# Deleting first few characters from a file name **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [October 17, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/deleting-first-few-characters-from-a-file-name/17311 "2015-10-17T19:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vice86](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/df705f/32.png) [@vice86](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/vice86)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/deleting-first-few-characters-from-a-file-name/17311/1 "2015-10-17T19:39:46Z")
Hello folks, what's the script set up to delete the first X amount of characters from a file name? Ex: 01 - Masterboy - Anybody I want to make it Masterboy - Anybody which means I need to get rid of the first 5 characters/spaces I had the script a couple years ago when I started tagging all my MP3's correctly but haven't gotten around to the one last disaster of a folder till now and its a mess. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/deleting-first-few-characters-from-a-file-name/17311/2 "2015-10-17T19:47:20Z")
Why do so many people mess around with the filename instead of using the tag data and rewrite the filename instead. To get closer to your problem. There are so many ways to do it... Action type "Format tag field" for \_FILENAME Format string: $cutleft(%\_filename%,5) Or use the Convert\>Filename-Filename function Source: %1 - %2 - %3 New: %2 - %3 Action of the type "Replace with regular expression" Search string: ^\d+ - Replace string: (leave empty) And, of cource: Convert\>Tag-Filename %artist% - %title% If you have not filled the tags yet then use the Convert\>Filename-Tag function first %track% - %artist% - %title% ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/deleting-first-few-characters-from-a-file-name/17311/3 "2026-02-09T12:25:55Z")
Closed on February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC