How to Update Your ISBN Metadata After Publishing

You’ve published your book, but now you realize something needs to change. Maybe your book description doesn’t quite capture the essence of your story. Perhaps your categories are all wrong, or you’ve noticed a typo in your author bio. Whatever the reason, you’re wondering: can I actually update my ISBN metadata after publishing?

The short answer is: it depends on what you want to change and where you purchased your ISBN.

Let me break down exactly what you can and can’t modify, and how to do it on each major platform.

What is ISBN Metadata?

Before diving in, let’s clarify what we mean by “ISBN metadata.” When you assign an ISBN to your book, you typically provide information such as:

• Book title and subtitle
• Author name and contributors
• Publisher/imprint name
• Publication date
• Book format (paperback, hardcover, ebook)
• Book description/synopsis
• Subject categories (BISAC codes)
• Keywords
• Cover image
• Price and territories

This metadata travels with your ISBN through the publishing supply chain, appearing in databases, retailer websites, and library catalogs. Getting it right matters, but fixing it after the fact can be tricky.

What You Can and Can’t Change

Here’s the frustrating truth: core identifiers are typically locked after publishing, while marketing-related information can usually be updated.

Generally Unchangeable (Locked Fields):

• Book title and subtitle
• Primary author name
• ISBN number itself
• Language
• Edition number

Generally Changeable (Flexible Fields):

• Book description
• Subject categories and keywords
• Price
• Cover image
• Contributor bios
• Secondary contributors

The exact restrictions vary by platform, so let’s look at each one.

Updating Metadata in ISBN agency portals

If you purchased your own ISBN from Bowker (the US ISBN agency), your metadata lives in their MyIdentifiers portal. Here’s how to update it:

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Log in to MyIdentifiers.com
2. Navigate to “My Account” → “My Identifiers” or “Manage ISBNs”
3. Click on the specific ISBN you want to update
4. Edit the available metadata fields
5. Save your changes

Important: Updating metadata on Bowker’s system helps your book appear in Google Books over time. However, this update does not automatically sync with Amazon, IngramSpark, or other retail platforms. You must update each platform separately.

Google Books and other ISBN databases periritize metadata from book retailer website more than metadata from ISBN agency portal. Assigning an ISBN in ISBN agency portal is formality than necessity. If your book listing on Amazon correctly reflect your book metadata, then you don’t need to update Bowker metadata.

Also different ISBN agencies collect different metadata. For example, the ISBN agency in India and sevral other countries only collect title, author, and formates. While Bowker collect much more metadata.

Updating Metadata on Amazon KDP

Amazon KDP has its own metadata system, and changes here directly affect your book’s Amazon listing. If your book listing on KDP has exdended disctribution service enabled then your book metadata will be updated on other platforms too.

How to Update KDP Metadata:

1. Go to your KDP Bookshelf
2. Click the ellipsis button (…) next to your book
3. Select “Edit details”
4. Make your changes
5. Click “Save and Continue”
6. Review the Content and Pricing pages
7. Click “Publish” to apply changes

Timeline: KDP updates typically process within 24-48 hours. Important: Author bio and image can be updated anytime through Amazon Author Central portal.

The KDP Workaround for Locked Fields

What if you need to change your title, author name, or ISBN? Unfortunately, there’s no direct way. You’ll need to:

1. Unpublish the original book
2. Create a new edition with the correct information
3. Contact KDP support to link reviews from the old listing to the new one (only works if title remains exactly the same)

Keep in mind that your sales ranking will reset with a new listing. This is why getting metadata right the first time is so crucial.

Updating Metadata on IngramSpark

IngramSpark is popular for its wide distribution network, but their metadata update process has some quirks.

How to Update IngramSpark Metadata:

1. Log in to your IngramSpark account
2. Go to “Title Management”
3. Click on your book title
4. Click “Edit” next to the metadata section you want to change
5. Make your changes and click “Save”
6. Go to the “Distribution” tab and click “Update Distribution” or “Save and Publish”

The IngramSpark Fee

IngramSpark used to charge $25 for revisions after the initial 60-day grace period, but now it is free.

Timeline: IngramSpark updates can take several days to a weeks to appear on retail sites.

When Do You Need a New ISBN?

This is the million-dollar question. Here’s when the industry standard says you need a new ISBN:

You NEED a New ISBN When:

• Changing the book format (paperback → hardcover → ebook)
• Significantly revising content (major new edition)
• Changing the title or subtitle
• Switching publishers or imprint names
• Changing the binding type

You DON’T Need a New ISBN When:

• Fixing typos or minor errors
• Updating book description or keywords
• Changing price
• Updating cover design (minor updates)
• Correcting contributor information

Fixing Missing or Incorrect Metadata in Databases

Sometimes your metadata is correct on your publishing platforms but shows up wrong or not at all-in ISBN databases like Google Books. This is a common frustration.

The good news? You can often fix this manually through Open Library:

1. Create a free account at OpenLibrary.org
2. Search for your book’s ISBN
3. If not found, create a new book listing
4. Add your correct book information

Open Library’s data feeds into many ISBN lookup tools and can help your book appear correctly in library catalogs and other databases. For more details, check out our guide on fixing missing or incorrect book metadata.

Conclusion

Updating ISBN metadata after publishing is possible, but it comes with limitations. Marketing-related fields like descriptions, keywords, and categories can typically be changed across all platforms. However, core identifiers like titles, author names, and the ISBN itself are usually locked.

The key takeaway? Plan your metadata carefully before you publish. Double-check everything. But if you do need to make changes afterward, now you know exactly how to do it on each platform.

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