How to Remove Copyright from MP3 Files (6 Tested Methods)

"Can I remove copyright from MP3? When I go to properties, there is a copyright claim."

You may run into trouble when dealing with MP3 files carrying protected information. These files may fail to play on certain devices, trigger errors when uploading, or limit how you use and manage your music for personal listening.

That is where this guide comes in. We will walk you through how to remove copyright from MP3 files using 6 test methods and also introduce a hassle-free alternative that helps you directly download copyright-free MP3 files from streaming services. Scroll down to start exploring!

Important Note: All methods shared here are for personal use only. Please make sure you stay compliant with local copyright laws when handling media files.

Method 1. Remove Copyright Tag from MP3 Using Windows File Properties

If you are looking for the quickest MP3 copyright remover, using the built-in Windows File Explorer is one of your go-to options. You can effortlessly access and edit metadata embedded within audio files on Windows computers. Here are detailed steps.

STEP 1. Right-click the MP3 file and select Properties from the list.

STEP 2. Move to the "Details" tab. Here you will see a list of metadata, including Title, Tags, Genre, Album, Copyright, and more.

STEP 3. Click the link at the bottom that says "Remove Properties and Personal Information".

STEP 4. When a pop-up appears, choose "Remove the following properties from this file" > "Copyright".

STEP 5. Click "OK" to save your action. Then, you can successfully remove the copyright tag from MP3 metadata on Windows.

Method 2. Remove Copyright from MP3 Online

There are also many web-based tools that can help you remove copyright from MP3s online, without using extra extensions or desktop software. One reliable option is Online Metadata Remover. It supports uploading files up to 2GB and allows batch processing of up to 5 MP3 files at a time.

However, this online tool will delete all ID3 tags at once, so you will need to manually rename files or re-add ID3 information later. Below is a simple tutorial showing how to delete copyright information from MP3 files using this online tool.

STEP 1. Open a new tab in your browser and go directly to Online Metadata Remover. On the main interface of the tool, directly drop MP3 files to upload to the platform.

STEP 2. Once the MP3 files are uploaded, Online Metadata Remover will automatically process the files and remove all MP3 copyright metadata.

STEP 3. When the file processing performance ends, tap "Download" to save the copyright-free MP3 file offline.

Method 3. Remove Copyright Metadata from MP3 Files with Mp3tag

To remove copyright info from MP3 files, a powerful MP3 ID3 tag editor, Mp3tag, will be helpful. This free, lightweight, and open-source tool works on Windows and Mac, offering a convenient way to locate and strip copyright metadata from MP3 files. This action won't affect other metadata tags, so it won't cause damage to the edited MP3 files at all.

Keep in mind that Mp3tag only handles copyright protection information removal, not DRM decryption. If your file is locked, skip to the Alternative part for a solution. Now, check the following brief guide and learn how to use Mp3tag to remove copyright from MP3 metadata without hassle:

STEP 1. Firstly, install the software and launch it on your desktop. Simply drag the MP3 file you need to remove its copyright tags to the software's interface.

STEP 2. Use the quick shortcut "Alt + T" to open the tag editor. Then you are able to look for the "Copyright" metadata to locate the tag.

STEP 3. Select this "Copyright" field and tap the "Delete" icon, then confirm with OK. This will remove the copyright metadata from your MP3 file while keeping other metadata intact.

Method 4. Strip Copyright from MP3 Songs Using VLC Media Player

VLC is more than just a player, but also a viable option to lets you edit MP3 metadata, including title, artist, album, and copyright information. By updating or clearing these fields, you can remove copyright protection info from MP3 files efficiently. Here is how to remove the copyright tag from MP3 using VLC:

STEP 1. Open VLC Media Player on your computer.

STEP 2. Drag and drop the MP3 file into VLC and start playing.

STEP 3. Go to "Tools" > "Media Information" to show all ID3 tags of your audio file.

STEP 4. Delete copyright metadata of your MP3 file effortlessly. Then, click "Save Metadata" to update the MP3 file properties.

Method 5. Delete MP3 Copyright with FFmpeg

For advanced users, FFmpeg offers an efficient way to remove copyright from MP3 files via the command line. FFmpeg is a powerful open-source multimedia framework that can handle audio and video conversion and metadata management. By using the right command, you can strip copyright tags or remove all metadata from MP3 files.

While this method might hold a learning curve, you can still follow this step-by-step guide to delete copyright information from MP3 hassle-free.

STEP 1. Install FFmpeg and open Command Prompt (on Windows) or Terminal (on Mac/Linux) on your desktop.

STEP 2. Navigate to the folder with the MP3 files you’d like to remove copyright protection from.

STEP 3. Run one of the following commands and replace input.mp3 with your actual MP3 file name:

• To remove only the copyright tag: ffmpeg -i input.mp3 -c copy -metadata copyright="" output.mp3
• To strip all metadata: ffmpeg -i input.mp3 -map_metadata -1 -c copy output.mp3

STEP 4. Press "Enter" on the keyboard to run the command. Just a moment, you can get the copyright-free MP3 file!

Method 6. Remove Copyright from Audio Using Audacity

If you need a free tool to remove copyright from MP3s while making basic audio adjustments in one go, Audacity is an ideal choice. With it, you can edit MP3 metadata, modify audio content, and export MP3 files without copyright tags. Detailed steps are as follows.

STEP 1. Open Audacity on your Windows, Mac, or Linux, then drag and drop your MP3 file into the workspace.

STEP 2. (Optional) Edit your audio file, like trimming or noise reduction.

STEP 3. Go to "File" > "Export" > "Export as MP3" to open its built-in Metadata Tags Editor.

STEP 4. Delete copyright information from your MP3 file, then click OK to continue exporting.

STEP 5. Check the MP3 file properties in Windows or Mac to confirm that the copyright tags have been removed.

Alternative: Get Copyright-Free MP3 Directly from Streaming Services

While the previous methods can help you remove copyright from MP3 files by editing metadata, they are not always 100% effective, especially for protected tracks. In this case, third-party professional MP3 downloaders might be worth considering.

TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter is such a viable copyright remover, integrated with the official web player of several music streaming services, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, etc. With it, you can access their libraries and download streaming music as copyright-free MP3 or other audio formats while maintaining the original quality. Even better, TuneFab also features a built-in ID3 tag editor, enabling you to easily edit MP3 metadata as needed after downloading.

Below is a detailed tutorial on how to download copyright-free music resources from popular streaming platforms like Spotify by using TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter.

STEP 1. Access the Spotify Web Player in TuneFab

Launch TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter on your PC or Mac. From the main interface, select a music service (like Spotify) to get started.

STEP 2. Add Wanted Music to Download

Log in to the built-in Spotify web player. Browse the music library as usual to access the songs, playlists, albums, or artists you want to download as copyright-free local files. Click the "Add to Convert" button to move on.

STEP 3. Choose MP3 as Output Format

In the pop-up window, set the output format to MP3. You can also adjust the bitrate and sample rate for an optimal offline listening experience.

STEP 4. Convert to Copyright-Free MP3

Click "Convert Now" to start the process. TuneFab will quickly remove MP3 metadata protections and save the songs as local audio files. Once finished, you will have high-quality, truly copyright-free MP3s for your Canva project, offline playback across various devices, or creative use.

FAQs About MP3 Copyright Removal

Is it legal to remove copyright from MP3 files?

Yes, as long as you choose to remove copyright metadata from MP3 for personal use or file management. Please always ensure you have the right to use the MP3 file and avoid redistributing copyrighted music without permission.

Does removing copyright metadata mean removing DRM protection?

No. An audio copyright remover only deletes text-based ID3 tags from file properties, meaning it will not convert copyrighted music to non-copyright local files.

If you need fully playable, unprotected MP3 files for offline use, TuneFab All-in-one Music Converter might be the one you need.

Where can I get copyright-free MP3 audio files?

If you want to avoid copyright issues, the most reliable solution is to buy MP3 music online. Additionally, websites like YouTube Audio Library, Pixabay Music, and Free Music Archive also offer a massive selection of copyright-free MP3 files.

Is there any way to test if an MP3 file is copyrighted?

After deleting the copyright information from MP3, you can use several methods to check if it is still copyrighted.

• Check its file properties to look for "Copyright" or "Licence" fields in the "Details" tab.
• Upload to YouTube to see if it is flagged as copyrighted audio.

Conclusion

If you are looking for practical ways to remove copyright from MP3, the 6 tested removers in this guide can help. However, they work well when dealing with copyright tags rather than DRM protection.

Fortunately, TuneFab All-in-One Music Converter can serve as an efficient alternative. It allows you to download and save copyright-free MP3 files for personal use, making offline playback and management much more flexible. You can click the download button below and start its free trial today.