# Replace existing file

**URL:** <https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-existing-file/52663>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [April 4, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-existing-file/52663 "2021-04-04T12:19:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tom27](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@Tom27](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Tom27)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-existing-file/52663/1 "2021-04-04T12:19:29Z")

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I'm in the process of upgrading a part of my collection and have an action that replaces the path so it's written to the correct location.  
Whenever the exact path already exists the following error appears:

* * *

Mp3tag v3.06a

* * *

File "OLD FILE PATH"  
cannot be renamed to "NEW FILE PATH".

Cannot create a file when that file already exists.

* * *

Abort Retry Ignore

* * *

Is there a way to enable an overwrite? Either globally or on a per file basis?

It is rather time consuming to navigate to the desired location delete the original file(s) and rerun the action.

Thanks

EDIT: tried both windows and mac version

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**Author:** ![ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/ohrenkino/32/4843_2.png) [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-existing-file/52663/2 "2021-04-04T18:00:27Z")

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> [@Tom27](#):
>
> File "OLD FILE PATH"  
> cannot be renamed to "NEW FILE PATH".
> 
> Cannot create a file when that file already exists.

Isn't this a message issued by the OS?

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**Author:** ![Tom27](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@Tom27](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Tom27)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-existing-file/52663/3 "2021-04-04T18:27:05Z")

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I don't really see why that's relevant, I'm sure mp3tag uses standard windows and macOS APIs.

If nothing else it's an ungraceful handling\* of a system _"error"_, usually the user is provided with the option to replace an already existing file.

\*saying ungraceful, but might just be fully intended and a replace function explicitly unwanted by Florian, hence the question

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**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/replace-existing-file/52663/4 "2026-02-09T12:29:09Z")

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