Frequently asked questions¶
Use these short answers to choose the right next step. The linked chapters contain the complete procedure and its write, format and platform limits. Start with copied files when investigating an unfamiliar result.
Do I need to import music into an OpenTag library?¶
Open a local folder or add files to the working list. The audio remains in its existing location; loading does not make a second copy. Change directory… replaces the list, while Add directory… and Add files… append. The optional Library feature is a cache of information read from files, not an audio-file backup. See Opening files and Library options.
Why did a displayed change disappear?¶
An ordinary tag-panel or metadata-cell change can still be pending. Save tags writes pending edits for the selected files, not necessarily every unsaved file in the window. A failed write leaves that file's edit pending. Replacing the list, reloading or closing can discard unsaved work; configurable prompts do not save it for you. Check the selected count, pending markers and individual errors. Editing, saving and undo walks through a save and re-read.
Can changing the selection save a file?¶
Yes, when Options → Tags → Save tags when using arrow keys or a single mouse click is enabled. It is off by default. Extended tags has a separate navigation save mode. Do not use “click another row” as a no-write test when automatic saving is enabled. Read Tags options before practicing on an original album.
Does < keep > mean the field is empty?¶
It means preserve each selected file's current value when those values differ. Leaving it unchanged keeps the differences. Replacing it assigns a common value, and explicitly clearing a field requests removal. To inspect one file, select that file alone. See The tag panel.
Why are there two artists separated by \\?¶
That notation can display multiple stored values. It does not prove that the literal separator characters are stored in the file or that a player uses the same display. Different native formats support value lists differently. Use Multi-value fields before merging or splitting artists; punctuation inside one person's name is not automatically a list separator.
Why does my player show another title, artist or cover?¶
First save, then reload the file in OpenTag to check its stored result.
If OpenTag reads the intended value, check which file the player opened and
which fields/tag families it uses. A player can retain an older library/cache
entry, choose another tag block, use ALBUMARTIST for album grouping, or show
an external image instead of embedded artwork. Do not remove every tag type
to experiment. Tag formats,
Sort fields and compilations, and
Cover art explain the distinctions. The guide does
not certify a particular player's refresh behavior.
Why did filtering leave more files selected than I can see?¶
Visibility and selection are separate. A previously selected row can remain selected when a filter hides it. Clear the filter and deliberately reselect the intended targets before a batch write. Commands also differ in scope: for example, the playlist command for all files uses visible rows, while the selected-files route can include hidden selections. See Filtering and Playlists.
Does Remove tag delete the song?¶
File → Remove tag… removes configured tag families from selected files; it is not an audio-file deletion command. Edit → Remove from list changes the working list. Delete files… and Delete files permanently… are filesystem operations with different recovery limits. Confirm the exact command before continuing. Removing tags explains policies, immediate writes and artwork consequences.
Why did a converter or action not wait for Save?¶
Applying a converter or running an action writes its result immediately. The ordinary tag-panel pending-edit workflow is not a universal transaction around every command. A preview lets you inspect a proposed result; it is not a backup or an output-path reservation. Read the command's page and Editing, saving and undo for its commit boundary.
Will Undo recover everything after restarting?¶
No. Recorded file history belongs to the current desktop session, even though it uses temporary on-disk snapshots while running. It is not a saved history library reopened at the next start. Read Undo …'s operation label and file count. History can be unavailable or incomplete, files changed elsewhere can be refused, and external reports/playlists have separate cleanup needs. Retention and free-space limits can remove older steps or prevent a large operation from being recorded. Read any history notice rather than assuming a successful write also has a complete Undo snapshot. Pending edits remain when recorded history is replayed; inspect them before saving again. Keep ordinary backups for recovery beyond the session. See Editing, saving and undo.
Why does a format string appear literally in a field?¶
An ordinary metadata text box does not calculate expressions. To calculate a field, use Tag → Tag or a suitable action. To construct a name, use a filename converter. Format strings from zero explains placeholders, optional sections, quoting and where evaluation occurs. A successful calculation can still produce an unwanted empty value, so check the preview and test input before applying it.
Can I use the same regex everywhere?¶
Start by identifying the context. Format strings, actions, filters and web-source parser commands use the Boost-compatible core. Find uses the browser's Unicode JavaScript regex implementation. Syntax, replacement processing, case defaults and line-break rules differ. A pattern working in Find is not proof it will work unchanged in an action. Follow the regex reference and the relevant command's worked examples.
Why did only part of an action group succeed?¶
An action failure can produce a per-file warning while later actions/groups continue. Earlier successful writes remain. Batch exports and playlists can still include the file with its resulting values. Read every warning and inspect the step order; repeating the whole group can apply successful transformations a second time. See Actions and action groups and Troubleshooting.
Can I paste an old editor's whole configuration into OpenTag?¶
OpenTag's Save configuration… creates its own supported JSON bundle. Load configuration… replaces supported saved configuration and reloads the window; it is not an importer for another editor's entire settings backup. Individual export/source formats have their own compatibility limits. Inspect, adapt and test an imported definition on copies rather than assuming identical scripting or parser behavior. See Download and install, Export templates, and Web sources.
Are mobile packages equivalent to the desktop application?¶
No. A compact Files/Tags layout describes presentation, not filesystem access or save-back capability. Provider documents can have read-only, unknown-access or recovery states, and unsupported commands can be disabled. The published Android package and iOS simulator preview have explicit release limits. Check installation and the current release notes before using original material. A simulator archive is not an iPhone installer.
Can editing tags improve the audio bitrate or quality?¶
Changing metadata does not turn a compressed recording into a higher-quality recording. Bitrate, codec and sample rate are technical information, not ordinary editable title/artist fields. Metadata writes can change container layout and file size without converting the audio into another codec. Check Supported file formats for actual read/write capabilities; fixture checks are not a guarantee for every file.