# Mp3 files cannot be read by audacity when using optimized image files as cover
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788
**Category:** No Bugs
**Created:** [July 30, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788 "2020-07-30T17:34:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@mc20](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mc20)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788/1 "2020-07-30T17:34:34Z")
Recognized that mp3 files tagged with Mp3tag since v.3.00 and higher get a corrupted header, when using images as cover which where optimized for web (e.g. saving as web optimized file with IrfanView).
After tagging the mp3 files, they can no longer be opened in Audacity for editing. Audacity shows an error message "mp3 decoding error (reserved header layer value)".
When removing the cover with Mp3Tag v3.0x the mp3 files can then be opened in Audacity for editing without any problems again.
[testfile-mp3-cover-corrupts-header.zip](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/short-url/mmF7pYe60sIZlrdecJrLhYcbu4I.zip) (2.8 MB)
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788/2 "2020-07-30T17:43:32Z")
As the file also have APE tags - and MP3diags complains about the APE stream plus an unsupported one, could it be that Audacity does not like APE tags?
Because otherwise the file is OK.
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### Author:  [@mc20](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mc20)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788/3 "2020-07-30T17:54:35Z")
hi @ohrenkino , thanks for your quick reply and checking the file. I'll do some more testing with different Audacity to find out more. Because in the past this has never been an issue so far.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788/4 "2020-07-30T17:57:28Z")
it could be that you now write APE tags which you haven't before.
The picture (just a black square) is OK as exiftool says
No progressive format
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### Author:  [@mc20](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mc20)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788/5 "2020-07-30T18:05:09Z")
ok, definitely seems to be a problem with the latest Audacity release 2.4.2. When using the older 2.3.3 release the file can be opened. So apparently it seems that the problem is not Mp3tag after all.
I will report the bug to the Audacity Dev Team.
Thanks for helping out once again.
Ticket can be closed.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/mp3-files-cannot-be-read-by-audacity-when-using-optimized-image-files-as-cover/49788/6 "2026-02-09T12:19:08Z")