Need help transfering mp3 tags from Mac to PC

Cafe Society
1

I’ve had my Mac for over a year, but I still haven’t figured out how to add tags (title, artist, genre, etc.) to my mp3’s and have all the data transfer over to my work PC. I’ve tried using TidyMyMusic, but even when I add tags in that program, the mp3’s have no data whatsoever when I copy them to my work PC. Why the hell is it so complicated? I used to use mp3Tag on my old PC, but I don’t think that program is available on the Mac, and I can’t just arbitrarily download new programs onto my work PC.

ETA: I’d like to avoid iTunes as much as possible. I just can’t get that program figured out.

2

Is the problem only when you use File Explorer or WMP? I might be wrong, but I think Windows File Explorer and/or Media Player have problems with ID3v2.4 tags. So when you’ve been tagging your mp3s on your Mac, they get tagged in the latest (like 15 years old) version 2.4 but Explorer and WMP can only handle up to version 2.3. Or are you using another player?

Tagging in iTunes is pretty easy. Click the song you want to tag (or select multiple songs to batch tag), press “command i” to get info and then go to town on them. For simple music management, iTunes usually works great. It’s everything else (and there is a lot of everything else) where it’s a dog.

3

Is there a way to tag my MP3s in the older 2.3 version on my Mac? I think this is the biggest problem.

4

In iTunes, select the songs you want to downgrade, then in the menubar go to File > Convert > Convert ID3 Tags…, select “v2.3” from the dropdown menu, click “OK.”

You should make backup copies beforehand of any songs you try this with.

5

I converted the tags to v2.3, and most (but not all) of the songs’ tags carried over to the PC. :frowning: I guess the systems just aren’t compatible.

6

Whatever incompatibles there are, they are on the Windows side.

For the songs that didn’t work, are you absolutely sure they were downgraded? Click on one in iTunes, do Get Info, click the “File” tab at the top of the info window and check id3 tag version listed just to make sure.

If it’s v2.3, go back to the “Details” tab where you can edit the tags, make a small change and save it, then undo the change and save it, and then try it on the PC again.

7

Have you tried the opposite direction?

Use MP3Tag on Windows. Then copy the music to the Mac. See if the tags are available.

MP3Tag is also available for Macs.

It’s the same program. It should be writing compatible tags for both platforms.

IMHO I think it’s ITunes that’s creating incompatible tags.

8

No, it’s not, because he said he’s been using TidyMyMusic to tag. If the issue is tags not appearing in Explorer or WMP, then the problem is Windows itself.

9

For some reason, all the tags appeared today when I opened my work computer again. Who knows what will happen next in this crazy saga!