If you want to control which part of your track plays when fans preview it on Beatport, TikTok, Meta, and the iTunes download store, this article will explain everything you need to know!

Good to know: Proton is one of the 1st distributors to support custom preview start times on Beatport. Most other distributors don't support this yet.

On Beatport, previews carry more weight than almost anywhere else. Unlike streaming platforms where listeners can play a full track before buying, DJs digging for new tracks on Beatport make purchase decisions based on a preview clip alone.

At up to 2 minutes long, Beatport previews are significantly longer than any other platform — which makes getting the start time right even more impactful. A well-placed preview isn't just a nice touch — it's one of the few direct ways a label has to influence whether a track sells.

Yes! Because DJs on Beatport have different listening habits than casual listeners on TikTok or Instagram, Proton lets you configure separate preview start times per platform. You're not locked into a one-size-fits-all timecode.

Step 1 — Once you upload your track, click Edit (1), then click on the Files tab (2) (this is the same place where you upload your audio file).
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Step 2 — Scroll down to "Preview Start Times" and click Load Preview Time Control (3). This loads the preview controls directly below the audio section. You can do this even while the track is still uploading or encoding — no need to wait!

Step 3 — Select your platform and set your timecode

Use the dropdown menu to choose All Supported Stores if you want a single start time across all platforms, or select platforms individually — Beatport, iTunes, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), or TikTok — to set different start times for each.

Use the slider or type directly into the timecode field to set your start time and click Save.

No — setting a preview start time is optional. If you don't set one, Beatport and other platforms will still auto-generate a preview as it always has.

That said, it's worth listening to your track's automatic Beatport preview once it goes on pre-order.

You can always add a preview start time after shipping a release by submitting a correction. You can do this yourself, even after the release is already live on Beatport — no need to contact Proton support.

#1 — Start with your Beatport Top 10. Your top-performing tracks are already getting traffic on your label page. Setting preview start times there first is the lowest-effort way to potentially see an immediate impact on sales.

#2 — For Beatport, think like a DJ. Skip the intro. DJs want to hear the drop, the groove, or the main hook — not two minutes of building tension. Aim for the moment that best represents the track's energy on the dancefloor.

#3 — For TikTok & Meta, think like a scroller. You have roughly one second to stop someone mid-scroll. A vocal hook, a distinctive melody, or an unexpected sound will outperform a slow build every time. This will almost always be a different timecode than what works on Beatport — which is exactly why per-platform settings exist.

#4 — Revisit older releases too. Preview start times aren't just for new releases. If your back catalogue includes tracks where the automatic Beatport preview has always landed in the wrong place, you can fix that now by submitting a correction.