Audio watermarking: trace a leaked download back to the recipient

What audio watermarking does

When you share music for review, a copy can end up somewhere it shouldn't. Audio watermarking stamps every downloaded file with an inaudible marker that is unique to each recipient. The listener hears no difference, but the file now carries a hidden fingerprint tied to the person you sent it to. If an unreleased track turns up in the wild, that fingerprint tells us who downloaded it. The mark is robust: it survives the usual things a leaker might try, like converting the file to MP3 or trimming it.

How to turn it on

Watermarking is set per playlist and is off by default, so your normal playlists are untouched.

1. Open the playlist you want to protect and go to its settings.
2. Turn on Downloads and watermarking (watermarking applies to downloaded files, so downloads need to be on).
3. Switch on Watermark downloads.
4. Save. From then on, every download from that playlist is individually marked.

Get the most out of it

Watermarking is most powerful when Songbox knows who each listener is. Use it with restricted access and personal links, so a leak traces straight back to a named recipient. On an open link there is no named recipient, so the mark records the device and location of the download instead. That is still a useful lead, just not a name.

If a track leaks

Found one of your tracks somewhere it shouldn't be? Send the file to our support team. We read the watermark and tell you which recipient downloaded it, with a report you can act on. The trace points to the download, not proof of who uploaded it (a device could be shared, or a file forwarded), so treat it as a strong lead.

Good to know

• It is completely inaudible. Your listeners get the same experience as always.
• It applies to downloads only, not streaming playback.
• It is available on Pro and Teams, and you can switch it on or off per playlist at any time.