# Some files show incorrect (or no) time in Length field
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 22, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485 "2015-12-22T00:37:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AnonYmouse](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/AnonYmouse)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/1 "2015-12-22T00:37:24Z")
Hello,
I searched through the forum, but did not see this exact issue (maybe I missed it somewhere, if so, apologies), or I do not understand if the other answers relate to this issue.
Several MP3 files are showing either incorrect time (00:01) or nothing in the Length field. When I play them (Winamp), the time elapsed is displayed correctly as the song plays, but the Winamp info display shows the same (incorrect) length as the tag in MP3Tag.
In the files that show no time in the length field, I notice that the Frequency, Codec, VBR and Mode fields are also blank. In the files that show the incorrect time, the frequency field is populated (44100), and all other fields are populated as well. The file size is shown for all, and ranges from around 400 kB to around 30 MB.
I would like to run a command that will populate the Length field with the correct time. I tried the Action - Format Value "LENGTH" %\_length% command, which returns a "Formatted Tags in 0 of n tags " message. I suspect I am missing something simple here, but my Newby mind hasn't grasped it yet.
Any help would be most appreciated.
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/2 "2015-12-22T04:40:10Z")
> [@AnonYmouse](#):
>
> ... I would like to run a command that will populate the Length field with the correct time. ...
If the "technical part" of the media file has correct data, then the Mp3tag variable "%\_length%" should display the correct data.
It may happen that some mediatype does not support this.
It may happen that a mediafile's technical data is corrupt.
It may help to re-encode or transcode this mediafile.
In general, and in particular, you do not need to set any user defined tag-field for a player indicating the technical data of the file.
DD.20151222.0640.CET
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### Author:  [@AnonYmouse](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/AnonYmouse)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/3 "2015-12-22T18:11:27Z")
> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> If the "technical part" of the media file has correct data, then the Mp3tag variable "%\_length%" should display the correct data.
> It may happen that some mediatype does not support this.
> It may happen that a mediafile's technical data is corrupt.
> It may help to re-encode this mediafile.
> In general, and in particular, you do not need to set any user defined tag-field for a player indicating the technical data of the file.
>
> DD.20151222.0640.CET
Thanks for the reply.
The Media type is MP3, so I must assume that the technical data in the files are corrupt, or that they were not ripped correctly. Unfortunately I do not have access to the original source files, so I cannot re-encode them from the source files.
Please forgive what is probably a stupid question, but is it possible to either manually edit the technical data, or to re-encode the (corrupt technical data ) MP3 files as new (no longer corrupt technical data) MP3 files? I suspect not, and will probably have to live with the incorrect time (a minor annoyance). If it is possible, could you please point me in the general direction?
Thx much!
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/4 "2015-12-22T19:02:23Z")
> [@AnonYmouse](#):
>
> ... but is it possible to either manually edit the technical data, or to re-encode the (corrupt technical data ) MP3 files as new (no longer corrupt technical data) MP3 files?...
There are freeware utilties around that do just such checks:
mp3val
mp3diags
foobar2000
mp3val and mp3diags have an scan mode so that you can decide whether you want to fix files with problems.
Both programs have their virtues and you probably have to use both to get rid of all faults.
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/5 "2015-12-22T20:54:34Z")
> [@AnonYmouse](#):
>
> ... The Media type is MP3, so I must assume that the technical data in the files are corrupt, or that they were not ripped correctly. Unfortunately I do not have access to the original source files, so I cannot re-encode them from the source files. ... is it possible to either manually edit the technical data, or to re-encode the (corrupt technical data ) MP3 files as new (no longer corrupt technical data) MP3 files? ... If it is possible, could you please point me in the general direction? Thx much!
You have to try it ... for example ...
"ffmpeg.exe" -i "input.mp3" -codec:a libmp3lame -qscale:a 0 "output.mp3"
[https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/MP3](https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/MP3)
[http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/win32/sta...win32-static.7z](http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/win32/static/ffmpeg-latest-win32-static.7z)
DD.20151222.2254.CET
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### Author:  [@EMCO](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/EMCO)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2025, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/6 "2025-02-03T22:44:41Z")
Hi,
The time difference in explorer and mp3tag is because you are update covers to mp3's you make them bigger ore smaller than you have this problem.
changing covers ok than you have to re-convert your files.
After making the cover bigger to 1200x1200.
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2025, 7:40am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/7 "2025-02-04T07:40:15Z")
I do not think that it is true that adding or removing an embedded picture in a file effects the length of the audio part.
It influences the total size of a file.
But as tag data and payload data should be separate, any difference in play length can come only from players that do not interpret the tag part correctly or from corrupted header data.
Also, for files with variable bitrate sometimes a certain player uses calculations that are different from other programs. So differing lengths could be the result.
But if a file that shows no length at all - as the OP stated - then the file is seriously damaged and needs repairs.
Ways to repair files have been mentioned in this thread.
See also
> [@How to check files for errors?](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/how-to-check-files-for-errors/44633):
>
> It’s required and often helps to reduce support cycles to check files for errors before filing a bug report. Symptoms of erroneous files are often missing or wrong bitrate or length audible blips or skips tags seem to be sticky and cannot be removed There are some really good tools to check the files for errors, namely MP3 Diags — identifies many different issues in MP3 files Website: [http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net](http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net) Download: [MP3 Diags - Getting MP3 Diags](http://mp3diags.sourceforge.net/010_getting_the_program.html#binWindows) If the font size in MP3 Diags is …
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2025, 9:53am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/8 "2025-02-04T09:53:55Z")
> [@EMCO](#):
>
> The time difference in explorer and mp3tag is because you are update covers to mp3's you make them bigger ore smaller than you have this problem.
Of course, the music file becomes larger in its entirety when you add a cover picture.
And of course the music file becomes smaller if you remove an embedded cover picture or replace it with a much smaller one.
**BUT:**
You don't change the audio part of your music file if you add or remove a cover picture with Mp3tag.
If you add or remove a cover picture, you manipulate the metadata part of your music file.
The audio length will not be calculated from the metadata.
> [@EMCO](#):
>
> ...than you have to re-convert your files.
No.
Re-converting the entire mp3 music file to a new mp3 music file does not change the length of the audio part (assuming you don't use any special converting function as deleting silent audio parts and so on...)
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### Author:  [@EMCO](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/EMCO)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/9 "2025-02-04T14:29:43Z")
I use Platinum Notes 4 to convert.
And it do's a good job on this problem in the time diference win 10 explore vs. Mp3tag.
And with 200k ons songs done by hand Year, cover, bmp, key (camelot), mood... i'm happy with my
music data base wat i started in the 80's to digitalize.
For bpm, key, mood... i use Mixed In Key 10.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/some-files-show-incorrect-or-no-time-in-length-field/17485/10 "2025-03-06T14:30:23Z")
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