# Preserve Original Tag Formats
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [March 15, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109 "2010-03-15T19:24:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@limapet](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/limapet)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/1 "2010-03-15T19:24:59Z")
In the Tags Options we can specify different tag formats and encodings to write. Is there an option to preserve the original format and encoding? If I have many files and I change some metadata I don't want to convert them all to single new format. I want the original format and encoding to be used.
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/2 "2010-03-15T21:03:31Z")
No, this is not possible.
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### Author:  [@limapet](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/limapet)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/3 "2010-03-15T21:15:37Z")
I want to request it as a new feature in a future release.
Keep up the good work. I love Mp3tag.
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### Author:  [@JJ\_Johnson](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JJ_Johnson)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/4 "2010-03-16T22:46:48Z")
Seems like an unusual request (which itself is not unusual, as eventually just about everything is requested). Most people want consistency in the tagging of their library. That way, when some application chokes on a particular file, they don't spend hours trying to figure out what went wrong. Many people who are just beginning to use Mp3tag would load their entire music library and resave the files just to have the tag formats all the same.
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### Author:  [@limapet](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/limapet)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/5 "2010-03-18T21:48:13Z")
Sure, many people will want to convert their entire library to a single tag format. But many people don't want to or can't. Some digital audio players and applications don't recognize UTF or some tag formats. Rather than saving all your files to the lowest common denominator, saving multiple copies, or duplicating the tags, it's easier to leave it as is. Removing and converting is also slower and dangerous. So, yes while you may not have a need for this functionality many other Mp3tag users do.
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### Author:  [@JJ\_Johnson](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JJ_Johnson)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/6 "2010-03-18T22:41:56Z")
I would think very few people have a need for this functionality. If it's easy to implement, I certainly have no objection to such an option, but I don't see anyone else asking for it.
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### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/7 "2010-03-19T13:56:17Z")
> I want to request it as a new feature in a future release.
Seconded.
> Keep up the good work. I love Mp3tag.
Seconded!
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### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/preserve-original-tag-formats/10109/8 "2010-03-19T14:01:19Z")
> Seems like an unusual request . Most people want consistency in the tagging of their library.
> That way, when some application chokes on a particular file, they don't spend hours trying to
> figure out what went wrong.
Rather I think many people want files that work to continue to work. That way, when a file with tags correct for a particular device/program is edited, they don't spend hours trying to figure out why it was broken.
I am not saying Mp3tag is a culprit in this sense, but I have suffered badly from other programs in this regard, but now that Mp3tag is increasingly transgressing standards boundaries e.g. reserving special strings for its own functions, it is increasing the risk.
> Many people who are just beginning to use Mp3tag would load their entire music
> library and resave the files just to have the tag formats all the same.
I don't believe "many".