# Running Multiple Instances of MP3Tag
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [March 14, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220 "2012-03-14T19:08:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@djdonn](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/djdonn)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/1 "2012-03-14T19:08:40Z")
Is it possible to run more than 1 instance of MP3tag? How do I do it?
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 14, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/2 "2012-03-14T19:11:27Z")
> [@djdonn](#):
>
> Is it possible to run more than 1 instance of MP3tag?
No.
---
### Author:  [@SullyPanda76](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SullyPanda76)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/3 "2019-08-26T13:20:25Z")
Hi... seven years later.....
Still need to run multiple instances. Particullary, to compare directories, that have collection of music updated in one or another of those directories
---
### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/4 "2019-08-26T13:25:14Z")
The answer is still the same:
It is not possible.
What exactly do you want to achieve?
---
### Author:  [@djdonn](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/djdonn)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/5 "2019-08-26T16:28:49Z")
To be able to look at different directories at the same time, whether related to each other or not, without having to change directories. Perhaps, one instance is looking at a directory with 100,000 files in it, and it took several hours to scan. If I want to look at any other directory, then come back to this one, I'd have to wait for it to scan all over again.
Directory comparison, as stated above.
Can't imagine this is a big deal to accomplish.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/6 "2019-08-26T17:29:02Z")
Do you really want to compare directories by hand?
What about a filter to see 2 directories at once?
Like
`%_directory% IS a OR %_directory% IS b`
Using the library usually speeds up the loading process - unless the file access is the bottleneck.
---
### Author:  [@djdonn](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/djdonn)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/7 "2019-08-26T18:45:44Z")
Or.. idk... Just be able to have more than one instance of MP3Tag running at once. Why is that so difficult to pull off? There are some people that would actually use it.
The library speeds up the loading, to a point, but it still does not solve the initial issue of being able to look at 2 or more different directories at the same time, but in different windows.
---
### Author:  [@SullyPanda76](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/SullyPanda76)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/8 "2019-08-26T19:47:28Z")
Ok, I have... 30 folders, each one for an album of whatever artist.
Most of them are oldies (Rush, moving pictures), so I have worked to make them beautiful (500x500 cover, id2.4 tag, title + album + artist tag)
I have 4 copies of this albums: Home PC + Office note + SD Car 1 + SD Car 2 (wifes car)
Theory would say: "Allways make changes in your main PC... then copy the modified albums to the rest of the reposteries"
But, shame on me, I modified on different places....
So, I thought, have 3 instances opened (Main home PC + SD car 1 + SD car2)
and check folder by folder the best version, and propagate it.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/9 "2019-08-26T20:17:40Z")
The topic has been discussed to a fair extent in this thread:
> [@Run multiple instances possible?](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/run-multiple-instances-possible/9802):
>
> Hi. is there a way to run the app in more than 1 instance? i sometimes need more than 1 copy running
---
### Author:  [@marcerickson](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/marcerickson)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/10 "2019-12-17T23:55:31Z")
> [@LyricsLover](#):
>
> It is not possible.
Note to Florian: I don't know about the code required, but wouldn't the problem of keeping the tags synchronized be solved by locking the files selected in the first instance? And then locking the files selected in the second instance if a third instance is opened? And wash, rinse, repeat...
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2019, 7:01am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/11 "2019-12-18T07:01:17Z")
> [@marcerickson](#):
>
> by locking the files selected in the first instance
As soon as another instance is opened and displays the same files as a previous one and these files then get manipulated in the more recently opened instance, then not all files would be modified as they are locked by a previous one.
So one would have to repeat the same manipulation in (all) the previous instances to get it saved to all files.
This does not look very beneficial to me.
The discussion was started in days when large collections could not be loaded into MP3tag. With the introduction of the library feature this short coming is a thing of the past (for most collections).
I still think that the use of the filter will lead to success in most cases.
---
### Author:  [@Crissov](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Crissov)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2019, 8:05am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/12 "2019-12-18T08:05:27Z")
Seems like you should invest some time once in learning and setting up [rsync](https://rsync.samba.org/) or something similar.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2019, 8:14am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/13 "2019-12-18T08:14:52Z")
> [@SullyPanda76](#):
>
> So, I thought, have 3 instances opened (Main home PC + SD car 1 + SD car2)
> and check folder by folder the best version, and propagate it.
Even though a manual compare is the best source for errors, I would still think that loading all the files from the various locations into one instance and then sort by the various fields would still get a better overview than switching between windows (here: 4 of them!).
Also, it would be easier to select the files that need modifcation and the already modified master and then use the correct item from the dropdown list. This saves you the bother of copy&then paste 3 times. So the already existing approach would cover the needs of the dispersed data keeping, probably even better than splitting up into instances.
---
### Author:  [@NoToneS](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/NoToneS)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/14 "2019-12-18T18:10:12Z")
Hi long time since I posted the other OP that appears to now be locked!
The remedy I posted below is what I use
-[From other Thread]-
I did find a way to achieve what I wanted by modifying the EXE (I no longer do this)
Then I discovered "sandboxie" anyone still looking for this feature should give sandboxie a try - if you register it you can modify the sandbox settings to give direct access to files.
Sandboxie is now 100% FREE and offers a solution for this issue.
hope this is useful...
obviously a multiple instance version would still be a prefered feature but the workaround above does what I need it may be of use to you also.
---
### Author:  [@Patch](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Patch)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/15 "2019-12-19T19:49:12Z")
I just had a thought - what about tabbed instances? Like explorer tabs within IE, but within MP3Tag? Multiple tabs, all with a tag panel, a filter, and a main window?
Y’know, while we’re wishing...
---
### Author:  [@leeuniverse](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/leeuniverse)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/16 "2021-11-05T19:04:26Z")
So, just an every few year reminder, so I'm putting my 2cents in that we NEED "multi-instance" support for Mp3tag...
Why, because this is a DATA related program, and sometimes you just NEED to "compare" the data of two files.
For example, my recent learning about all this tag business, putting together my music collection finally, and dealing with various programs has caused me to discover that developers are incompetent...
- Audacity destroy's Tags and Images on save.
- CyberLink Audio Director also destroys tags and images on save.
- and of all things, MusicBee INTENTIONALLY for both ID3 2.3 and 2.4 "replaces" our preferred separators with backward slashes on Save... entirely ruining our separator systems. Might be fine for those using 2.4, but NOT fine for those of us using 2.3. It entirely ruins consistency between programs.
It makes me happy Mp3tag understands that I want the separators I want, and that "forcing" others on us isn't the best standard.
Anyway, +1 for Multi-Instance support for Mp3tag...
p.s. Did I read correctly in the other thread that if we use the "Portable" version that we CAN then have "multi-instance" support? He sort of implied it?
---
### Author:  [@mark5000432](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/mark5000432)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2023, 12:24am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/17 "2023-03-20T00:24:34Z")
Taking my cue from leeuniverse, I am going to share my 2 cents...
I am merging multiple libraries into my Plex library. When I find something I need to add, I copy it to a Staging folder on the computer hosting the Plex server, use Mp3Tag to make the tags consistent (sometimes this involves changing what is in the Staging folder, sometimes it involves changing what is already in the Plex library), and then move the files into the Plex library.
I would like to have one instance looking at the Staging directory, which needs to be refreshed all the time, and one instance looking at the Plex library that is large and slow to update.
I could probably live within one instance if there was a sort of folder browser pane that looked sort of like this:
If you click (or control + click) on a folder(s) it would add a filter (that applies before any filters you already have going) to filter to just that folder(s). If you select a folder(s) there should be a button to refresh that folder(s) without refreshing the others.
EDIT: There should be two buttons at the top of the pane: Refresh(refreshes only selected directories) and Refresh All.
To me, allowing multiple instances to run is the easier solution, though a folder browser is probably the more useful solution. Luckily I have access to Virtual Machine software, so I can run multiple instances, but that is a bunch of overhead and complexity that shouldn't be necessary. Another workaround would be to use multiple computers, preferably with some kind of Remote Access software, but again, that involves more overhead and complexity than necessary.
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2023, 6:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/18 "2023-03-20T06:34:04Z")
> [@mark5000432](#):
>
> EDIT: There should be two buttons at the top of the pane: Refresh(refreshes only selected directories) and Refresh All.
Use the Windows explorer and drag&drop the folder into the MP3tag Windows while pressing Ctrl - this adds the folder to the currently loaded files and works just like a refresh for a single folder.
To reload all folders, also use drag&drop either with the selected top folder or a set of folders in the Windows Explorer.
> [@mark5000432](#):
>
> if there was a sort of folder browser
This feature has been requested a couple of times and the best folder browser for this purpose is the display in the WIndows explorer.
See also here:
> [@feature request: directory browser on the app](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/feature-request-directory-browser-on-the-app/19585/2):
>
> This is the oldest thread that I found about a folder tree: [/t/1720/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/1720/1) It's from 2005. And you can see what has happened in the meantime. On the other hand: one never knows what the future will bring.
---
### Author:  [@Valik](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Valik)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2023, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/19 "2023-03-20T12:39:44Z")
If I needed to run 2 instances of MP3Tag, I'd run one in a virtual machine and the other on my normal desktop. You don't need another windows license and software like VirtualBox is free. Once it's all setup you can just RDP to it.
You may also be able to get away with just using the default windows Sandbox feature depending on your needs. I have not tested it so no guarantees.
---
### Author:  [@MonoStereo51](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MonoStereo51)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2024, 11:34am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220/20 "2024-03-17T11:34:31Z")
Another 2 Cents... I am not willing to run a virtual machine, just to be able to open a 2nd instance or multiple instances of 1 programm. I often had to yell "sh\*t" in the past, when I was working in one directory and had to look up something in another... click... boom... loading 10.000 tracks over and over again, when reopening the first directory... Also I am constantly staring at the progress bar, while writing back/saving changes to the files - not able to use my time efficently to continue editing and saving other changes... When I take a day to "clean up" my music, I am fully into it and it would be a game changer for me to have 3 or more windows of MP3Tag open at the same time... Please reconsider adding a method to open more than one instance at once... Thanks a lot for die great work all over this years - Have a good one - MonoStereo51
[Next page](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/running-multiple-instances-of-mp3tag/13220.md?page=2)