# Strip ID3 tags, leave Vorbis tags on FLAC?
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [October 26, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419 "2005-10-26T13:41:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Newbielicious](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Newbielicious)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/1 "2005-10-26T13:41:29Z")
I have a bunch of FLAC files that have Vorbis, ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags. When I "cut" the tags off of the files MP3Tag cuts only the Vorbis tag leaving both ID3 tags intact. I want to accomplish the opposite, removing the ID3 tags (both) and leaving the Vorbis tag intact.
It would appear to me that under the Options/Tags catagory, there should be a third option for FLAC files along with the MPEG and APE options.
Another suggestion would be to have some kind of indicator on the screen for the types of tags that the file has. There seems to be no "at a glance" way of determining what type of tag(s) a file has. Maybe just a small row of "lights" that are red, and turn green when the selected file(s) has the appropriate tag and yellow when multiple files are selected but only some of them have a specific type of tag?
Anyway, just some suggestions for a fantastic program.
---
### Author:  [@Sebastian\_Mares](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Sebastian_Mares)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/2 "2005-10-26T14:34:46Z")
Unfortunately, I am not at home to test, but what happens if you activate all checkboxes from Tags --\> Ape, Mpc ... --\> Remove and then tell MP3Tag to remove the tags?
If it doesn't work, MP3Tag probably thinks that a FLAC file is only allowed to have Vorbis Comments and disables ID3/APE processing.
Regarding your last question - it's possible to create a new column and set its value to "%\_tag%". 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Newbielicious](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Newbielicious)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/3 "2005-10-26T17:42:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> what happens if you activate all checkboxes from Tags --\> Ape, Mpc ... --\> Remove and then tell MP3Tag to remove the tags?
Ok, under both Tags/Ape, Mpc... and Tags/MPEG I have all of the read boxes checked, all of the write boxes unchecked and all of the remove boxes checked.
This gives the same results. Only the Vorbis comment is cut leaving the ID3's behind. If I paste the comment back, the Vorbis comment returns so the file has three tags once again. There doesn't seem to be a way to remove the ID3 tags. I even tried cutting the Vorbis tag, launching a second copy of MP3Tag in an attempt to then cut the ID3 tags hoping to then return to the first instance of MP3Tag to paste the Vorbis comment back, but MP3Tag won't allow more than one running copy.
---
### Author:  [@Sebastian\_Mares](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Sebastian_Mares)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/4 "2005-10-26T17:48:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> but MP3Tag won't allow more than one running copy.
>
> \<{POST\_SNAPBACK}\>
Yeah, that's because of the settings (conflict when you change the settings in one instance, close it and then edit some other settings in the second instance).
---
### Author:  [@Newbielicious](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Newbielicious)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/5 "2005-11-01T20:14:10Z")
[Link to referenced FAQ Page](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/965/9)
This part of the FAQ suggests that the APE, MPC... option also works with FLAC files. Based on my problem above, it does not. I don't know if there are any official rules about what tag types are allowed on certain file types but I have heard of other people with ID3 tags on FLAC files so it can be done.
I was able to solve my problem. I used MP3Tag to cut the Vorbis tag off to the clipboard, then a different (gasp!) tagger to cut the ID3 tags off, and then MP3Tag to paste the Vorbis tags back on. Worked fine, if not slowly and time consuming. I still think MP3Tag should have an options page just for FLAC and its tags, as more and more people are using FLAC for archiving.
---
### Author:  [@ianwi](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ianwi)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/6 "2006-10-26T18:27:55Z")
I've just been searching the forums and discovered this thread as I have exactly the same problem.
I have some flac files that have ID3 tags in them that I want to remove while preserving the Vorbis comments.
It would be really nice if MP3Tag had the ability to warn the user that these tags exist and strip them out if you don't want them. I'm still searching for a tool to do this if anyone has any ideas?
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/7 "2006-11-04T19:47:49Z")
I've added support for removing ID3v2 from FLAC with the new Mp3tag v2.37.
Best regards,
Florian
---
### Author:  [@cmachine](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/cmachine)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2006, 9:20am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/8 "2006-11-11T09:20:49Z")
> [@Florian](#):
>
> I've added support for removing ID3v2 from FLAC with the new Mp3tag v2.37.
Hi Florian
I just upgrades to 2.37a. But I can't find any menu to read/write/remove vorbis comments in the options. Only the mpeg, ape, mpc options are there.
Is 2.37a the wrong version for this new feature?
Best Regards from Switzerland
Olaf
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2006, 10:36am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/9 "2006-11-11T10:36:15Z")
Hi Olaf,
there is no special option for Vorbis Comments because these are the only valid tags for FLAC and Vorbis. To remove them, just choose , File \> Remove tag or [Ctrl+R].
If you want to remove ID3v2 and leave the Vorbis Comments, just remove the tags and choose Edit \> Undo or  to rewrite the Vorbis Comments without the ID3v2 tags.
Best regards,
Florian
---
### Author:  [@cmachine](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/cmachine)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/10 "2006-11-11T14:10:31Z")
Hi Florian
Will the ID3v1 also be removed then or only the id3v2.
I have flacs with id3v1 and id3v2 an vorbis comments. and i want only to keep the vorbis and delete all the other inofficial tags.
Olaf
---
### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/11 "2006-11-12T18:38:38Z")
Only ID3v2 tags are removed. Never thought that something like FLAC with ID3v1 even exists 
---
### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2025, 11:06am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/strip-id3-tags-leave-vorbis-tags-on-flac/2419/12 "2025-11-10T11:06:07Z")
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.