How Does Preview Time Work?

Preview time is the 30-second snippet of your track used as a preview across stores and other HyDistro features.

How to set it

During track metadata, you can select exactly which 30 seconds of your track plays as the preview by dragging the preview bar to the section of your choice — whether that’s your hook, chorus, or any other part you want to lead with.

Where preview time is used

Your selected 30-second preview isn’t just used in one place — it powers previews across several parts of your release:

• Store previews — the snippet stores play when someone previews your track before streaming the full song.
• TikTok — the same preview section is used for how your track appears/plays on TikTok.
• Pre-Save Links — the preview snippet is used to give fans a taste of your track before release (see How Do Pre-Save Campaigns Work?).
• Smart Links — your preview plays as part of your Smart Link page experience.
• Promo Card videos — your 30-second promo videos, generated for free through the Promo Card Generator, use your selected preview section (see How Do I Create Promo Cards for My Release?).

Why choosing the right preview matters

Since your preview section is reused across stores, TikTok, pre-saves, smart links, and promo videos, picking the strongest 30 seconds of your track — usually your hook or most memorable moment — helps make a stronger first impression everywhere it appears.

Can you change it later?

You can adjust your preview selection during the track metadata step of your upload. If you need to change it after your release is live, reach out to support for assistance.