How to remove embedded album covers from mp3 files via commandline

windows-7 command-line mp3 album-art

12,515

Solution 1

Here are some more utilities to try :

Tag (can only remove all tags)
ID3 Mass Tagger with its review

Solution 2

foobar2000
- foobar2000.exe /context_command:"Remove all pictures" "example.mp3"
ID3 Mass Tagger
- id3.exe -2 -rAPIC "example.mp3"

Solution 3

Would using a Python-based tool be out of question? It looks like a command-line tool named "eyeD3" does what you want. Here's the documentation for the plug-in that does a lot of MP3 tag operations for eyeD3: http://eyed3.nicfit.net/plugins/classic_plugin.html

  --remove-image DESCRIPTION: Remove image matching DESCRIPTION.
  --remove-all-images   Remove all images from the tag

If this doesn't have to be from the command line, I read that a tool called Mp3Tag can remove album art as well: http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

12,515

nixda

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

nixda almost 2 years
I want to remove the embedded album cover from mp3 files using only Windows command line.

What I've tried
- Tried ExifTool: Unfortunately the tool can only read (not write) mp3 tags as the author answered
- Tried meta mp3: The help doesn't helped me enough. Maybe some others do understand the tool?
- Tried tag.exe: Again the help doesn't help me and again maybe others know the right syntax
Q: How to remove embedded album covers from mp3 files via commandline?
Bora almost 11 years

I'm guessing this is going to run on a box you can't control/change? If you can install it though, you can grab the Python that comes with Cygwin which works fine on Windows. Of course, I don't know if eyeD3 would work right out of the box. It may require some Python extensions/libraries to be installed to handle the codec stuff for MP3.
nixda almost 11 years

Hmm, tag == tag.exe as in my question. I shouldn't have named it "tag.exe". Regarding ID3 Mass Tagger: Is there a more detailed manual? Whats the syntax to remove a picture? is it rTYPE ? How do I see what TYPEs are available? Grml. Is it me or do those command line tools always lack a good help? :-/
harrymc almost 11 years

Most of these tools were principally for use by their own developers, so help is scarce. You might even need to resort to using strings. Which is why I wrote "try" in my answer. There are well-known libraries for ID3 handling, if you are minded to write your own tool.
nixda almost 11 years

Hi Vlastimil. Foobar did the trick only half since its visually opening Foobar for a quick confirmation ("Do you want to remove the cover?"). I'm sorry but thats not 100% commandline. But ID3 Mass Tagger did the job after I found a more detailed help file. Since harrymc mentioned that tool a little bit earlier, the bounty has to go to him regardless of the +3 upvotes. Sorry
Vlastimil Ovčáčík almost 11 years

@nixda: That's ok, you decide what answer was most helpful for you. However I don't like ripping snippets from my answer and copying it elsewhere.
nixda almost 11 years

Did you notice the difference between those two syntax, not? O.o. Thats the official version from the help file...I would never just copy someone -.-
Vlastimil Ovčáčík almost 11 years

id3 -2 -rAPIC -s 0 *.mp3 is official version.
nixda almost 11 years

You're right. I will remove "example". Gosh
Vlastimil Ovčáčík almost 11 years

Don't do gosh on me. I am not the one who copy answers and then lie about it. I don't care about the 7 characters, but when you decided to devalue my answer, you could have copy the command from other resource.
nixda almost 11 years

I'm sure you noticed the second parameter -s 0 from the official help. Thats why I edited it into harrymc's answer (since he mentioned the tool first). And I'm sure you already noticed the difference on the first read. Despite that fact, you call me a lier and a copy-paster ignoring that fact. But to show my good will, I will roll back my edit and add it to your answer if you don't mind.
Vlastimil Ovčáčík almost 11 years

Yes, I did noticed that you improved my answer. You just did it in someone else's answer.
nixda over 10 years

There is a reason why I explicitly asked for command line.
G Koe over 10 years

Please make sure that your answer actually answers the question being asked by the user. This can really help you avoid downvotes!
Ste about 3 years

ID3 isn't abandonware it seems. Here's the github github.com/squell/id3. Last update was a couple of weeks ago.