# App loading all files at startup
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 23, 2025, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295 "2025-04-23T15:25:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@KennethDotsey](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/KennethDotsey)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2025, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295/1 "2025-04-23T15:25:27Z")
Every time I open Mp3tag is loads up with all the files on my drive and 8700 files is a bit much and I feel bad forcing it to read all these files. also takes too long and I just might want to get some artwork for 1 item or file and be done quickly. I searched for a cure and was told to remove a folder or point Mp3tag to an empty folder. I did what I thought they meant for me to do. Now Mp3tag fails to search for album artwork and I have to use Music Brainz I don't know how to put the setting back or just configure Mp3tag to go back to fully functional and if it has to read 8700 files every time I open it well then that is the way it is Thank You Sincerely Ken
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295/2 "2025-04-23T15:38:53Z")
> [@KennethDotsey](#):
>
> Now Mp3tag fails to search for album artwork and I have to use Music Brainz
Could you please give us some more detailed steps you use?
If you load Mp3tag with a single music file (for example right clicking on it and choosing Mp3tag) what do you try next?
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### Author:  [@Doug\_Mackie](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Doug_Mackie)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2025, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295/3 "2025-04-23T20:08:35Z")
> [@KennethDotsey](#):
>
> Now Mp3tag fails to search for album artwork and I have to use Music Brainz I don't know how to put the setting back or just configure Mp3tag to go back to fully functional
In addition to the info requested by @LyricsLover, a screen shot of the Directories page of your Mp3tag **Options** section ( **Ctrl+O** ) would be helpful. Mine looks like this:
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295/4 "2025-04-23T20:37:59Z")
> [@KennethDotsey](#):
>
> if it has to read 8700 files every time I open it
This is not necessary.
As @Doug_Mackie pointed out, you can use 3 different settings for your "Startup directory":
The [documentations](https://docs.mp3tag.de/customization/options/directories/#startup-directory) says:
> **Startup directory**
> You can now specify the startup behavior of Mp3tag.
> **Empty** starts with an empty File List.
> **Previous** starts with the folder which was loaded the last time you’ve used Mp3tag.
> **Favorite** lets you choose a explicit folder that is loaded on startup.
You could try "Empty" as Startup directory if you don't want to load your 8'700 files every time you load Mp3tag.
I don't yet understand how this relates to your album art search problem, but perhaps you can let us know your more detailed steps to reproduce the behaviour.
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### Author:  [@Reason](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Reason)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295/6 "2025-04-24T01:26:31Z")
> [@KennethDotsey](#):
>
> searched for a cure and was told to remove a folder or point Mp3tag to an empty folder. I did what I thought they meant for me to do.
This seems like a possible cause of your album art issue. Can you specify what folder was removed, or maybe link to the solution you found that said to do that?
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/app-loading-all-files-at-startup/68295/7 "2025-07-04T06:54:09Z")
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