Change MP3 Tags on Your Computer Using Free Software

4 Parts:

Installing the Application

Using Mp3tag to Edit Album Information

Tips, Tricks & Warnings

Comments

If you're someone who has a lot of music stored on your PC, then you probably know the absolute headache involved with music files that have missing or incorrect tag information. If you've ripped your music from discs rather than downloading it from iTunes, Xbox Music or a similar online service, then there's a pretty good chance that right now you have music with incorrect, confusing or missing media information. Whether you're trying to tidy up your collection or you have a few albums driving you mad because they're missing cover art, we have you covered with the following article that will show you how to update your mp3 tags with an app that's appropriately titled: mp3tag.

Mp3tag is a free application available for your Windows PC (any version from XP to 8.1). It can be used to edit album information (tags) for almost any format you can think of, including mp3, WMA and Apple iTunes formats.

1. 1
   Download the mp3tag application HERE.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   Follow the on-screen prompts to install the app

   .

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   Make sure you select the option to add an icon to your desktop.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   Once the installation is complete, open mp3tag from either your desktop or your start menu.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

Mp3tag is a lightweight application with a simple menu structure and interface. Follow the instructions below to update your tags.

Getting Used to the Interface

The main screen of mp3tag is divided in to three areas:

• The "Navigation Menu" and "Toolbar", as shown in the green box.
• The "Tag Editing Panel", which is shown inside the blue box.
• The "File Information/Selector Panel" located at the center right, shown in the red box.

Editing a Tag

1. 1
   Locate the file that you want to update

   .

   To do this, click on "File" and then choose "Change directory".

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   There's no limitation to the size of the directory that you want to choose, but it's easier to work in smaller batches, especially if you have a large library

   .

   If you have sub-directories (folders) inside the directory that you want the app to scan, simply tick the box as shown in the image. When you've chosen the folder you want to edit, click on "Select folder".

   

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   Any files from the folder will now show in the file information panel.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   To begin editing a file, click on it and you can begin editing the information on the left hand side in the editing panel

   .

   There is a range of information here that you can change, from title, artist and album, to album year, genre and composer.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
5. 5
   For most phones, portable mp3 players and computer programs like Windows Media Player and iTunes, the title, artist and album are enough to correctly categorize your music files

   .

   Just type in the correct information in any of the available fields here.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
6. 6
   Add the album art

   .

   Adding album art is a breeze in mp3Tag. Just source your cover image from the Internet (Google image search or Wikipedia are good places to start,) and drag it directly from your downloads folder (or whichever folder the image is in), then drop it into the album art box in mp3tag.

   

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
7. 7
   When you're done adding art and editing the fields, make sure you click the "Save" icon at the top let of the window before moving on to the next file.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

• Sometimes files that have a different "album artist" to "artist" will be incorrectly categorized in phones and media players. If you want to keep all the songs from one album together, make sure the "artist" and "album artist" information are the same.
• You can batch edit files; just drag the mouse cursor to select more than one file at the same time. This way you can edit the "album", "artist", "cover" etc., simultaneously. Just make sure you don't change the "title" information when working with multiple files.
• When choosing an image for the album cover, make sure it has a perfect square ratio. e.g., the image should be 500 x 500 or 300 x 300, etc.
• Editing tag information is a nice way to create personalized compilation albums. You can copy songs you want into a new directory and then change album details, or add a custom album cover for your very own compilation.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

Comments