# Editing metadata in a .qza file

**URL:** https://forum.qiime2.org/t/editing-metadata-in-a-qza-file/4263
**Category:** User Support
**Tags:** metadata
**Created:** [May 23, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/editing-metadata-in-a-qza-file/4263 "2018-05-23T12:48:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 3

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### Author: ![thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@thermokarst](https://forum.qiime2.org/u/thermokarst)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2018, 4:15am UTC](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/editing-metadata-in-a-qza-file/4263/3 "2018-05-24T04:15:47Z")

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Hi there @mshelomi!

> [@mshelomi](#):
>
> I want to replace this with my actual metadata.yaml file. TextWrangler won’t let me edit this. What should I do?

Please see this quote from @Mehrbod_Estaki, from your [last topic on this forum](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/unknown-input-file-format/4238):

> [@Unknown input file format](https://forum.qiime2.org/t/unknown-input-file-format/4238/8):
>
> The metadata file which provides environmental information about your samples is not required at the import step. Instead it is provided separately downstream as needed, depending on the analysis you are looking to do. More details, including its formatting and validation are explained [here](https://docs.qiime2.org/2018.4/tutorials/metadata/).

Specifically, the link to the metadata guide at the bottom. In general though I would recommend you take a step back and review the documentation and tutorials we have put together at [docs.qiime2.org](http://docs.qiime2.org) --- the fundamental ideas behind QIIME 2 are described in great detail there, and will hopefully steer you in the right direction, generally speaking. As always, we are here to help!

Thanks! 🦖 :qiime2:

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