Spotify finally launches its long-awaited lossless audio streaming for Premium subscribers worldwide. The feature offers CD-quality audio in 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC format, accessible through settings on various devices.
Spotify has finally delivered on its long-awaited promise of lossless, high-quality music streaming for premium subscribers worldwide. After years of delays, licensing complications, and ongoing speculation, the platform is rolling out support for CD-quality audio, bringing listeners the ability to stream tracks in 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC format. This format preserves the music exactly as it was recorded, eliminating the quality compromises caused by compression.
The idea of a dedicated hi-fi tier first surfaced back in 2021, but it quickly became one of those “coming soon” features that kept getting pushed back. Even as recently as last year, CEO Daniel Ek acknowledged that Spotify was still in the early stages of introducing lossless audio, despite continued leaks and hints within the app about a potentially pricier subscription plan.
How to Access Spotify Lossless Audio
The rollout is set to cover more than 50 countries throughout October. Users in key markets such as the UK, US, Germany, Japan, Australia, Sweden, and the Netherlands have already begun seeing the feature appear in their apps. Premium subscribers will receive a notification once the feature becomes available, after which they can enable it by going to Settings and Privacy > Media Quality, selecting the “Lossless” option for Wi-Fi, mobile data, and downloads.
Spotify confirms that lossless streaming is supported across mobile devices, desktop, tablets, and many devices using Spotify Connect, including those from Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Support for additional devices like Sonos and Amazon products will follow next month.
Important Details and Limitations
There are a few practical considerations. The lossless setting must be enabled on each device individually and does not sync across devices on the same account. Since lossless files are larger, Spotify includes tools to help users monitor data usage more carefully. While lossless streaming works well over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth remains a limiting factor, as it lacks the bandwidth to handle full FLAC quality-a challenge Apple Music has also openly discussed.
To get the best experience, Spotify recommends using Spotify Connect. This allows users to stream music directly to compatible speakers and sound systems-such as those by Bose, Yamaha, and Bluesound-bypassing Bluetooth altogether to deliver higher fidelity sound.
Spotify’s Late Entry into Lossless Streaming
Spotify enters the lossless audio market later than some competitors. Apple Music introduced lossless streaming for free in 2021, and Amazon Music followed suit by offering its HD tier without extra charges after initially charging for it in 2019. Meanwhile, Spotify’s delay in launching its hi-fi tier has caused some frustration and jokes among its loyal user base.
Nevertheless, Spotify emphasizes that its launch is a significant step forward, noting that lossless playback now covers nearly every track from its vast 100-million-song library. While some gaps remain, the majority of listeners will likely find the upgrade well worth the wait.
For audiophiles who have anticipated this moment-patiently or not-the time to upgrade is here. Dust off premium headphones, check the media quality settings, and get ready to experience favorite songs in stunning, uncompressed detail.