How do I change MP3 metadata on Android?

MP3 metadata refers to data embedded inside an MP3 audio file that describes the contents of the file. This can include details like the song title, artist name, album title, genre, year of release, track number, album artwork, and more. Having correct and complete metadata is important for organizing music collections and providing relevant information to media players. Users may want to edit MP3 metadata for various reasons:

To fix incorrect or missing tags – If metadata was entered incorrectly when the file was created, or is missing key details, editing the tags can rectify this.

To add more detail – In some cases, metadata may be sparse and lacking additional fields like genre, release year, etc. Editing lets you flesh out the description.

To update info after changes – If something like the artist name changes, or the song gets re-released, the metadata may need to be refreshed.

For organization – Proper metadata makes music easier to arrange by artist, album, etc. Standardized formatting improves consistency.

For usability – Media players rely on metadata to display useful information about each track as you listen.

Overall, editing MP3 metadata ensures your digital music collection has accurate, complete, and consistent tagging for better organization and use.

Prerequisites

Before you can edit MP3 metadata on your Android device, there are a couple requirements you’ll need:

First, you’ll need an Android device, whether it’s a phone, tablet, or other device running the Android operating system. Android allows installing third-party apps that can edit metadata, which iOS does not allow.

Second, you’ll need MP3 audio files loaded onto your Android device that you want to edit the metadata for. This requires either downloading MP3s directly to your device, transferring MP3 files from your computer via USB, or uploading them from a cloud storage service.

Once you have an Android device and some MP3 files ready to edit, you’ll be ready to move on to using either default music apps, third-party apps, Windows software, or online tools to edit the metadata tags.

Using Default Music Players

Most Android devices come with a default music player app pre-installed, such as Google Play Music, Samsung Music, or the simply named “Music” app. While basic, the default music players allow editing common metadata like track title, artist, album, genre, and more. Here are the steps for some popular default music player apps:

For Google Play Music:

Open the Google Play Music app.
Tap on a song to open it.

Tap the 3 dots icon in the upper right corner.
Select “Edit info”.
Edit the metadata like title, artist, album, genre.

Tap “SAVE” when done.

For Samsung Music:

Open the Samsung Music app.

Tap on a song to open it.
Tap the 3 dots icon in the upper right corner.
Select “Edit track info”.

Edit the metadata fields.
Tap “SAVE” when done.

The process is similar for other default music apps like the simply named “Music” app. The edit options allow modifying common metadata, but are limited compared to advanced third party apps.

Using Third-Party Apps

There are several helpful third-party apps that allow you to easily edit MP3 metadata on your Android device:

MP3dit – This free app provides an intuitive interface for viewing and editing tags like title, artist, album, genre, year, artwork, etc. It can batch edit multiple files at once.

MP3 Tag Editor – Another free option with support for editing ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags. Includes automated tag completion and an equalizer.

Tag&Rename – A full-featured paid app for editing music metadata. Provides advanced options like cue sheet support and acoustic fingerprinting.

MediaMonkey – Primarily a desktop software, but has an Android app that syncs your edits across devices. Useful for complex, large libraries.

Rocket Music Player – A music player with built-in tag editing features. Easy to use interface and supports common fields.

These apps provide user-friendly interfaces, support for common and advanced tag fields, and additional features like batch editing. They are handy options for modifying MP3 metadata directly on your Android device.

Using Windows Software

One of the easiest ways to edit MP3 metadata on Android is by using Windows software on your computer and then transferring the edited files over to your Android device. Here are some options for editing MP3 tags on Windows and then transferring to Android:

Mp3tag (https://www.mp3tag.de/en/) is a popular free metadata and tag editor for Windows. It allows you to edit ID3 tags, album art, and more for MP3 files. Once you’ve made your edits, connect your Android phone to your computer via USB and transfer over the updated MP3 files.

Another open source option is MusicBrainz Picard (https://picard.musicbrainz.org/). It can lookup metadata online and lets you batch edit tags. After editing on Windows, transfer the files to your Android device.

The advantage of using Windows software is it provides a large screen and keyboard to efficiently edit metadata for multiple files at once. And tools like Mp3tag offer advanced tagging options. Just make sure to transfer the files properly to your Android device after editing.

Using Online Tools

There are several online MP3 metadata editors that allow you to edit tags and album art directly in your web browser without needing to install any software. These online tools provide a quick and easy way to update metadata for MP3 files on your Android device.

Some recommended online MP3 tag editors include:

MP3tag – Offers advanced editing options like batch editing and automatic tagging. Can edit ID3v1 and ID3v2 tags.

Maztr Audio Tag Editor – Supports editing common fields like title, artist, album, track number, etc. Provides an intuitive interface.

TagMP3 Online – Allows editing MP3 metadata and album art. Has options for detecting and fixing ID3 errors.

To use these online tools, simply upload your MP3 files or provide a URL to the files. Make your edits to the metadata tags directly in your browser, then download the updated files back to your Android device. This provides a quick and convenient way to modify MP3 information without needing to install any additional software.

Editing Common Fields

The most common metadata fields to edit in MP3 files on Android are the title, artist, album, genre, year, track number, and cover art. Here is how to edit these core fields using default music players or third-party apps:

To edit the title, artist, album, genre, year, or track number, open the music file in an app like Samsung Music or Google Play Music. Tap the menu icon or song info button, then select ‘Edit info’ or ‘Details’. This will bring up a form where you can directly update the metadata tags. Fill in the correct info and tap save.

For editing cover art, open the MP3 in an app like MediaMonkey. Tap the album cover icon, then select ‘Change image’ to choose a new picture from your gallery or take a new photo. Save the changes to update the artwork.

Advanced tag editors like MediaMonkey, MP3dit, and TuniMob MP3 Editor (https://smallbusiness.chron.com/edit-music-tags-android-33139.html) provide more granular control over editing metadata fields. These apps allow you to batch edit multiple songs, find and fix tagging issues, add custom fields like composer and genre, and more.

So in summary, the built-in music players and advanced third-party apps provide user-friendly ways to modify the core metadata fields like title and artist right on your Android device.

Advanced Editing

Less common tags like genre, track number, disc number, album artist, composer, album cover art, and more can also be edited on Android, but may require using a more advanced tag editor app.

Apps like DSUB allow editing additional ID3 tags like genre, track number, disc number, composer, and more. These apps can directly modify the metadata stored in the MP3 file.

To edit album art, apps like Cover Art Grabber can search online databases for cover art based on the track metadata, and embed it into the file.

For the most advanced MP3 tag editing on Android, using a desktop tag editor like Mp3tag on Windows/Mac and then syncing the files to your device can allow modifying any tag available in the ID3 standard.

Troubleshooting

If you run into issues editing MP3 metadata on your Android device, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Fixes for Common Metadata Edit Issues

Can’t save edits: If the default music app or third party metadata editor isn’t saving your changes, check that you have write permissions for the file location. If editing files stored on an SD card, remove and re-insert the card to refresh permissions.

Edits not appearing: After editing, rescan or refresh the music library in the playback app being used. This will force the app to re-index the updated metadata values.

Editing app crashes: Some third party apps are buggy and can crash when scanning large music libraries or saving complex edits. Try a simpler app, clean install the latest app version, or edit smaller batches of files.

Corrupt files: In rare cases, bad edits can corrupt the MP3 file itself. Before widespread editing, back up your music library and test edits on copies first. Editor apps with verification steps have lower corruption risks.

Conclusion

There are several options for editing MP3 metadata on Android devices, with the simplest option being to use the default music app. Other options include third-party apps, Windows software with syncing, and online tools.

The most important metadata fields to edit include the artist name, album name, genre, year, and track information. Other advanced options are available in some editors such as album art, lyrics, and custom fields.

Troubleshooting issues include making sure to save changes properly in the editor app, checking permissions if tags won’t save, watching for issues with reading ID3v2.3/ID3v2.4 tags, and rescanning files or library in the music player if changes don’t show.

In summary, there are a good number of methods for editing MP3 metadata on Android to suit your needs. Consider the default tools first before trying more advanced options. Remember to save properly and rescan files to ensure changes apply.