# How do I strip metadata?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 1, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810 "2016-04-01T21:38:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/1 "2016-04-01T21:38:36Z")
Whenever I insert tag data from Discogs or MusicBrainz, it leaves other metadata in the mp3 or FLAC tags like for example, ISRC.
How do I strip this metadata out, but keep the basic tagging?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@mjcm](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mjcm)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2016, 7:04am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/2 "2016-04-02T07:04:01Z")
Look here: [https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields)
or here
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except)
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### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/3 "2016-04-02T14:49:43Z")
> [@Mike\_nl](#):
>
> Look here: [https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields)
>
> or here
>
> [https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except)
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about removing **hidden** metadata like ISRC or iTunes CDD
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/4 "2016-04-02T14:56:59Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about removing **hidden** metadata like ISRC or iTunes CDD
Why should ISRC be hidden? It is a openly visible field in the extended tags dialogue.
You find a reference in [https://docs.mp3tag.de/mapping](https://docs.mp3tag.de/mapping)
All fields listed there can be deleted with the actions that Mike\_NL mentioned.
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### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2016, 9:55am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/5 "2016-04-03T09:55:34Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> Why should ISRC be hidden? It is a openly visible field in the extended tags dialogue.
> You find a reference in [https://docs.mp3tag.de/mapping](https://docs.mp3tag.de/mapping)
> All fields listed there can be deleted with the actions that Mike\_NL mentioned.
And what about iTunes CDD?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2016, 11:13am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/6 "2016-04-03T11:13:24Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> And what about iTunes CDD?
What does the dialogue extended tags say?
Is that a field that is stored in the files or one that iTunes holds only in its database?
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### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/7 "2016-04-03T18:11:39Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> What does the dialogue extended tags say?
> Is that a field that is stored in the files or one that iTunes holds only in its database?
Right mouse click the file, go to Properties...
Take a look at the comments fields in the attachment. The stuff that begins with "Comment iTu... which I assume stands for iTunes. You don't see those fields in mp3tag since it seems to be hidden. I had to go into File-Properties through Windows in order to see it.
This is much like the hidden metadata you find in album art which I can strip out using Irfanview
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/8 "2016-04-03T18:21:30Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> Right mouse click the file, go to Properties...
And what does the Mp3tag extended tags dialogue show you (this is what we are talking about. If Windows shows it in the file properties, MP3tag will show it as well).
Press Alt-T to open the extended tags dialogue.
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### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/9 "2016-04-09T15:58:11Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> _And what does the Mp3tag extended tags dialogue show you (this is what we are talking about. If Windows shows it in the file properties, MP3tag will show it as well)._
>
>
>
> _Press Alt-T to open the extended tags dialogue._
Ok, so is there any way to strip those out globally per album? Or will I have to go through each individual track and strip it manually?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/10 "2016-04-09T16:54:09Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> Ok, so is there any way to strip those out globally per album? Or will I have to go through each individual track and strip it manually?
What have you tried so far?
The extended tags dialogue shows you the fields from all selected files and their contents.
If the contents of a field varies between the fields, you can decide if you want to keep it that way (default), delete the field alltogether or set a new value.
If you have selected only one track, you see the data from that file. If you have selected more than one file, you see the data from these files.
E.g. if you have selected all the files from one album, you will probably see actual data in ALBUM, ALBUMARTIST, ARTIST and YEAR. As the title is different for each track, you will see for the field TITLE.
To delete a field alltogether, select the field and click on the delete button in the dialogue.
Save the changes by clicking on OK.
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### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/11 "2016-04-12T17:40:42Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> _What have you tried so far?_
>
>
>
> The extended tags dialogue shows you the fields from all selected files and their contents.
> If the contents of a field varies between the fields, you can decide if you want to keep it that way (default), delete the field alltogether or set a new value.
>
> If you have selected only one track, you see the data from that file. If you have selected more than one file, you see the data from these files.
>
> E.g. if you have selected all the files from one album, you will probably see actual data in ALBUM, ALBUMARTIST, ARTIST and YEAR. As the title is different for each track, you will see for the field TITLE.
>
> To delete a field alltogether, select the field and click on the delete button in the dialogue.
>
> _Save the changes by clicking on OK._
I don't see those extra fields on the main GUI. It is not set up that way. I only see them when I hit ALT-T
Am I going to have to set it so I can see them on the main GUI temporarily, strip them out like I would the basic fields that I do have showing, and then re-hide them again? Each time?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2016, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/12 "2016-04-12T17:52:54Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> I don't see those extra fields on the main GUI. It is not set up that way. I only see them when I hit ALT-T
>
> Am I going to have to set it so I can see them on the main GUI temporarily, strip them out like I would the basic fields that I do have showing, and then re-hide them again? Each time?
What are you getting at?
It is a pity that you do not answer my questions about what you have done so far and what the extended tags dialogue show you.
By default the tag panel shows mainly the fields from ID3V1.
You can configure the tag panel as you like - it may become a little congested if you want to see all fields there. So that is usually not the best approach.
What is your problem with the extended tags dialogue? Usually, you delete the fields only once and then they are gone.
And as I wrote: you can select all files from your collection, open the extended tags dialogue and there delete all fields that you do not need any more.
Please also note the possibility to automate that process with an action of the type "Delete fields except" that deletes all fields except those that you specify to be kept.
You can save that action and run it on every new file without the need to reconfigure the gui.
But this has already been told by Mike\_NL in the second post.
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### Author:  [@b8375629](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/b8375629)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/13 "2016-04-14T01:14:33Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> _And as I wrote: you can select all files from your collection, open the extended tags dialogue and there delete all fields that you do not need any more._
Well I'm missing something there. I hit CRTL-A to select all the files and then do what?
> [@](#):
>
> _Please also note the possibility to automate that process with an action of the type "Delete fields except" that deletes all fields except those that you specify to be kept.
> You can save that action and run it on every new file without the need to reconfigure the gui._
>
>
>
> _But this has already been told by Mike\_NL in the second post._
Again, I know what that page says, but I have to see some type of picture of that action so I will know what you are talking about. Where the parameters for that action are put in and so forth...
The picture shows the default fields I want to keep, including the artwork. I want **everything else** to be stripped out.
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### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/14 "2016-04-14T03:14:55Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> Well I'm missing something there. I hit CRTL-A to select all the files and then do what?
Press ALT-t for the extended tag dialogue. There see **all** your embedded tags. There you can mark them and then change, add or delete (red cross) them.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/15 "2016-04-14T03:24:51Z")
> [@b8375629](#):
>
> ...Again, I know what that page says, but I have to see some type of picture of that action so I will know what you are talking about. Where the parameters for that action are put in and so forth...
You can create that picture yourself. Have a look at the help about the action:
[https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except](https://docs.mp3tag.de/actions/remove-fields-except)
see the FAQs how to create an action.
[/t/967/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/967/1)
You may also have a look at this thread that deals with the removal of fields:
[/t/2715/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/2715/1)
How far is your progress in opening the extended tags dialogue?
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2025, 6:24am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-do-i-strip-metadata/17810/16 "2025-03-31T06:24:04Z")
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