how to add artwork to mp3

Switching from physical CDs to digital formats like MP3s has fundamentally changed the way we listen to music. However, one thing seems to have remained the same. As on CDs, we still have our music organized by albums which always had an album cover.

How to Add Album Art to an MP3

This cover is associated with the album. We, as listeners, tend to recognize the covers and feel more attached to the album if the album art is appealing to us. But with MP3s, it sometimes happens that there is no image attached to it. Luckily, this can be changed, and this article will tell you how.

How to Add Album Art to an MP3 in Windows 10

When the big switch from physical albums to digital ones happened, the most used platform among Windows users to play an MP3 was Windows Media Player. This program is still available and works just as well on Windows 10. Besides giving you a nostalgic feeling, it also gives you an easy option to add album art to an MP3.

Find the MP3 you want to add a cover and right-click on it.
A list with options will appear. Select "Open with."
Select "Windows Media Player."
When the music starts playing, the MP3 is added to the Windows Media Player library.
Find the photo you want to add and right-click on it.
Right-click on the photo and select "Copy."
Open Windows Media Player again.
Click on "Music" on the left side menu.
Right-click the MP3 you've added to the library before.
Select "Paste Album Art."

How to Add Album Art to an MP3 on a Mac

While Windows users listened to digital music on Windows Media Player, Mac users did so on iTunes. In a few easy steps, you can change the artwork of one or more songs.

Open iTunes.
Click on "Songs" on the left side.
Select one or more songs.
Go to "Info" then "Artwork."
Click on "Add Artwork."
Select an image and click "Open."

You can skip the last two steps by simply dragging the image to the artwork area.

How to Add Album Art to an MP3 in Windows 7

The easiest way to add album art for Windows 7 is the same as for Windows 10 – using Windows Media Player. The steps are:

Right-click on the image you'd like to add.
Click on "Copy."
Open Windows Media Player
Find the album or song you want to edit and right-click on it
Select "Paste Album Art"

How to Add Album Art to MP3 on an Android Device

The switch from CDs to MP3s also fundamentally changed the way we listen to music. Now you can listen to music anywhere from different devices. And since that time, we've started listening to music from our phones while walking, running, and commuting.

But how do you add an album cover if you use an Android phone to play MP3 files?

First, you will need to download a free app from the Google Play store called Album Art Grabber. The app enables you to add art covers automatically or manually.

Open the Album Art Grabber.
Import the MP3.
Tap on the song.
A "Choose Image From" menu will appear. Select the import source for the image.
Select the image of your choice.

How to Add Album Art to an MP3 on an iPhone

Unfortunately, adding Album Art to an MP3 on an iPhone can't be done as quickly as Android phones. You will need to launch the iTunes app on your Mac or PC to make any changes. To do so:

Open iTunes from your desktop.
Click on the top-left menu.
Go to "Music." And then "Library."
Right-click on an album or song.
Select "Album info."
Click on "Edit" then "Artwork."
Choose the "Add Artwork" option.
Select the image you want and click "Open," and then "OK."
Now connect your iPhone via USB and select the device icon in the top left corner of the app.
Go to "Settings" and then "Music."
Select "Sync Music" and "Entire Music Library."
Click on "Apply" on the bottom right.

How to Add Album Art to MP3 Without Windows Media Player

Besides Windows Media Player, there are a few other options to add album art on Windows. One of them is Groove Music which is the default music player for Windows 10. To add an album cover, follow these steps:

Open Groove Music.
Right-click on the song to open a list of options.
Select "Show Album."
Click the three dots in the bottom right corner.
Select "Edit info."
Click on the pen icon.
Choose the image you want.
Click "Save."

Another way is to add an album cover is to use the VLC Media Player. It is free to download and one of the most popular media players among Windows, Mac, and Linux users. The steps are the following:

Open VLC Media Player.
Import the MP3 files.
Click on "Tools" in the top left corner.
Select "Media information."
If there is a cover already, it will be visible in the bottom right; right-click on it.
Select "Add Cover Art from file."
Choose the photo you want.
Click on "Close."

How to Add Album Art to MP3 Mac Without iTunes

Like Windows PCs, you can also add album art by using the VLC Media Player. The steps are the same as for a Windows PC.

For VLC Media Player:

Open VLC Media Player and Import the MP3 files.
Click on "Tools" in the top left corner and select "Media information" from the menu.
If there is a cover already, it will be visible in the bottom right. Right-click on the art.
Select "Add Cover Art from file."
Choose the photo you want and click "Close" to save the changes.

For the GetAlbumArt online tool:

Go to https://getalbumart.net/.
Drag and drop or browse for the MP3 you want to upload.
Upload the photo.
You will be redirected to a download page. Select the "Download" option.

Ending on a High Note

Adding album arts to MP3 files is possible on both Windows and Mac and both Androids and iPhones. Not only that, but it is possible to do it in a couple of different but still relatively simple ways. Keep in mind that steps may vary depending on the Android phone, but the basic steps remain the same. Now you can let your creativity flow!

What is your favorite way to play an MP3 file? Have you stopped using them? Which way to change an album art do you prefer? What is your favorite album cover? Let us know in the comment section below!