Fix the Missing Tags in your MP3 Files

Automagically Find, and Correct the Tags Missing from your MP3 Collection

Goal: Show you how to easily fix the missing tags in your MP3 collection using free software.

The tags on an MP3 file identify things like the Song Title, Recording Artist, Album Name, Genre, Track Number, etc. When you buy songs from places like the iTunes Music Store or MP3.com these tags are complete.

Some of the songs in your iTunes library may have incomplete tags. This typically happens when you get your songs from peer-to-peer networks sources that are “slightly less than legal”. Now, I know none of you would do that, but maybe a “friend” might.

The songs below have the Song Name, Artist, and Album tags, but are missing the Genre, Year, Track Number, and Album Art.

Here’s how we fix this problem.

Let’s switch over to another piece of software to fix this situation.

Using FixTunes to Automagically Find and Add the Missing Tags

You can download the FixTunes software for free at their website.

The software is very simple to install. Just double click the setup file and follow the step-by-step instructions in the installation wizard.

After you install the FixTunes software, you can launch the software and get to work.

When FixTunes is started, you will need to add the songs that you want to fix to the library.

Click the button.

This will open a typical file browser window.

Navigate to the folder containing your music files and click the OK button.

You will be asked if you want to search the selected folder’s sub-folders.

Click the Yes button.

When all of the files are loaded into the FixTunes library, you can begin to search for the missing tags.

Click the button to select all of the files in the library.

Now, click the button to begin finding the missing tags.

This will highlight all of the songs in the library.

Note: If you have over 1,000 files, you may want to do it in a few smaller groups.

Now, click the button to begin finding the missing tags.

The missing tags will be populated on most of the songs. (A few obscure songs may still not be found.)

Click the button to accept all of the tags.

Then, click the button to update all of the files with the new information.

Updating the Corrected Tags in iTunes

Now that the files have been fixed, you need to pull the corrected tags into the iTunes library.

Switch back to iTunes.

Select all of the incorrect songs.

Right click on the selected songs to pull up the options menu.

Select Get Info from the options menu.

This will open the Information menu.

DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES HERE!

Click the OK button to close this window.

This will recheck all of the files for tag information and update the library.

Sometimes this Does Not Work Fully

If all of the songs do not get updated, you may need to remove them from the library and add them again.

Select all of the songs that did not get updated and click the Delete key on your keyboard.

You will see the following prompt.

Click the Remove button.

Now that the songs are removed, you need to add them back to the library.

Click the File menu on the toolbar.

Select Add Folder to Library

This will add all of the removed files back to the library. Now, all of the updated tags should be visible.

Getting the Missing Artwork for your Songs

There is one last thing that you may want to do. Add the Album Art to all of your songs. Now that the songs are properly tagged, you can download the high resolution Album Artwork from the iTunes Music store.

Select all of your songs.

Right click on the selected songs to open the options menu.

Select Get Album Artwork from the options menu.

This will take a little while, but eventually all of the available Album Artwork will be added to your songs.

Now, you can click on the Cover Flow button at the top of your playlist and view the beautiful pictures that accompany your music.

Now, you will have a much better experience with your music library.

The Video Below Walks You Through Every Step in the Process

Printable Instructions

The complete Printable Instructions to Fix the Missing Tags in your MP3 Files.