TrackRate user guide
Library & Databases
Manage folders, databases, ratings, tags, selections, metadata, files, scans, and synchronization in TrackRate.
7 questions
How do I add, refresh, disable, exclude, or remove a music folder?
Add a folder with Open Folder. Refresh it when files have been added, removed, or changed. Disabling a folder keeps its tracks and TrackRate data in the database but removes those tracks from the active library until the folder is enabled again. Exclusions prevent selected subfolders from being scanned.
Use removal only when the folder should no longer belong to that database. Before changing a large source tree, back up the database and verify whether you want to preserve historical records. For routine updates, refreshing is the least disruptive operation.
Can I use several databases for different music collections?
Premium can create and switch among multiple databases. Each database keeps its own folder list, tracks, ratings, tags, playlists, Mixer recipes, and related state. This is the cleanest way to separate collections with different purposes or rating standards.
Keep commercial releases in “Main,” unfinished AI renders in “AI Review,” and long-form audio in “Podcasts.” A rating of 6 can then mean something different in each collection, and podcast tags will not crowd the music tag list.
Will TrackRate lose ratings or tags if I rename or move my audio files?
Normally, no. TrackRate identifies an audio track by a content fingerprint rather than only by its path or filename. Renaming a file, changing its folder, or editing ordinary tags can therefore reconnect to the same ratings, TrackRate tags, lyrics, and playlist references after a rescan.
The fingerprint changes when the audio bytes change—for example after re-encoding, trimming, normalization that rewrites the stream, or scanning an incomplete download. Treat finished audio as the stable input: complete downloads and audio edits first, then add the files to TrackRate.
Can I fix incorrect title, artist, album, year, or genre metadata in TrackRate?
Yes. Open the Metadata Editor for the selected track or tracks, correct the supported fields, review the values, and save. Accurate title, artist, and album information also improves automatic lyrics and artwork matching.
If Write to Audio Files is enabled, supported edits are written to the file’s embedded tags so other players can see them. If it is disabled, changes stay in TrackRate’s internal database and the audio file is untouched. For a large cleanup, test one album first and keep a backup before enabling file writes.
How do I compare TrackRate metadata with the tags stored inside my files?
Use Premium Metadata Sync to view TrackRate’s internal values beside the embedded file tags. The two stores can differ because TrackRate can operate without writing to files, while external tag editors may change the files independently.
Choose the intended source of truth, review differences, and sync in the required direction. Do not perform a blind library-wide write first: start with a small album, confirm artist/title/album formatting and the comment field, then expand the operation.
| Situation | Recommended direction | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| TrackRate contains your corrected values | TrackRate → audio files | Write to Audio Files and a one-album test |
| An external tag editor contains the corrections | Audio files → TrackRate | Artist, album, title, year, and comment formatting |
| Both sides contain useful changes | Review differences individually | Back up before any bulk decision |
How can I select, rate, tag, copy, or move many tracks at once?
Filter the library to the intended group, then use bulk selection controls to select visible tracks or an appropriate folder/album group. The selection can be rated, tagged, added to the inject queue or active playlist, exported, copied, or moved.
Create chips for missing:album, year:>=2020, and folder:D:\Music\Imports. Review the visible list, select it, and open the Metadata Editor. This limits the cleanup to recent imports with missing album data instead of changing the whole library.
How should I back up or reset a TrackRate database?
Use Settings → Database → Backup & Restore before resets, large metadata writes, file moves, or automated MCP cleanup. A complete manual backup should include metadata.json, lyrics.wal, the relevant folders under db, and manually stored album artwork.
Resetting rebuilds library state and should be a last resort, not a routine refresh. Export ratings, playlists, and recipes as portable copies when possible. After restoring on another computer, add the music from its new location and rescan; unchanged fingerprints allow TrackRate to reconnect the restored data.
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