---
name: "mid3v2"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "python-mutagen"
version: "1.48.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mid3v2"
---

# mid3v2(1)

audio tag editor similar to 'id3v2'

## NAME

mid3v2 - audio tag editor similar to 'id3v2'

## SYNOPSIS

**mid3v2** \[*options*\] *filename* ...

## DESCRIPTION

**mid3v2** is a Mutagen-based replacement for id3lib's id3v2. It supports ID3v2.4 and more frames; it also does not have the numerous bugs that plague id3v2.

This program exists mostly for compatibility with programs that want to tag files using id3v2. For a more usable interface, we recommend Ex Falso.

## OPTIONS

- **-q, --quiet**

  Be quiet: do not mention file operations that perform the user's request. Warnings will still be printed.

- **-v, --verbose**

  Be verbose: state all operations performed. This is the opposite of --quiet. This is the default.

- **-e, --escape**

  Enable interpretation of backslash escapes for tag values. Makes it possible to escape the colon-separator in TXXX, WXXX, COMM values like '\\:' and insert escape sequences like '\\n', '\\t' etc.

- **-f, --list-frames**

  Display all supported ID3v2.3/2.4 frames and their meanings.

- **-L, --list-genres**

  List all ID3v1 numeric genres. These can be used to set TCON frames, but it is not recommended.

- **-l, --list**

  List all tags in the files. The output format is *not* the same as id3v2's; instead, it is easily parsable and readable. Some tags may not have human-readable representations.

- **--list-raw**

  List all tags in the files, in raw format. Although this format is nominally human-readable, it may be very long if the tag contains embedded binary data.

- **-d, --delete-v2**

  Delete ID3v2 tags.

- **-s, --delete-v1**

  Delete ID3v1 tags.

- **-D, --delete-all**

  Delete all ID3 tags.

- **--delete-frames=***FRAMES*

  Delete specific ID3v2 frames (or groups of frames) from the files. **FRAMES** is a "," separated list of frame names e.g. **"TPE1,TALB"**

- **-C, --convert**

  Convert ID3v1 tags to ID3v2 tags. This  will also happen automatically during any editing.

- **-a,***--artist**=*****ARTIST**

  Set the artist information (TPE1).

- **-A,***--album**=*****ALBUM**

  Set the album information (TALB).

- **-t,***--song**=*****TITLE**

  Set the title information (TIT2).

- **-c,***--comment**=*****\<DESCRIPTION:COMMENT:LANGUAGE\>**

  Set a comment (COMM). The language and description may be omitted, in which case the language defaults to English, and the description to an empty string.

- **-p,***--picture**=*****\<FILENAME:DESCRIPTION:IMAGE-TYPE:MIME-TYPE\>**

  Set the attached picture (APIC). Everything except the filename can be omitted in which case default values will be used.

- **-g,***--genre**=*****GENRE**

  Set the genre information (TCON).

- **-y,***--year**=*****\<YYYY\>,** *--date**=*****\<YYYY-\[MM-DD\]\>**

  Set the year/date information (TDRC).

- **-T,***--track**=*****\<NUM/NUM\>**

  Set the track number (TRCK).

Any text or URL frame (those beginning with T or W) can be modified or added by prefixing the name of the frame with "--". For example, **--TIT3** **"Monkey!"** will set the TIT3 (subtitle) frame to **Monkey!**.

The TXXX frame has the format \<DESCRIPTION:TEXT\>; many TXXX frames may be set in the file as long as they have different keys. To set this key, just separate the text with a colon, e.g. **--TXXX "ALBUMARTISTSORT:Examples,** **The"**. The description can be omitted in which case it defaults to an empty string.

The WXXX frame has the same format as TXXX but since URLs usually contain a ":" you have provide a description or enable escaping (-e): **--WXXX "desc:http://foo.bar"** or **-e --WXXX "http\\\\://foo.bar"**

The USLT frame has the format \<DESCRIPTION:TEXT:LANGUAGE\>. The language and description may be omitted, in which case the language defaults to English, and the description to an empty string.

The special POPM frame can be set in a similar way: **--POPM** **"bob@example.com:128:2"** to set Bob's rating to 128/255 with 2 plays.

## BUGS

No sanity checking is done on the editing operations you perform, so mid3v2 will happily accept --TSIZ when editing an ID3v2.4 frame. However, it will also automatically throw it out during the next edit operation.

## AUTHOR

Joe Wreschnig is the author of mid3v2, but he doesn't like to admit it.