How to add album artwork to the original mp3 file?

hi,

I've downloaded album artwork for some of my mp3 files from itunes, I can see the album artwork in the itunes but I think the artwork is not added to the original mp3 file, when I open finder and locate my mp3 file I don't see the album artwork as it's icon.

is there any way I can add the artwork to the file so I can see the artwork as the icon of the mp3 file in the finder?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 4, 2011 10:33 AM

4 replies

Jul 4, 2011 12:10 PM in response to Community User

I've downloaded album artwork for some of my mp3 files from itunes, I can see the album artwork in the itunes but I think the artwork is not added to the original mp3 file, when I open finder and locate my mp3 file I don't see the album artwork as it's icon.



Correct, that is how the iTunes "Get Album Artwork" feature works.

is there any way I can add the artwork to the file so I can see the artwork as the icon of the mp3 file in the finder?

Yes. Find the artwork on the web and copy it. Go to iTunes, highlight the track(s), File > Get Info, click on the Artwork tab, Paste, and OK out.


Assuming it is not a WAV file, and you don't have a problem with Read/Write permissions, this procedure causes iTunes to write the art right into the song file.

Jul 4, 2011 12:19 PM in response to ed2345

when I go to the Artwork tab the artwork that itunes downloaded exists, should I replace it with the artwork I found on the internet or there is a way to use the existing artwork and add it to the mp3 file?

Aug 17, 2011 9:55 AM in response to Community User

Is your music library consolidated into the iTunes media folder? If you go to the Preferences, and in Advanced Preferences, you an select "Copy Songs to iTunes Media Folder when adding to Library" ... that will put all the music where iTunes can find it easily. My artwork all reappeared in Finder when I did the following simple step:


1) In the general preferences, select "Automatically Find Missing Artwork"

2) Go to the File menu and select Library (the one with the arrow). From the arrow choices, select Organize Library, and iTunes will make a copy of every song used by iTunes into the Media Folder. (iTunes does not move your original files, but if your Media Folder is up to date, you shouldn't need them except as a backup.) This should restore most of your missing artwork. You can always add the few missing or erroneous art files yourself, and when you do it This way, they will no longer be missing, because they are in the media folder.


🙂 Hope this helps. It was driving me mad, now my artwork is all repaired and I'm happy.


And YES - I am now seeing my artwork in the finder, and viewer as well.

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How to add album artwork to the original mp3 file?

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