How to enable Edit Properties in Windows explorer Windows 7 Professiona

Question

I have lost all of the Mp3 file info Contributing Artist, artist, Genre etc. In Windows explorer they are all listed but I am unable to edit in any way.

Answer 1

Hi Brian McGinnis,

If the MP3 fields are still showing but you can no longer change them, Windows Explorer is most likely still reading the metadata but not able to write it back. This can happen when the file is read-only, protected, stored in a restricted location, or uses a tag/property format that Explorer does not fully support for editing. Microsoft also notes that not every file format supports every property, even if the columns are visible.

Please try these quick checking steps:

1, Test one file in a local folder

• Copy one affected MP3 to Desktop or Music and try editing that copy.
• If it works there, the issue is likely with the original folder’s permissions or location.

2, Check whether the file is writable

• Right-click the MP3 > Properties and make sure Read-only is not enabled.
• Also confirm your account has Modify permission on the Security tab.
• Files that are read-only or protected may show metadata but not let you save changes.

3, If Explorer still will not save the changes, try editing the tags in Windows Media Player or a dedicated tag editor such as Mp3tag from Microsoft Store, then refresh Explorer.

Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology.

Also, since Windows 7 support ended on January 14, 2020, platform-level fixes for Explorer metadata behavior are unlikely on that version. I hope this helps point you to the quickest workaround.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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Answer 2

In Windows 7, MP3 tag fields such as Artist, Album, Genre, etc. are exposed to Windows Explorer through the file’s metadata properties. Editing is only possible if those properties are available and writable for the file type and the current view.

To restore and edit these fields in Windows Explorer:

1. Switch to Details view and show the music columns
   1. Open the folder that contains the MP3 files in Windows Explorer.
   2. On the View menu, click Details (this is required to see and edit detailed properties).
   3. On the View menu, click Choose Details.
   4. In the list, check music-related columns such as Artist, Album Title, Year, Track Number, Genre, Duration, Bit Rate, etc.
   5. Click OK.
2. Reorder or resize columns if needed
   • To change which columns appear and in what order, use View → Choose Details, select the columns, and use Move Up/Move Down to reorder them.
   • To change column width, either:
     • Use View → Choose Details, select a column, and set Width of selected column (in pixels); or
     • Drag the column borders in the header row with the mouse.
3. Edit properties via the Properties dialog
   • If inline editing in the Details view is not available, right‑click an MP3 file and choose Properties.
   • Use the appropriate tab (for example, Details) to view and edit metadata fields such as Artist, Album, Genre, etc., if they are exposed and writable for that file.

Note that not all file formats support all column settings; only formats that actually contain those metadata fields (such as MP3 with tags) can store and show them. If the tags have been removed or the files are read‑only or otherwise protected, editing in Explorer may not be possible until that is corrected.

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References:

• How to Change Column Settings in Windows Explorer
• Metadata Properties for Media Files
• Using Property Lists
• PropertyEdit