In this article

You’ll learn how to:

• create a watermarked playlist
• share it so each recipient gets a unique watermark
• trace a leaked file back to its source
• combine watermarking with other security settings for the most sensitive material
• understand what watermarking covers, what it does not, and how it is priced

The job: sharing sensitive material without losing control

Pre-release music is valuable precisely because it has not been heard yet. A watermarked playlist means every copy that leaves your hands carries a unique fingerprint - inaudible in playback, but traceable if it ends up somewhere it should not.

This is not just about catching leaks after they happen. Knowing that files are watermarked is often enough to discourage unauthorized sharing in the first place. Recipients see a watermark notice on playlist and track links, Inbox shares, and emails sent with watermarked music.

Create a watermarked playlist

Upload or drag tracks into the Playlist Creator, then click Save to open the playlist settings. Switch on the Watermark Playlist toggle and save the playlist. DISCO then processes each track and applies the watermark - watermarked downloads are generally ready in under a minute.

A few important things to know:

• watermarking works at the playlist level - every track in the playlist is watermarked. To protect a single track, put it in a playlist of its own
• streaming audio is watermarked as well as downloads, so a file ripped from the stream still carries the fingerprint
• all available file types are watermarked when downloaded
• watermarking is audio only - video files are not watermarked
• watermarks stay with tracks when recipients save them to their own DISCO
• if another DISCO with watermarking shares the same file, it adds its own watermark without affecting yours
• when someone on your team downloads a watermarked track, that copy is watermarked to them

Keep track of watermarked playlists

Watermarked playlists show a blue W label in Browse, and a P label while the watermark is still processing. A crossed-out yellow W marks a playlist where watermarking has since been turned off. The Watermarking dashboard, under Tools in the left sidebar, lists all of your watermarked and previously watermarked playlists. You can turn watermarking off from there or from the playlist settings.

Share so each recipient gets a unique watermark

For watermarking to work as a leak-tracing tool, each recipient needs their own unique watermark. That means emailing the playlist directly from DISCO, sending it with Email Creator, or assigning a URL to each contact - not sharing the general public playlist URL.

The public URL is still watermarked, but the watermark applies to the whole link rather than to individual recipients. If that link leaks, a trace shows who on your team shared it and when - but not which recipient passed it on.

Open the Share area and either email the playlist to each recipient, or open the Assign a URL tab to create individual links. Each assigned URL carries a unique watermark tied to that contact. Playlists sent with Email Creator get an assigned URL for each recipient automatically, and the campaign stats show opens, clicks, streams, and downloads per person.

Trace a leaked file

To check whether leaked audio came from your DISCO, you need the leaked file itself - download it from wherever it has appeared.

Open the Watermarking dashboard under Tools, go to the Leak Tracing tab, click Trace a leak, upload the file, and submit. DISCO processes the file and adds it to your list of traced files, showing the track name, the playlist it came from, which contact was assigned that watermark (Shared With), and who on your team shared the playlist (Shared By).

If the trace fails, either the watermark was never applied from your DISCO - meaning you are not the source of the leak - or the audio has been degraded too far for the fingerprint to be detected.

A few limits worth knowing:

• watermarking traces files that were streamed or downloaded from DISCO. It cannot trace audio recorded on another device while it plays - with a microphone or screen recorder, for example
• DISCO does not scan the web for leaks or issue DMCA takedowns - finding the leaked file is up to you

Maximize security for the most sensitive material

For the highest level of security, combine watermarking with the other playlist security settings:

• save the playlist with both Streaming only and Watermark Playlist switched on
• in the Share area, add a link expiry date and a password - the same password applies to every recipient
• assign an individual URL to each recipient, and share the password separately from the link

Keep an eye on notifications and check playlist access stats regularly - hover over the green numbers to see which tracks have been streamed or downloaded. If you notice anything unexpected, you can disable and re-enable individual URLs from the Assign a URL tab without affecting anyone else’s access.

How watermarking is priced

Watermarking is a paid add-on on top of your base DISCO plan, available on every plan. It is not included in any base plan, and there is no free trial.

There are three tiers, based on how many playlists can be watermarked at the same time: 1, 3, or unlimited. Pricing starts at $29 per month for 1 watermarked playlist - see disco.ac/pricing for the current tiers. The add-on is billed on the same cycle as your base plan.

On the 1-playlist tier, only one playlist can be watermarked at a time. To watermark a new playlist, turn off watermarking on the existing one first, or upgrade.

Watermarks stay traceable as long as your watermarking subscription is active. If you cancel, they can no longer be traced.

Wrap up

Watermarking gives you accountability when sharing sensitive material. It does not prevent leaks, but if one happens, it gives you a clear path to find out where the music came from. Combined with assigned URLs, Streaming only, and the other playlist security settings, it is the strongest protection DISCO offers for pre-release material while still getting it in front of the people who need to hear it.