# Trimming tags **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [April 2, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851 "2017-04-02T12:35:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Appick](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/appick/32/334_2.png) [@Appick](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Appick)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851/1 "2017-04-02T12:35:28Z")
Hi, I often ask questions that get really simple answers - so I assume that I'm not particularly talented with computers! So sorry in advance! I sometimes use MP3tag to rename songs using a txt file when the file name isn't named after the song. Sometimes the songs have the time at the end, or information about the track that I don't want ("cut", "tape flip", etc) eg: 12: keyboard solo (Jobson) 7:37 13: batteries not included 4:02 14: uniform (including drum solo, Craney) 11:44 How can I rename my list of songs and automatically get rid of the time? I've looked everywhere on the forum and I can't find anything so it's either something so easy that no-ones asked or so complicated that - no-ones asked or I just haven't found a way of transposing the solutions I found to my problem. Thanks for reading ---
**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 2, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851/2 "2017-04-02T12:42:50Z")
I doubt that the colon is allowed as character in the filenames. So I wonder where the 12: and 13: comes from. To write a filename without the time at the end (which I would remove from the title anyway as this information should be stored in the header data), try this: Convert\>Tag-Filename Format string: $regexp(%title%,\d+:\d+,) ---
**Author:** ![Appick](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/appick/32/334_2.png) [@Appick](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Appick)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851/3 "2017-04-02T14:45:27Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > I doubt that the colon is allowed as character in the filenames. So I wonder where the 12: and 13: comes from. > > To write a filename without the time at the end (which I would remove from the title anyway as this information should be stored in the header data), try this: > Convert\>Tag-Filename > Format string: $regexp(%title%,\d+:\d+,) Thanks for your quick answer. The colon is in the txt file and is part of the number of the track (I get rid of it using the rename process.) I tried the above Format string but there is a space at the end of the name: 12 Keyboard Solo (Jobson) .flac. I can easily get rid of that by renaming Tag to Filename %track% %title%space Or can I add a space into the string? (not sure how to) Otherwise it works great. Thanks again. ---
**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 2, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851/4 "2017-04-02T15:01:56Z")
> [@Appick](#): > > ...I tried the above Format string but there is a space at the end of the name: > 12 Keyboard Solo (Jobson) .flac. > ... Instead of Format string: $regexp(%title%,\d+:\d+,) use Format string: $regexp(%title%,\d+:\d+ ,) or even Format string: $regexp(%title%,'\d+:\d+ ',) ---
**Author:** ![Appick](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/appick/32/334_2.png) [@Appick](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Appick)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851/5 "2017-04-02T15:59:48Z")
> [@ohrenkino](#): > > Instead of > Format string: $regexp(%title%,\d+:\d+,) > use > Format string: $regexp(%title%,\d+:\d+ ,) Ok, thanks ---
**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, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/trimming-tags/18851/6 "2026-02-09T12:26:45Z")