Distributor guide · checked 25 October 2026

Too Lost TikTok start time

Too Lost has a self-serve "TikTok Start Time" field both at upload and after release, and says changes show up within a few days, one of the quicker fixes we found.

“Once your edits are submitted, please allow a few days for the changes to be reflected on TikTok.”
— Too Lost, edited 11 Aug 2026

New release

  1. During upload, go to "Manage Tracks".
  2. Find the track and click "Edit".
  3. Enter the timestamp in the "TikTok Start Time" field.
  4. Save your changes.

Already released

You can edit it yourself after release; Too Lost says to allow a few days.

  1. Log in and open the "Releases" tab.
  2. Click the Edit icon on the release, then "Manage Tracks".
  3. Click "Edit" on the track and change the "TikTok Start Time" field.
  4. Save. Allow a few days for TikTok to show the change.

Timing: A few days after you submit the edit.

Good to know for Too Lost

  • Format: You type the timestamp where the song should begin on TikTok.
  • Since edits are self-serve and quick, you can test one start time in the teaser phase and adjust it before release week.

Work out your exact Too Lost start time

Fills in from the song title and artist when we can find it. You can always edit it.

Listen through and note the second the hook begins, or let "Find my hook" below suggest it. You always choose.

Not listed? We only include distributors whose own help pages document the TikTok start time.

Find my hook

Pick your own song (MP3 or WAV, up to 20 MB and 15 minutes). It is analysed in your browser and never uploaded. We look for the part that repeats and is loudest, which is usually the chorus.

1. Your TikTok start time

Enter this in Too Lost

TikTok Start Time

0:46

Starts 2 seconds before the hook. The 2-second lead-in is our suggestion.

You type the timestamp where the song should begin on TikTok.

Steps in Too Lost

  1. During upload, go to "Manage Tracks".
  2. Find the track and click "Edit".
  3. Enter the timestamp in the "TikTok Start Time" field.
  4. Save your changes.

Already released? You can edit it yourself after release; Too Lost says to allow a few days. Too Lost Help

Full Too Lost guide →

If you don't set it

Distributors document two different defaults, so we show both. Creators pick up to 15 seconds of the clip (CD Baby Support, Symphonic).

  • Default 29 seconds in (RouteNote): preview starts at 0:29

    Hook lands 19s in, past the first 15 seconds.

  • Default 33% of the track (Label Worx): preview starts at 1:03

    Your hook (0:48) is 15s before this start, so it would be skipped.

Sources: RouteNote Support (29 s), Label Worx Support (33%).

2. Creator brief for your song

The sound page delivered by your distributor, not a fan upload.

Platforms

Why these rules: one rightsholder per TikTok Sound ID and unofficial uploads on 97k+ videos (Pex, Feb 2025); Shorts over one minute with a copyright claim are blocked (YouTube Help); disclosure in the video, "#ad" is fine (FTC).

Your brief

The video
Make a short vertical video (9:16) for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts using the song as the sound.
The hook starts at 0:48 in the song. Trim the sound so the hook plays in your first few seconds.
Make the hook moment the payoff of the video: a transition, reveal, dance move, lip-sync line or reaction.
Keep the song audible. Don't talk over the hook.

Sound rules
- Use the official sound from the artist's profile, not one uploaded by someone else.
- Don't use a re-upload, sped-up or slowed version. Only one rightsholder can claim a TikTok Sound ID, so videos on unofficial uploads can leave the artist with no credit (Pex, Feb 2025).
- Don't upload the song as your own original audio.

YouTube Shorts
- Keep Shorts at 60 seconds or less. YouTube blocks Shorts longer than one minute that have an active copyright claim (YouTube Help).

Disclosure
- This is a paid promotion. Turn on the platform's paid-partnership / branded-content label.
- Also say or show "#ad" in the video itself, not only in the caption. The FTC says the disclosure should be in the video, not just the description, and "#ad" is fine.

Don't
- Don't buy views, likes or followers. Only verified views are paid.
- Don't re-post someone else's video or use a clip you don't have rights to.
- Don't make claims about the artist that aren't true.

Pre-fills a campaign with this brief. You review every field, set your reward per 1,000 verified views and budget, and nothing is charged until you fund it.

3. Release-week plan

Loading your dates…

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is saved unless you press "Launch as a campaign".

Frequently asked questions

How do I edit my TikTok start time on Too Lost?

Releases tab → Edit icon → Manage Tracks → Edit on the track → change "TikTok Start Time" → save. Too Lost says to allow a few days.

What does TikTok use if I don't set a start time on Too Lost?

Too Lost's page doesn't say. Other distributors document 29 seconds in (RouteNote) or 33% of the track (Label Worx), so set it yourself.

Source

Screens change. If Too Lost's form looks different, their help page is the authority. Other distributors: all TikTok start-time guides.

Related free music tools

Estimates, not guarantees. Real costs and results vary. This is general information, not legal or financial advice: check the licence terms that apply to you, and talk to a qualified professional before you rely on it.