Mp3tag does a great job at mapping several different standards into one tag but it's not always obvious what tags other software supports.
There are tags that aren't defined by Mp3tag's internal mappings, typically for formats like MKA/MKV or software that uses their own custom naming; in these cases, Mp3tag can still save a valid, working tag to a file by using the same name required.
Some software has certain behaviours to look out for like tags only being read when first imported in or have reduced the use of tags as legacy options compared to other formats like XML files. Some tags can only be edited by Mp3tag, others don't update in the other software due to it preferring what's stored in its own separate database.
Here are lists of popular software that the community can edit and contribute their findings:
Key
Tag type
- Mapped by Mp3tag
- Format-specific
- Software-specific
Tag Status
- Readable in a format
[1] - Hover for more information
- Unused/deprecated in software
- Can't edit in software, can edit using Mp3tag
- Only read when imported due to database[2][3]
- Buggy in software or associated apps/hardware[4]
To Do
List to do
- MacOS Finder
- Windows Media Player 12 (2009-2022)
- Windows Media Player (2022-Present)
- VLC
- foobar2000
- MusicBee
- MediaMonkey
- Audiobookshelf
- Rekordbox
- Serato
- Traktor Pro
- VirtualDJ
- djay Pro
- BSI Simian
- Plex
- Emby
- Jellyfin
- Kodi
- Universal Media Server
Windows File Explorer
| TAG | COLUMN | MP3 | WMA | WAV | FLAC | OPUS | M4A | MKA | MP4 | MKV | WEBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cover art | |||||||||||
| Album / Album ID[5] | |||||||||||
| Sort album | |||||||||||
| Album artist / Album ID[6] | |||||||||||
| Sort album artist | |||||||||||
| Contributing artists / Authors / Creators / Participants | |||||||||||
| Sort contributing artists | |||||||||||
| Beats-per-minute | |||||||||||
| Comments | |||||||||||
| Part of a compilation | |||||||||||
| Composers | |||||||||||
| Sort composer | |||||||||||
| Conductors | |||||||||||
| Comments / File description[13] | [14] | ||||||||||
| Copyright | |||||||||||
| Year | |||||||||||
| Directors | |||||||||||
| Disc[16] / Part of set | |||||||||||
| Encoded by | |||||||||||
| Date / Date acquired / Media created | |||||||||||
| Genre | |||||||||||
| Initial key | |||||||||||
| Tags | |||||||||||
| Language | |||||||||||
| Parental rating | |||||||||||
| Writers | |||||||||||
| Mood | |||||||||||
| Title | |||||||||||
| Broadcast date / Year | |||||||||||
| Producers | |||||||||||
| Publisher | |||||||||||
| Rating | |||||||||||
| Date released / Year | |||||||||||
| Subtitle / Episode name | |||||||||||
| Subtitle / Episode name | |||||||||||
| Title | |||||||||||
| Sort title | |||||||||||
| Part of set | |||||||||||
| # | |||||||||||
| Episode number | |||||||||||
| Season number | |||||||||||
| Title | |||||||||||
| Writers | |||||||||||
| Year / Recording Time[52] |
Notes
- Only MP4 shows metadata about Frame width and Frame height.
- MP4 / M4A remove
DATEtags and add the value on the end ofYEAR. - WMA converts
\\delimiters as;as per Windows' specification. - MP3 column orders:
- Year:
YEAR->RELEASETIME➜ORIGYEAR
- Year:
- MKV column orders:
References
All
- Tag Field Mappings – Mp3tag Documentation
- Supported File Formats – Mp3tag Documentation
- Tag Mapping - Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase
- MP4-Felder (Atom/Box) in anderer Software - German / Suggestions
- Matroska Tags
- Mp3tag: Tag Field Mappings: List of 9 Wav RIFF INFO Standard Tags (April 10, 2025 - IMAGE)
- Multiple field values and replacing the double backslash \\ - Howto
Windows File Explorer
- Enhancing windows explorer to view mkv-tags in details-panel - Software Recommendations Stack Exchange
- Additional research results for various MP4 & windows file explorer topics - General Discussion
- Auto number track not always matching WIN 11 File Explorer - Support
Plex (To Do)
- MP4 Tags for MP4 Files - Support
- GitHub - seanap/Plex-Audiobook-Guide: A walkthrough for optimal Audiobook experience using Plex · GitHub
Audiobookshelf (To Do)
more information ↩︎
Some software looks for updates in certain tags when a file is refreshed, others rely fully on what's stored in their database, meaning changes made in the software aren't saved to the file and don't come back to Mp3tag ↩︎
Often to completely remove a value in the software, it must be done via the software OR by removing the file, removing the value in Mp3tag then re-importing the file for parity ↩︎
Issues may also occur with metadata on synced devices or apps also having their own separate databases: Check Troubleshooting down below which might help or will require devices/apps having their databases reset ↩︎
Shows ALBUMARTIST - ALBUM, except WAV which only shows ALBUM ↩︎
Shows ALBUMARTIST - ALBUM, except WAV which only shows ALBUM ↩︎
Only shows last value when multiple ↩︎
Only shows first value when multiple ↩︎
Only shows first value when multiple ↩︎
Prioritises DESCRIPTION then COMMENT ↩︎
Prioritises DESCRIPTION then COMMENT ↩︎
Prioritises DESCRIPTION then COMMENT ↩︎
FLAC only ↩︎
DESCRIPTION will be removed and overwrite COMMENT ↩︎
Comments prioritises COMMENT then DESCRIPTION ↩︎
OPUS only ↩︎
Shows DISCNUMBER/TOTALDISCS ↩︎
Shows DISCNUMBER/TOTALDISCS ↩︎
Only shows first value when multiple ↩︎
Only shows last value when multiple ↩︎
Only shows last value when multiple ↩︎
Only shows last value when multiple ↩︎
Only shows last value when multiple ↩︎
May be unintended, only when RATING has a value ↩︎
May be unintended, only when RATING has a value ↩︎
May be unintended, only when RATING has a value ↩︎
MP3 ID3v2.4 only ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this, format turn this tag into another value for SETSUBTITLE ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this, format turn this tag into another value for SETSUBTITLE ↩︎
RATING tag hides this, format turn this tag into another value for SETSUBTITLE ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this, format turn this tag into another value for SETSUBTITLE ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
Shows DISCNUMBER/TOTALDISCS ↩︎
Shows DISCNUMBER/TOTALDISCS ↩︎
Must not have 3-digit zero padding, anything above 10 counts incorrectly, e.g. 010 shows as 8 ↩︎
Must not have 3-digit zero padding, anything above 10 counts incorrectly, e.g. 010 shows as 8 ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
May be unintended ↩︎
May be unintended, RATING tag hides this ↩︎
May be unintended ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
MP3 only ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎
RATING tag hides this ↩︎