Introduction to Lossless Audio on Spotify
Millions of people can now enjoy better sound quality on Spotify. Four years after the music streaming platform introduced higher quality audio, it has finally launched lossless audio for its premium subscribers in select markets. This highly requested feature is not available on the free version of Spotify.
Availability of Lossless Audio
Premium subscribers will receive a notification in the Spotify app when lossless audio is available. The feature is being rolled out to over 50 markets by October, with subscribers in the USA, Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden already having access to it.
How Lossless Audio Works
With lossless audio, users can stream music at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz via Flac (Free Lossless Audio Codec), an open-source compression algorithm that delivers playback without losing data from the original recording. According to Spotify, lossless audio is available for every song on the platform.
Comparison to Previous Audio Quality
Previously, Spotify’s highest quality audio used the AAC (Lossy Advanced Audio Coding) codec with a bit rate starting at 320 kbit/s. In 2022, Spotify indefinitely delayed the launch of its HD audio feature, but it has now finally introduced lossless audio.
Catching Up with Competitors
Spotify is playing catch-up in this area, as Apple Music introduced lossless audio in May 2021, and Amazon Music did so in 2019. Other music services, such as Tidal, also offer loss-free HD audio.
Statement from Spotify
"The wait is finally over," said Gustav Gyllenhammar, Spotify’s VP of subscriptions. "We took the time to build this feature in a way that prioritizes quality, user-friendliness, and clarity with every step, so you always know what’s happening under the hood."
Availability on Devices
Lossless audio is available on mobile, desktop, and tablet apps, as well as on many third-party devices that support Spotify Connect, including those from Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser, Denon, and Marantz, Bluesound, and Yamaha. Support for additional devices, including those from Sonos and Amazon, will start in October.
Setting Up Lossless Audio
Users can set lossless audio to use more bandwidth for Wi-Fi and mobile phone connectivity, as well as downloads for offline listening. Customers can also choose between low, normal, high, very high, and now lossless music quality to "offer maximum flexibility and control." Spotify’s app shows how much data each option requires.
Activating Lossless Audio
To activate lossless audio, users must manually enable it on each device. Once activated, a lossless indicator appears in the Now Playing view or bar and via the Connect picker. For the best listening experience, Spotify recommends streaming lossless music over Wi-Fi with wired headphones or speakers on a non-Bluetooth connection.
Step-by-Step Guide to Activating Lossless Audio
To activate lossless audio in the Spotify app, follow these steps:
- Tap your profile symbol at the top left.
- Go to settings and privacy → music quality.
- Select where you want to activate lossless audio: Wi-Fi, mobile, or downloads.
