# Adding to iTunes library : automatic changing FILENAME?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [July 19, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657 "2012-07-19T11:47:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Psydux](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Psydux)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/1 "2012-07-19T11:47:06Z")
Good afternoon everyone,
I've recently moved all my mp3s to the iTunes library.
The thing is that by doing so, the field FILENAME is automatically changed from:
**01. Song**
to
**01 01. Song**
This may be due to the fact that for browsing reasons, I had found it so far easier to insert the song number before the TITLE within the FILENAME field.
Could I, by any chance, change all the filenames in my iTunes Library so that to keep the **01. song** format (I'd like to keep the . if possible, but if iTunes just removes it, that's fine).
Thank you for your help that has been so far great.
---
### Author:  [@Psydux](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Psydux)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/2 "2012-07-19T13:13:34Z")
Hey, my problem is solved.
I used scripts for iTunes for Windows.
Especially the StripTrackNumbers script, which works perfectly as long as you don't let iTunes keep the media folder organised.
It might be of help for some users.
Everything's explained here:
[http://samsoft.org.uk/iTunes/scripts.asp#note1](http://samsoft.org.uk/iTunes/scripts.asp#note1)
---
### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/3 "2012-07-19T19:48:25Z")
> [@Psydux](#):
>
> This may be due to the fact that for browsing reasons, I had found it so far easier to insert the song number before the TITLE within the FILENAME field.
Just curious why do you not take advantage of the function of organising music files in iTunes. It ensures all the songs are in the correct place in relation to their tags. If you change an album name for example once you play the file it shifts it to the corresponding new named folder (which might save some confusion later on). Also why not search your music from iTunes? Its much much faster plus your not limited to just the song title.
---
### Author:  [@Psydux](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Psydux)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/4 "2012-07-20T05:25:35Z")
Oh, two reasons for that:
1. For some time I'd been browsing my library on my PS3, and it was much more convenient for me.
2. I don't like the way iTunes reorganizes my tags without asking :-). I'm a control freak, what can I do? 🙂
Cheers!
---
### Author:  [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 9:41am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/5 "2012-07-20T09:41:02Z")
> [@Psydux](#):
>
> 1. I don't like the way iTunes reorganizes my tags without asking :-). I'm a control freak, what can I do? 🙂
>
> Cheers!
1. Your files you mean? You tag the files in mp3tag. Drag them into iTunes. And same tags appear there. If you make any more changes to the file in mp3tag then you have to play the file in iTunes for them to update.
What do you mean _'reorganizes my tags without asking'_? Personally I don't care what what the files look as long as iTunes reads the tags properly. iTunes is way more powerful internally by means of smart playlists and organising music than windows explorer will ever be.
If your worried about iTunes leaving behind empty folders see [/t/13629/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/13629/1)
---
### Author:  [@Psydux](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Psydux)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/6 "2012-07-20T10:19:21Z")
As I said earlier (and it is a well-known problem for iTunes users as seen on countless forums), iTunes automatically changes the FILENAME field as soon as you drag your files into iTunes.
Namely, it adds the TRACKNUMBER field and sticks it in front of FILENAME (leaves a space in-between though). Hence, it does change my tags without asking. 
As for the _" Personally I don't care what what the files look as long as iTunes reads the tags properly"_, well...good for you!
Thanks anyway for trying to help. 
---
### Author:  [@garym](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/garym)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 10:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/7 "2012-07-20T10:54:49Z")
Are you sure that it does this when you have the "automatically organize files" UNCHECKED in itunes? Itunes hasn't changed the filenames on my mp3 files at all with this unchecked, and I have over 50,000 files in itunes database.
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### Author:  [@aax](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/aax)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 11:37am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/8 "2012-07-20T11:37:58Z")
Another good thing to do when you tag your files the way you want them is to mark them all Read-only.
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### Author:  [@Psydux](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Psydux)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/9 "2012-07-20T12:07:55Z")
> [@garym](#):
>
> Are you sure that it does this when you have the "automatically organize files" UNCHECKED in itunes? Itunes hasn't changed the filenames on my mp3 files at all with this unchecked, and I have over 50,000 files in itunes database.
Yeah I'm sure, by default itwas unchecked. That's why it is weird.
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### Author:  [@Psydux](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Psydux)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/10 "2012-07-20T12:10:20Z")
> [@aax](#):
>
> Another good thing to do when you tag your files the way you want them is to mark them all Read-only.
Thank you, I'll try to keep that in mind.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/adding-to-itunes-library-automatic-changing-filename/13657/11 "2026-02-09T12:23:57Z")