# Metadata disappearing when cover is added in FLAC
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583
**Category:** Support
**Tags:** player
**Created:** [October 28, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583 "2023-10-28T16:57:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pincha](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Pincha)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/1 "2023-10-28T16:57:36Z")
I have several (about 12) WAV files that I converted to FLAC to then add metadata to. Originally the files hold metadata fine (album, artist, year, etc.), but when I add a cover in Mp3tag, it does not show on the files and when I check the properties, all the original metadata is gone as well. If I try to change the metadata or remove the cover, the metadata still shows as blank no matter what I do until I delete the FLAC files and convert them from the original WAVs again. Oddly, I had a different set of WAVs that I did the same thing with and they worked perfectly fine. They have covers and metadata on them and show no issues. Any ideas?
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/2 "2023-10-28T17:02:04Z")
Please show us a [screenshot](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/hints-for-asking-support-requests/56190#use-screenshots-to-exemplify-the-issue-2) from the extended Tags Alt+T from a FLAC freshly converted from WAV.
(Just before you do any change on this FLAC inside Mp3tag, as adding a cover).
This help us to see what kind of tags and version your conversion tool applies.
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### Author:  [@Pincha](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Pincha)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/3 "2023-10-28T17:07:30Z")
like this?
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/4 "2023-10-28T17:09:09Z")
The only tag I can see on this screenshot is ENCODER.
You say:
> Originally the files hold metadata fine (album, artist, year, etc.), but when I add a cover in Mp3tag...
Where exactly do you see ALBUM, ARTIST, YEAR for this specific FLAC file?
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### Author:  [@Pincha](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Pincha)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/5 "2023-10-28T17:11:18Z")
OH, my bad, I meant that I could add those tags with mp3tag without any problems, when I originally convert however they aren't there.
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/6 "2023-10-28T17:15:49Z")
Sorry, now I don't understand your problem.
If you load a FLAC you have NO metadata (only ENCODER).
Then you add a cover picture and see that cover in Mp3tag, right?
Then you add an ARTIST, ALBUM, YEAR and see that metadata in Mp3tag, right?
Your problem is currently that you don't see the cover or ARTIST where exactly?
In your Windows File Explorer? In your Music App on your smartphone?
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### Author:  [@Pincha](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Pincha)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/7 "2023-10-28T17:17:49Z")
Yes. When I load the FLAC there's no metadata. When I add album, artist, and year I can see it in mp3tag, file explorer, and my music app. However, when I add a cover, I can still see everything in mp3tag, but nothing shows in file explorer, and my music app can't even detect the file altogether.
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/8 "2023-10-28T17:19:13Z")
AFAIK, there is a limit for the max. picture size for FLAC files.
> [@Cannot embed large size cover image(s) for FLAC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/cannot-embed-large-size-cover-image-s-for-flac/42923):
>
> When writing tags for FLAC files, the program simily fails if the cover image file that is bigger than about 20mb. I have been wrestling with the cover image which happens to be 35.6mb (PNG file), and the program tells me it cannot write the tag. I reduced the size to 24mb (JPG file) and it still fails to write the tag. Is this limitation of FLAC tag structure? ....My guess is that not many people are that insane enough to put ultra high quality cover art files, but it would be great if this …
Try to reduce your cover art to - for example 500x500 pixels. Would it work then?
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### Author:  [@Pincha](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Pincha)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/9 "2023-10-28T17:23:24Z")
Thank you! This worked! I'm curious as to why the other files worked with a cover of the same resolution and file size, but nonetheless I'm glad this worked, thanks!
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2023, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/10 "2023-10-28T17:24:43Z")
Thanks for your feedback.
Maybe it was a JPG instead of PNG?
Or it was much more compressed?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2023, 6:42am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/11 "2023-10-31T06:42:18Z")
5 posts were split to a new topic: [Embed picture in files or not](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/embed-picture-in-files-or-not/62613)
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2023, 6:42am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/metadata-disappearing-when-cover-is-added-in-flac/62583/12 "2023-11-30T06:42:58Z")
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