Preview before you download — the new Preview player, explained
v1.0.0.70 added a ▶ Preview button to every cover in Hongguo Downloader's Leaderboard and Catalogue. Tap it to stream episodes 1–3 right inside the app, in a player with Ep 1 / 2 / 3 tabs and an Add to downloads button — so you can judge a drama before spending a download slot on it.
Browsing a 40,000+ title catalogue, it's easy to queue something on the strength of a cover and a rating, only to find the pacing or premise isn't for you three episodes in. Preview moves that decision earlier — you watch first, then commit.
What Preview actually does
- Streams episodes 1–3 in-app. Tap the Preview button on any cover in the Leaderboard or Catalogue and the opening episodes play immediately, with tabs to jump between Ep 1, 2 and 3.
- Nothing is saved to disk. A preview is a stream, not a download — it doesn't touch your Library and doesn't use one of your two free daily series.
- One tap to commit. The preview player has its own Add to downloads button, so if the opening episodes land, you can queue the full series without searching for it again.
How to preview a drama
- Open the Leaderboard or Catalogue tab and find a title that catches your eye.
- Tap ▶ Preview on its cover.
- Watch episode 1, then use the Ep 1 / 2 / 3 tabs to jump to episode 2 or 3 if you want more before deciding.
- Liked it? Tap Add to downloads right there to queue the full series. Not for you? Close the preview and keep browsing — nothing was saved and nothing was spent.
Once a series is queued, downloading and organizing it works exactly as covered in the download walkthrough and the queue & choose-episodes guide.
Why this matters on a 40,000+ title catalogue
Hongguo Downloader's Catalogue and live 红果 leaderboard already make it easy to find a lot of dramas fast. The trade-off with that much choice is picking wrong — queuing a series on a cover and a score, then discovering the tone or pacing isn't what you expected. Preview removes the guesswork: you see real footage from the actual opening episodes before any download starts.
Frequently asked questions
What does Preview actually do?
It streams episodes 1–3 of a drama in-app, with Ep 1/2/3 tabs, so you can watch the opening episodes before deciding to download.
Does previewing use one of my 2 free daily series?
No. Previewing only streams for viewing — nothing is saved and no download slot is used. Your free allowance is only spent when you tap Add to downloads.
Can I download straight from the Preview player?
Yes — it has its own Add to downloads button, so you can queue the full series without leaving the preview.
Which version added this?
v1.0.0.70.
Is Preview the same as the built-in player?
No. The built-in player (v1.0.0.54) plays back what you've already downloaded. Preview streams only episodes 1–3 of a title you haven't downloaded yet.
Try Preview yourself
Update to v1.0.0.70 and tap Preview on any cover in the Leaderboard or Catalogue before you queue your next download.