<!--
{
  "availability" : [

  ],
  "documentType" : "symbol",
  "framework" : "quicktime-file-format",
  "identifier" : "/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom",
  "metadataVersion" : "0.1.0",
  "role" : "Atom",
  "symbol" : {
    "kind" : "Atom",
    "modules" : [
      "QuickTime File Format"
    ],
    "preciseIdentifier" : "__docc_universal_symbol_reference_$Preview_atom"
  },
  "title" : "Preview atom ('pnot')"
}
-->

# Preview atom ('pnot')

An atom that contains information that allows you to find the preview image associated with a QuickTime movie.

## Overview

The preview image, or poster, is a representative image suitable for display to the user in, for example, Open dialog boxes.

The preview atom has an atom type value of `'pnot'`.

## Topics

### Atom fields

[`Size`](/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom/Size)

A 32-bit integer that specifies the number of bytes in this preview atom.

[`Type`](/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom/Type)

A 32-bit integer that identifies the atom type.

[`Modification date`](/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom/Modification_date)

A 32-bit unsigned integer containing a date that indicates when the preview was last updated.

[`Version number`](/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom/Version_number)

A 16-bit integer

[`Atom type`](/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom/Atom_type)

A 32-bit integer that indicates the type of atom that contains the preview data.

[`Atom index`](/documentation/quicktime-file-format/Preview_atom/Atom_index)

A 16-bit integer that identifies which atom of the specified type is to be used as the preview.



---

Copyright &copy; 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)