To edit MP3 metadata on Mac without using iTunes, you can use a third-party application like VLC media player or a dedicated metadata editor like MusicBrainz Picard. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to edit MP3 metadata using VLC media player:
1. Download and install VLC media player if you don’t have it already. It’s a free and popular multimedia player that supports various formats, including MP3.
2. Open VLC media player and go to “Preferences” in the “VLC” menu (on the top left of your screen).
3. In the preferences window, make sure the “Show All” button is selected at the bottom left corner.
4. Under “Interface,” click on “Main Interfaces” and select “macosx.” This will allow you to access the metadata editing feature.
5. Close the preferences window and go to the “Media” menu in VLC media player. Select “Convert/Save” (or use the shortcut Command+Option+S).
6. In the “File” tab, click on the “Add” button and choose the MP3 file you want to edit the metadata for.
7. Click on the “Convert/Save” button at the bottom of the window.
8. In the next window, select the “Edit Selected Profile” checkbox and click on the “Wrench” icon next to it.
9. In the “Encapsulation” tab, choose “Keep original audio track” and click on the “Metadata” tab.
10. Here, you can edit various metadata fields like title, artist, album, genre, etc. Make the desired changes and click on “Save.”
11. Back in the “Convert” window, choose the destination folder for the edited MP3 file and click on the “Start” button.
12. VLC media player will convert the file with the updated metadata and save it to the specified location.
If you prefer using a dedicated metadata editor, MusicBrainz Picard is a popular choice. Here’s how you can use it to edit MP3 metadata on Mac:
1. Download and install MusicBrainz Picard from the official website.
2. Open MusicBrainz Picard and go to “Options” in the “Picard” menu.
3. In the options window, go to the “Tags” tab and make sure “MP3” is selected under the “Tag Types” section.
4. Close the options window and drag and drop the MP3 file you want to edit onto the MusicBrainz Picard interface.
5. MusicBrainz Picard will attempt to match the file with its online database and retrieve its metadata. If successful, the metadata will be displayed on the right side of the interface.
6. To edit the metadata, simply click on the desired field and make the necessary changes.
7. Once you’re done editing, click on the “Save” button at the top left corner of the interface.
8. MusicBrainz Picard will save the edited metadata to the MP3 file.
Both VLC media player and MusicBrainz Picard provide powerful options for editing MP3 metadata on Mac without relying on iTunes. Choose the method that suits your preference and needs.