updating MP3 tags

How do I get itunes to update the MP3 tags in the MP3 files?
itunes does not update the tags automatically

Windows XP Pro

Posted on May 18, 2009 10:25 PM

Reply
10 replies

May 19, 2009 9:14 AM in response to portwillie

Do all your ID3 tag edits outside of iTunes. I prefer tagscanner 5.0. Make a copy of your music files (not the library folder) and edit them one artist at a time or in chunks. Once you are satisfied with all the album art, artist, track info, etc, then delete the edited folders from iTunes then re add them to the library. Next time you sync, it will take a while, but it will be complete.

May 19, 2009 9:28 AM in response to duckredbeard

Once you are satisfied with all the album art, artist, track info, etc, then delete the edited folders from iTunes

Do you mean delete the albums/songs from iTunes? Don't delete all the files you just edited from the iTunes music folder.

Also, doing it the way you recommend will remove all info (ratings, date added, last played, # times played, etc.) from iTunes.
Just edit the files and leave them in iTunes. Next time they are played or get info, it will update the changed info in iTunes. Everything else will stay the same.
Select all the songs, then right click - get info and this should update all the info in iTunes.

May 21, 2009 4:55 PM in response to portwillie

here's my problem. I was using Creative Media Organizer before converting to using itunes. I notice when I update the standard Mp3 tags in itunes, the tags in the original Mp3 files do not get updated with the changes in itunes. Creative Media Organizer at least had a function to update the tags in the Mp3 files.
Someday I might wish to use another media player/organizer than itunes and I do not want to have to manually re-input tag info for 60,000 mp3 files.

Also, when I let itunes reorganize my Mp3 files, it did not delete old files when it copied files to new folder. This created a massive amount of duplicates to deal with when I had to use a backup because a disc crash.

May 21, 2009 7:08 PM in response to portwillie

+"I notice when I update the standard Mp3 tags in itunes, the tags in the original Mp3 files do not get updated with the changes in itunes."+

Portwillie, yes they do. When you change tag info in iTunes using "Get Info," when you click OK the new tag info gets written to the MP3 file itself. If you then open that MP3 file with another player independently of iTunes, such as Winamp, you will see that the new tag information is there.

(If you happen to have multiple copies of the MP3, this only works on the one iTunes is referencing, of course.)

May 27, 2009 4:58 PM in response to portwillie

I completed the Album titles in itunes, which transfered the MP3 files to a new folder but itunes did not delete the old folders.

No.
If you have *Keep iTunes music folder organized* checked and the files are in the iTunes music folder, iTunes does not "transfer" the files to a new folder when you change the ID3 tags in iTunes.
It renames the folders and files.

If the files are outside of the *iTunes music folder* or you have *Keep iTunes music folder organized* unchecked, iTunes will do nothing with the folders/files.

If you have *Copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library* checked, iTunes will do nothing with files outside of the *iTunes music folder*.

Jun 2, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Chris CA

thanks Chris.
I had so many MP3 files that lost the Artist, Album Artist, and Album info that I didn't want to have itunes reorganize because I might lose the artist and album folders and I'd then have such a hard time finding the appropriate info. I copied all the Mp3s to another drive and now I am cleaning them up (big job with 50,000 MP3 files) and reimporting them to the original drive.

Here is a weird thing!!!!!!!! When I import the Mp3s from the other drive, about 30% of the album folders don't get the 1st song imported. When I try to import that one file it still didn't work. Only after pulling the file up in my DAK Wave & Mp3 editor and saving the file will itunes import the file.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

updating MP3 tags

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.