# iTunes tags are not read by MP3tag
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [November 25, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148 "2019-11-25T18:38:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@human705-one](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/human705-one)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/1 "2019-11-25T18:38:34Z")
Hi All,
I'm running iTunes 12.10.1.4 on windows 10 and MP3tag 2.99a. I use MP3tag to create the tags i want in iTunes and the import the files (m4b audio books) to iTunes. When i change tags in iTunes (chapter , album artist) i see them changing in Windows Explores. When I start MP3tag in the same folder the tags still show the original information I created with MP3tag. If i change the tags again in MP3tag, the file system and iTunes show the changes. It seems the be an one way communication.
Any ideas?
TIA
Peter
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/2 "2019-11-25T18:44:12Z")
See perhaps this thread on m4b files with chapters:
> [@Showing chapters on m4b files](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/showing-chapters-on-m4b-files/44300):
>
> I like to show the chapters in my m4b audiobooks. This works fine on the 2.91 release. I have just installed the 2.92 release and they are no longer showing. On reading the release notes I saw that there is a new Advanced option to toggle the showing of chapters on/off. I set it to display chapters but they are still not showing! Have I missed something else that needs setting?
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### Author:  [@human705-one](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/human705-one)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/3 "2019-11-26T14:55:27Z")
I tried but still the same issue.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2019, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/4 "2019-11-26T18:24:56Z")
iTunes does not always write modifications to the tags in a file but keeps the information in its database.
So if MP3tag still shows the old data then it may be the case that iTunes has not modified the files.
If on the other hand modifications from MP3tag get noticed by iTunes, I would say that the workflow is now clear: Mp3tag for tagging, iTunes for playing.
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### Author:  [@poster](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/poster)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/5 "2019-11-26T19:46:28Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#):
>
> iTunes does not always write modifications to the tags in a file but keeps the information in its database.
But in this case I would not expect to show the changes by the windows-explorer.
> [@human705-one](#):
>
> When i change tags in iTunes (chapter , album artist) i see them changing in Windows Explores.
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### Author:  [@human705-one](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/human705-one)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/6 "2019-11-26T20:57:56Z")
The workflow you describe is partially correct. The initial tagging is done with Mp3Tag. I use the composer field to group the book series and the "Album Artist" field to keep the status of the book: unread, listening, finished. This way i can create dynamic playlist and I know what book's i've already finished. The challenge begins when i add a new book in a series. When I change the status from unread to listening or finished in iTunes, Mp3Tag still shows unread. Unless i add the new book in a different folder, all the tags get overwritten and al my books in the series are now unread again.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/7 "2019-11-26T21:07:02Z")
To me it looks like the old problem that iTunes does not write modifications to tags.
What you can do:
Use iTunes to create a list of those books that you have read and show that correctly in iTunes.
Now drag&drop that list form iTunes into MP3tag and set the indicator there (again).
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/itunes-tags-are-not-read-by-mp3tag/47148/8 "2026-02-09T12:28:20Z")