cpp
index 5583da785f81..e1248811abae 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.cpp
@@ -154,6 +154,12 @@ float ObjectLinesHolder::totalLength() const
     return *totalLength_;
 }
 
+void ObjectLinesHolder::resetFrontColor()
+{
+    // cannot implement in the opposite way to keep `setDefaultColors_()` non-virtual
+    setDefaultColors_();
+}
+
 bool ObjectLinesHolder::supportsVisualizeProperty( AnyVisualizeMaskEnum type ) const
 {
     return VisualObject::supportsVisualizeProperty( type ) || type.tryGet<LinesVisualizePropertyType>().has_value();
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.h b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.h
index 3c7b988e0bda..4e851b85229c 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectLinesHolder.h
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS ObjectLinesHolder : public VisualObject
     /// return cached total length
     [[nodiscard]] MRMESH_API float totalLength() const;
 
+    /// reset basic object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API void resetFrontColor() override;
+
 protected:
     ObjectLinesHolder( const ObjectLinesHolder& other ) = default;
 
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.cpp
index ca01f630fa9e..2134faae2ece 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.cpp
@@ -693,6 +693,18 @@ void ObjectMeshHolder::setSerializeFormat( const char * newFormat )
     serializeFormat_ = newFormat;
 }
 
+void ObjectMeshHolder::resetFrontColor()
+{
+    setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectMesh ), true );
+    setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectMesh ), false );
+}
+
+void ObjectMeshHolder::resetColors()
+{
+    // cannot implement in the opposite way to keep `setDefaultColors_()` non-virtual
+    setDefaultColors_();
+}
+
 size_t ObjectMeshHolder::numUndirectedEdges() const
 {
     if ( !numUndirectedEdges_ )
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.h b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.h
index baa82f24b80c..a8bd3074ea91 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectMeshHolder.h
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS ObjectMeshHolder : public VisualObject
     /// nullptr means serialize in defaultSerializeMeshFormat()
     MRMESH_API void setSerializeFormat( const char * newFormat );
 
+    /// reset basic object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API void resetFrontColor() override;
+    /// reset all object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API void resetColors() override;
+
     /// signal about face selection changing, triggered in selectFaces
     using SelectionChangedSignal = Signal<void()>;
     SelectionChangedSignal faceSelectionChangedSignal;
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.cpp
index 2fbd7be4650e..81bdd1ef9ea5 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.cpp
@@ -247,6 +247,18 @@ void ObjectPointsHolder::setSerializeFormat( const char * newFormat )
     serializeFormat_ = newFormat;
 }
 
+void ObjectPointsHolder::resetFrontColor()
+{
+    setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectPoints ), true );
+    setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectPoints ), false );
+}
+
+void ObjectPointsHolder::resetColors()
+{
+    // cannot implement in the opposite way to keep `setDefaultColors_()` non-virtual
+    setDefaultColors_();
+}
+
 void ObjectPointsHolder::swapBase_( Object& other )
 {
     if ( auto otherPointsHolder = other.asType<ObjectPointsHolder>() )
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.h b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.h
index cb5ec5f64e24..badf0d078829 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.h
@@ -140,6 +140,11 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS ObjectPointsHolder : public VisualObject
     MRMESH_API void setSerializeFormat( const char * newFormat );
     [[deprecated]] MR_BIND_IGNORE void setSavePointsFormat( const char * newFormat ) { setSerializeFormat( newFormat ); }
 
+    /// reset basic object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API void resetFrontColor() override;
+    /// reset all object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API void resetColors() override;
+
     /// signal about points selection changing, triggered in selectPoints
     using SelectionChangedSignal = Signal<void()>;
     SelectionChangedSignal pointsSelectionChangedSignal;
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRString.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRString.cpp
index ec9618ed18db..ce331e35a697 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRString.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRString.cpp
@@ -184,6 +184,19 @@ void replaceInplace( std::string& target, std::string_view from, std::string_vie
     target = replace( std::move( target ), from, to );
 }
 
+std::string_view trim( std::string_view str )
+{
+    return trimRight( trimLeft( str ) );
+}
+
+std::string_view trimLeft( std::string_view str )
+{
+    size_t pos = 0;
+    while ( pos < str.size() && std::isspace( str[pos] ) )
+        ++pos;
+    return str.substr( pos );
+}
+
 std::string_view trimRight( std::string_view str )
 {
     auto l = str.size();
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRString.h b/source/MRMesh/MRString.h
index 0f1b65dbbc17..968994227a0b 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRString.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRString.h
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ bool split( std::string_view str, std::string_view sep, F&& func )
 /// Replaces \param from with \param to in \param target (in-place), zero or more times.
 MRMESH_API void replaceInplace( std::string& target, std::string_view from, std::string_view to );
 
+/// Removes all whitespace character (detected by std::isspace) at the beginning and the end of string view
+[[nodiscard]] MRMESH_API std::string_view trim( std::string_view str );
+
+/// Removes all whitespace character (detected by std::isspace) at the beginning of string view
+[[nodiscard]] MRMESH_API std::string_view trimLeft( std::string_view str );
+
 /// Removes all whitespace character (detected by std::isspace) at the end of string view
 [[nodiscard]] MRMESH_API std::string_view trimRight( std::string_view str );
 
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.cpp b/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.cpp
index ade976e4277e..6d1708f7c8c5 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.cpp
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.cpp
@@ -412,6 +412,23 @@ std::vector<std::string> VisualObject::getInfoLines() const
     return res;
 }
 
+void VisualObject::resetFrontColor()
+{
+    setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::SelectedObjectMesh ), true );
+    setFrontColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::UnselectedObjectMesh ), false );
+}
+
+void VisualObject::resetColors()
+{
+    resetFrontColor();
+
+    setBackColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::BackFaces ) );
+MR_SUPPRESS_WARNING_PUSH
+MR_SUPPRESS_WARNING( "-Wdeprecated-declarations", 4996 )
+    setLabelsColor( SceneColors::get( SceneColors::Labels ) );
+MR_SUPPRESS_WARNING_POP
+}
+
 void VisualObject::boundingBoxToInfoLines_( std::vector<std::string> & res ) const
 {
     auto bbox = getBoundingBox();
diff --git a/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.h b/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.h
index 8e05c0358ea6..c6aaadfac0ac 100644
--- a/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.h
+++ b/source/MRMesh/MRVisualObject.h
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ class MRMESH_CLASS VisualObject : public Object
     MRMESH_API void setUseDefaultScenePropertiesOnDeserialization( bool useDefaultScenePropertiesOnDeserialization )
     { useDefaultScenePropertiesOnDeserialization_ = useDefaultScenePropertiesOnDeserialization; }
 
+    /// reset basic object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API virtual void resetFrontColor();
+    /// reset all object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRMESH_API virtual void resetColors();
+
 protected:
     VisualObject( const VisualObject& obj ) = default;
 
diff --git a/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj b/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj
index 89db85b141c4..53cceebfa0a1 100644
--- a/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj
+++ b/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@
     <ClCompile Include="MRModalDialog.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="MRRenderImGui.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="MRRenderToImage.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="MRVisualObjectTag.cpp" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClInclude Include="MRAlphaSortGL.h" />
@@ -309,6 +310,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="MRModalDialog.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="MRRenderImGui.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="MRRenderToImage.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="MRVisualObjectTag.h" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="$(ProjectDir)..\.editorconfig" />
diff --git a/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj.filters b/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj.filters
index 819739e671c8..20f2c9bdf3c3 100644
--- a/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/source/MRViewer/MRViewer.vcxproj.filters
@@ -487,6 +487,9 @@
     <ClCompile Include="MRRenderToImage.cpp">
       <Filter>Render</Filter>
     </ClCompile>
+    <ClCompile Include="MRVisualObjectTag.cpp">
+      <Filter>Render</Filter>
+    </ClCompile>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClInclude Include="ImGuiHelpers.h">
@@ -955,6 +958,9 @@
     <ClInclude Include="MRRenderToImage.cpp">
       <Filter>Render</Filter>
     </ClInclude>
+    <ClInclude Include="MRVisualObjectTag.cpp">
+      <Filter>Render</Filter>
+    </ClInclude>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="$(ProjectDir)..\.editorconfig" />
diff --git a/source/MRViewer/MRViewerSettingsManager.cpp b/source/MRViewer/MRViewerSettingsManager.cpp
index 5397a553fcb2..68dc736a72e0 100644
--- a/source/MRViewer/MRViewerSettingsManager.cpp
+++ b/source/MRViewer/MRViewerSettingsManager.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "MRMesh/MRSerializer.h"
 #include "MRPch/MRSpdlog.h"
 #include "MRRibbonSceneObjectsListDrawer.h"
+#include "MRVisualObjectTag.h"
 #include "MRMesh/MRObjectMesh.h"
 #include "MRMesh/MRObjectPointsHolder.h"
 #include "MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.h"
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ const std::string cMruInnerPointsFormat = "mruInner.pointsFormat";
 const std::string cMruInnerVoxelsFormat = "mruInner.voxelsFormat";
 const std::string cSortDroppedFiles = "sortDroppedFiles";
 const std::string cScrollForceConfigKey = "scrollForce";
+const std::string cVisualObjectTags = "visualObjectTags";
 }
 
 namespace Defaults
@@ -526,6 +528,12 @@ void ViewerSettingsManager::loadSettings( Viewer& viewer )
         format = loadString( cMruInnerVoxelsFormat, ".vdb" );
         setDefaultSerializeVoxelsFormat( format );
     }
+
+    if ( cfg.hasJsonValue( cVisualObjectTags ) )
+    {
+        auto& manager = VisualObjectTagManager::instance();
+        deserializeFromJson( cfg.getJsonValue( cVisualObjectTags ), manager );
+    }
 }
 
 void ViewerSettingsManager::saveSettings( const Viewer& viewer )
@@ -674,6 +682,13 @@ void ViewerSettingsManager::saveSettings( const Viewer& viewer )
         saveString( cMruInnerPointsFormat, defaultSerializePointsFormat() );
         saveString( cMruInnerVoxelsFormat, defaultSerializeVoxelsFormat() );
     }
+
+    {
+        Json::Value visualObjectTagsJson;
+        const auto& manager = VisualObjectTagManager::instance();
+        serializeToJson( manager, visualObjectTagsJson );
+        cfg.setJsonValue( cVisualObjectTags, visualObjectTagsJson );
+    }
 }
 
 const std::string & ViewerSettingsManager::getLastExtention( ObjType objType )
diff --git a/source/MRViewer/MRVisualObjectTag.cpp b/source/MRViewer/MRVisualObjectTag.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..885bd8905a90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/MRViewer/MRVisualObjectTag.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#include "MRVisualObjectTag.h"
+
+#include "MRMesh/MRSerializer.h"
+#include "MRMesh/MRString.h"
+#include "MRMesh/MRStringConvert.h"
+#include "MRMesh/MRVisualObject.h"
+#include "MRPch/MRJson.h"
+
+namespace
+{
+
+constexpr const char* cVisualObjectTagPrefix = "visual-object-tag:";
+
+} // namespace
+
+namespace MR
+{
+
+std::string VisualObjectTag::canonicalName() const
+{
+    return toLower( std::string{ trim( name ) } );
+}
+
+VisualObjectTagManager& VisualObjectTagManager::instance()
+{
+    static VisualObjectTagManager sInstance;
+    return sInstance;
+}
+
+const std::unordered_map<std::string, VisualObjectTag>& VisualObjectTagManager::storage()
+{
+    return instance().storage_;
+}
+
+std::string VisualObjectTagManager::registerTag( VisualObjectTag tag )
+{
+    const auto id = cVisualObjectTagPrefix + tag.canonicalName();
+    instance().storage_.emplace( id, std::move( tag ) );
+    return id;
+}
+
+void VisualObjectTagManager::updateTag( const std::string& visTagId, VisualObjectTag tag )
+{
+    auto it = instance().storage_.find( visTagId );
+    if ( it != instance().storage_.end() )
+        it->second = std::move( tag );
+}
+
+void VisualObjectTagManager::unregisterTag( const std::string& visTagId )
+{
+    instance().storage_.erase( visTagId );
+}
+
+std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Object>> VisualObjectTagManager::getAllObjectsWithTag( Object* root, const std::string& visTagId, const ObjectSelectivityType& type )
+{
+    // TODO: more efficient version
+    auto results = getAllObjectsInTree( root, type );
+    std::erase_if( results, [&] ( const std::shared_ptr<Object>& obj )
+    {
+        return !obj->tags().contains( visTagId );
+    } );
+    return results;
+}
+
+void VisualObjectTagManager::update( VisualObject& visObj, const std::string& visTagId )
+{
+    const auto& storage = instance().storage_;
+    if ( visObj.tags().contains( visTagId ) )
+    {
+        const auto visTagIt = storage.find( visTagId );
+        if ( visTagIt == storage.end() )
+            return;
+        const auto& [_, tag] = *visTagIt;
+
+        visObj.setFrontColor( tag.selectedColor, true );
+        visObj.setFrontColor( tag.unselectedColor, false );
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        visObj.resetFrontColor();
+
+        // re-apply existing tag
+        for ( const auto& [id, _] : storage )
+            if ( visObj.tags().contains( id ) )
+                return update( visObj, id );
+    }
+}
+
+void deserializeFromJson( const Json::Value& root, VisualObjectTagManager& manager )
+{
+    if ( !root.isArray() )
+        return;
+
+    auto& storage = manager.storage_;
+    for ( const auto& tagObj : root )
+    {
+        if ( !tagObj["Id"].isString() )
+            continue;
+        if ( !tagObj["Name"].isString() )
+            continue;
+
+        const auto id = tagObj["Id"].asString();
+        VisualObjectTag tag;
+        tag.name = tagObj["Name"].asString();
+        deserializeFromJson( tagObj["SelectedColor"], tag.selectedColor );
+        deserializeFromJson( tagObj["UnselectedColor"], tag.unselectedColor );
+
+        storage.emplace( id, tag );
+    }
+}
+
+void serializeToJson( const VisualObjectTagManager& manager, Json::Value& root )
+{
+    root = Json::arrayValue;
+
+    auto i = 0;
+    for ( const auto& [id, tag] : manager.storage() )
+    {
+        auto& tagObj = root[i++] = Json::objectValue;
+        tagObj["Id"] = id;
+        tagObj["Name"] = tag.name;
+        serializeToJson( tag.selectedColor, tagObj["SelectedColor"] );
+        serializeToJson( tag.unselectedColor, tagObj["UnselectedColor"] );
+    }
+}
+
+} // namespace MR
diff --git a/source/MRViewer/MRVisualObjectTag.h b/source/MRViewer/MRVisualObjectTag.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..401399edb382
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/MRViewer/MRVisualObjectTag.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "exports.h"
+
+#include "MRMesh/MRColor.h"
+#include "MRMesh/MRObjectsAccess.h"
+
+#include <unordered_map>
+
+namespace Json { class Value; }
+
+namespace MR
+{
+
+/// modified color set for visual objects
+struct VisualObjectTag
+{
+    std::string name;
+
+    Color selectedColor;
+    Color unselectedColor;
+
+    /// canonical name for indexing
+    [[nodiscard]] MRVIEWER_API std::string canonicalName() const;
+};
+
+/// class for storing and changing visual object properties based on the object tags
+class VisualObjectTagManager
+{
+public:
+    /// get access to the global instance
+    MRVIEWER_API static VisualObjectTagManager& instance();
+
+    /// get read-only access to the visual object tags' storage
+    MRVIEWER_API static const std::unordered_map<std::string, VisualObjectTag>& storage();
+
+    /// add visual object tag
+    MRVIEWER_API static std::string registerTag( VisualObjectTag tag );
+    /// update visual object tag; linked objects are NOT updated automatically
+    MRVIEWER_API static void updateTag( const std::string& visTagId, VisualObjectTag tag );
+    /// remove visual object tag; linked objects are NOT updated automatically
+    MRVIEWER_API static void unregisterTag( const std::string& visTagId );
+
+    /// find all object in given object tree with the visual object tag
+    MRVIEWER_API static std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Object>> getAllObjectsWithTag( Object* root, const std::string& visTagId, const ObjectSelectivityType& type = ObjectSelectivityType::Selectable );
+
+    /// update visual object properties according to whether given object has the visual object tag or not
+    MRVIEWER_API static void update( VisualObject& visObj, const std::string& visTagId );
+
+private:
+    friend MRVIEWER_API void deserializeFromJson( const Json::Value&, VisualObjectTagManager& );
+
+    std::unordered_map<std::string, VisualObjectTag> storage_;
+};
+
+MRVIEWER_API void deserializeFromJson( const Json::Value& root, VisualObjectTagManager& manager );
+MRVIEWER_API void serializeToJson( const VisualObjectTagManager& manager, Json::Value& root );
+
+} // namespace MR
diff --git a/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.cpp b/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.cpp
index c91d5f9896f1..ef9f24844e77 100644
--- a/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.cpp
+++ b/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.cpp
@@ -564,6 +564,12 @@ void ObjectVoxels::setSerializeFormat( const char * newFormat )
     serializeFormat_ = newFormat;
 }
 
+void ObjectVoxels::resetFrontColor()
+{
+    // cannot implement in the opposite way to keep `setDefaultColors_()` non-virtual
+    setDefaultColors_();
+}
+
 void ObjectVoxels::swapBase_( Object& other )
 {
     if ( auto otherVoxels = other.asType<ObjectVoxels>() )
diff --git a/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.h b/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.h
index 56e962f72c0f..b8a5f91d0ddf 100644
--- a/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.h
+++ b/source/MRVoxels/MRObjectVoxels.h
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ class MRVOXELS_CLASS ObjectVoxels : public ObjectMeshHolder
     /// nullptr means serialize in defaultSerializeVoxelsFormat()
     MRVOXELS_API void setSerializeFormat( const char * newFormat );
 
+    /// reset basic object colors to their default values from the current theme
+    MRVOXELS_API void resetFrontColor() override;
+
     /// signal about Iso-surface changes (from updateIsoSurface)
     using IsoSurfaceChangedSignal = Signal<void()>;
     IsoSurfaceChangedSignal isoSurfaceChangedSignal;