# Problem with changing the coverart to a newer one
**URL:** https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565
**Category:** MusicBrainz Picard
**Created:** [March 27, 2026, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565 "2026-03-27T13:03:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/1 "2026-03-27T13:03:36Z")
If I checked this setting:
I wouldn’t get a new coverart:
---
### Author:  [@InvisibleMan78](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/InvisibleMan78)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 1:17pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/2 "2026-03-27T13:17:51Z")
Yes, because the newer one has a resolution of only 373x377 pixels whereas your existing one is 500x500.
Activating the option “Never replace cover images with smaller ones” would prevent that smaller cover images would be used.
Or what exactly is not working as expected for you?
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/3 "2026-03-27T13:32:19Z")
Picard downloaded the current cover with the artist’s face, and I want it saved.
That option silently prevents this. I don’t even know how many files in my library have this problem.
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### Author:  [@Beckfield](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Beckfield)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/4 "2026-03-27T15:11:19Z")
As long as the existing image is of higher resolution than the one you want, that option is going to do exactly what it says – prevent replacing the higher-res image with a lower-res one.
Your options are:
- Turn off that setting, so Picard can replace the image
- Delete the image you don’t want from the track, then let Picard do its thing
- Find a higher-resolution copy of the image you want elsewhere, and upload it to MB
- Manually download the image you want (without using Picard)
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/5 "2026-03-27T15:16:14Z")
I know all this. 😉 But how do I do it for 16,000 files?
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/6 "2026-03-27T16:17:37Z")
Or maybe this.
Use the OpenCV or Pillow libraries to compare covers?
If coverart\_old is similar to coverart\_new, then “Disallow smaller cover.”
If coverart\_new is completely different, then “Replace.”
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### Author:  [@Beckfield](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Beckfield)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/7 "2026-03-27T17:04:46Z")
> [@WindowsLover](#):
>
> But how do I do it for 16,000 files?
I don’t know how to do it without turning off that setting and letting Picard process 16,000 files. Maybe there’s a plugin that can help?
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/8 "2026-03-27T17:18:34Z")
@Beckfield
What do you think?
Maybe it’s worth writing this into Picard’s code?
```auto
If coverart_old is similar to coverart_new, then “Disallow smaller cover.”
If coverart_new is completely different, then “Replace.”
```
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### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/9 "2026-03-27T17:40:52Z")
How is Picard to determine whether the cover art is similar or completely different? I can tell you that I won’t be adding that code.
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/10 "2026-03-27T17:43:47Z")
Don’t add, but there are OpenCV or Pillow libraries.
---
### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/11 "2026-03-27T18:18:32Z")
Yeah, but that’s yet another library to include and maintain for a rather niche requirement. My point is that I’m not convinced it should be added to the Picard base code (even using a third-party library). If you want the other developers to consider it, you should add a ticket.
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/12 "2026-03-27T18:22:19Z")
IMHO this is not a niche requirement. Many people may be affected by this and not even know it.
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### Author:  [@rdswift](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/rdswift)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/13 "2026-03-27T18:25:04Z")
You’re entitled to your opinion, as am I. As I stated earlier, this is not something that I will be adding to Picard.
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### Author:  [@WindowsLover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/WindowsLover)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/14 "2026-03-27T18:27:33Z")
Bob 😉 Those two lines of “code” are just a mockup. I’m forced to write a plugin. That’s another piece of knowledge. Thanks. 😉
---
### Author:  [@Beckfield](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Beckfield)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/problem-with-changing-the-coverart-to-a-newer-one/814565/15 "2026-03-27T20:44:39Z")
> [@WindowsLover](#):
>
> What do you think?
> Maybe it’s worth writing this into Picard’s code?
This is way outside my expertise.