# Understanding Tags
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [May 20, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484 "2019-05-20T11:54:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Smokes](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Smokes)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484/1 "2019-05-20T11:54:48Z")
Hello
I am trying to understand what type to use . I seem to be digging a deeper hole after several hours of searching 😬
I have took an mp3 album which has ID3v2.3 (ID3v1) ID3v2.3
I am not sure why are there (two) ID3v2.3 no ID3v2 or Ape
From what I gather trying to find answers; ID3v1 are less common where the ID3v2 has several benefits over v1. album art and additional information can be added.
I tried removing v1 tags and ended up with only the file name everything else went blank this would not show anything in the left hand side of mp3tag. The settings I used are in the 2 screenshots.
I use Aimp, MediaMonkey, and Winamp on Windows 7 & 10 when burning an mp3 to audio cd this would be used on hi fi separates cd player and on a car radio cd both with CD - Text support
What tags do I actually need, v1 v2 & or v2.3 or Ape 🤓
Thanks
Smokes
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2019, 1:04pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484/2 "2019-05-20T13:04:47Z")
You may want to have a look at wikipedia for more details on tags:
> **[ID3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ID3)**
>
> ID3 is a metadata container most often used in conjunction with the MP3 audio file format. It allows information such as the title, artist, album, track number, and other information about the file to be stored in the file itself.
> ID3 is a de facto standard for metadata in MP3 files; no standardization body was involved in its creation nor has such an organization given it a formal approval status. It competes with the APE tag in this area.
> There are two unrelated versions of ID3: ID3v1 and ID3...
All these tags are ID3 tags - but with a different version or purpose.
MP3tag understands how to handle them.
For your files I would recommend ID3V2.3 and ID3V1 - but no APE. V2.3 Tags are probably supported by most players.
APE tags in MP3 files are used by MediaMonkey to save replaygain data unless told otherwise. AFAIK.
Here is an example procedure how to cut APE tags - you will probably be able to adapt it to V1 tags:
> [@Windows Album Artist differs from Album Artist in mp3tag](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/windows-album-artist-differs-from-album-artist-in-mp3tag/41705/2):
>
> select one of these files and check which tag versions you have in it: just ID3Vx or also APE tags? You can see that in the window title of the extended tags dialogue or a column fairly far to the right. The check which tag versions you read, write and delete: see File\>Options\>Tags\>Mpeg. If you do not read or write APE tags but they are still in the files, it could be that you see the contents of the APE tags in the other programs. To remove the APE tags, select "Delete" only for APE tags, …
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### Author:  [@Smokes](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Smokes)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484/3 "2019-05-20T15:33:03Z")
Thank you for the quick reply and helpful information.
Smokes
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### Author:  [@MP3Freak\_Peter](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/MP3Freak_Peter)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484/4 "2019-05-20T18:55:10Z")
Adding ID3v2.3 would be recommended for most compatibility, ID3v1 can be usefull for really old devices.
DO NOT use Ape Tag in mp3s because I may cause problems in other mediaplayers and hardware devices!
ID3 was desined for use in mp3 format, APE wasn't. Cause of that, media players that doesn't support APE (most doesn't do) can try to read APE Tag as audio data
(maybe it will just make some evil noice, but maybe player may decide not to play file)
regards
Peter
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/understanding-tags/45484/5 "2026-02-09T12:28:05Z")