# Feature request: action to rewrite tags from scratch
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [April 15, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153 "2019-04-15T03:30:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@xRussianBeautyx](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/xRussianBeautyx)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/1 "2019-04-15T03:30:40Z")
When I get audio files from various sources, often these files are incredibly buggy, including malformed tags.
Previously, I was just opening these files with Mp3tag and "Ctrl+S" them to rewrite the tags. But this is not sufficient and there are a lot of leftovers in the file source.
My only solution so far, is to copy elsewhere the tags' content, then completely delete the tags and finally write them again. This is quite a long process.
It would be very convenient if an action were added to Mp3tag, that would memorize all the recognized tags, completely delete the files' tags and finally write them back, from scratch.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2019, 7:26am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/2 "2019-04-15T07:26:27Z")
> [@xRussianBeautyx](#):
>
> there are a lot of leftovers in the file source
I do not know what you mean by leftovers.
You can set which tag types to read, write and delete in File\>Options\>Tags\>Mpeg - which should lead to files that only contain those tag types that you want to keep if you cut and paste the tags.
Or do you mean tag fields? Then there are actions to reduce the number of fields by either a white list or a black list:
> **[Remove Fields β Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields/)**
>
> Documentation on the Remove Fields action type that can be performed as Quick Action or as reusable workflow from Action Groups. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
> **[Remove Fields Except β Mp3tag Documentation](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except/)**
>
> Documentation on the Remove Fields Except action type that can be performed as Quick Action or as reusable workflow from Action Groups. Mp3tag is the universal Tag Editor.
---
### Author:  [@xRussianBeautyx](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/xRussianBeautyx)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/3 "2019-04-15T13:36:31Z")
There are so many crappy encoders around, you have no idea the monstruosities they can produce π
Just to give an example, I have MP3 files with some WMA tags inside (I have encountered this case several times already).
Mp3tag (correctly) doesn't recognize these tags. If I save the tags, these WMA "leftovers" remain. The only way to remove them is the method I explained above.
Another example: some formats add padding for metadata when needed, but the padding is not removed afterwards if the metadata is shortened. So if there were embedded cover art and you delete it, the padding still remains.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/4 "2019-04-15T13:47:31Z")
> [@xRussianBeautyx](#):
>
> If I save the tags, these WMA "leftovers" remain. The only way to remove them is the method I explained above.
There are utilities around that check audio files, see here:
> [@How to check files for errors?](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-check-files-for-errors/44633):
>
> Itβs required and often helps to reduce support cycles to check files for errors before filing a bug report. Symptoms of erroneous files are often missing or wrong bitrate or length audible blips or skips tags seem to be sticky and cannot be removed There are some really good tools to check the files for errors, namely MP3 Diags β identifies many different issues in MP3 files Website: [http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net](http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net) Download: [MP3 Diags - Getting MP3 Diags](http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net/010_getting_the_program.html#binWindows) If the font size in MP3 Diags is β¦
I would assume that you can cut a readable tag from a file so that it is held in the memory and
then delete all further tags until there is nothing left.
And then you paste the tag from the memory.
MP3tag handles padding on its own account.
For flac files see
> [@How to decrease the tagsize after deleting coverart](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-decrease-the-tagsize-after-deleting-coverart/8891):
>
> I just received some FLAC files that had coverart embedded. The .jpg files that were embedded were however way too big: about 4-6 MB per FLAC! MP3Tag took ages to read these huge tags in the total of 230 files, probably because of these huge tagsizes. So I deleted all coverart via the "extended tags". However, the tagsize is still indicated to be between 4 and 6 MB per FLAC, even after the deletion of all coverart ... Is there any way decrease the tagsize ? I already deleted all tags and presβ¦
MP3tag does not have to do anything with the encoding, just tagging.
---
### Author:  [@Wakaku](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Wakaku)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2019, 12:00am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/5 "2019-04-16T00:00:23Z")
Try this.
- Select all the desired media files, then right-click, then _Tag Copy_. Do not unselect anything.
- Right-click the selection, then _Remove tag_, then click _yes_.
- Right-click the selection, then _Tag Paste_.
---
### Author:  [@xRussianBeautyx](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/xRussianBeautyx)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/6 "2019-04-16T05:54:28Z")
I gave this a try, and it seems to work!
Your solution will allow me to quite easily clean up my music collection π
Many, many thanks!
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-action-to-rewrite-tags-from-scratch/45153/7 "2019-05-16T05:54:28Z")
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.