What’s rolling out, where, and why now
After years of teases and a scrapped “HiFi” plan, Spotify has finally flipped the switch on lossless audio for Premium subscribers—at no extra cost. The headline change is Spotify lossless, a CD-quality FLAC stream that goes up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz and aims to keep the original studio detail without the losses you get from typical compression.
The rollout began on September 10, 2025, and is expanding through October across more than 50 countries. Early access is live in Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Spotify says it took extra time to make it simple to use and clear about what quality you’re actually hearing—something it heard from users who didn’t want a confusing tangle of settings or tiny-print disclaimers.
Under the hood, the stream is FLAC up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz, which is the same sample rate as standard CDs, with extra bit depth headroom. The company says “nearly every track” in its 100 million-song library is available in lossless, but there will be gaps. When a track isn’t available in lossless, the app falls back to the best available quality and labels it accordingly.
Platform support is broad at launch. The feature works on the updated mobile app (version 9.0.58 and newer), desktop app (version 1.2.67 and newer), and tablets. It extends to many Spotify Connect-compatible speakers, soundbars, and receivers from brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Spotify says Sonos and Amazon devices will join via updates in October.
There’s one catch you should know: Bluetooth can be the weak link. Most Bluetooth connections don’t transmit true bit-perfect lossless audio. You’ll still hear higher-quality files and may notice cleaner highs and better dynamics, but to get genuinely lossless, a wired connection—headphone jack, USB-C or Lightning adapter with a DAC, or a wired home setup—is the safe route. Some newer wireless standards promise better quality, yet support varies by phone, headphones, and codec.
This move drops Spotify back into a race it started watching from the sidelines. Apple Music rolled out lossless and high-res in 2021 at no extra charge, and Amazon made its HD tier standard on its top plan after launching it as a paid add-on back in 2019. Spotify’s advantage is scale, daily habit, and playlists that many people live in every day. Rolling lossless into the existing Premium price is the clearest signal yet that it wants to stop defections to rivals—and give audiophiles fewer reasons to stray.
How to turn it on, what you need, and how it compares
Lossless is off by default. You have to enable it—and you need to do that on every device you use.
- Update your app: mobile 9.0.58+ or desktop 1.2.67+.
- Open Settings & Privacy > Media Quality.
- Choose “Lossless” for Wi‑Fi streaming, cellular streaming, and downloads (each is separate).
- Play a track and check the Now Playing screen. You’ll see a small “Lossless” indicator when the file and your connection support it.
- If you’re casting to a speaker or amp via Spotify Connect, open the Connect Picker. It also shows the quality status for the device you select.
Expect file sizes and data usage to climb. A typical 3.5-minute song in lossless can be roughly 20–40 MB depending on the music. On compressed streams, the same track might be closer to 6–9 MB. That means:
- Cellular data can disappear fast if you stream on the go in lossless. Consider setting cellular to a lower quality and keeping lossless for Wi‑Fi and downloads.
- Storage use for downloads will spike. If your phone is packed with photos and videos, manage your offline albums or expand storage.
- Battery life may take a small hit during high-quality streaming or downloads.
Spotify recommends a steady 1.5–2 Mbps connection for smooth lossless playback. If your bandwidth dips, the app may pause to buffer or fall back to a lower quality to keep the music playing. In practice, home Wi‑Fi is fine; coffee shop Wi‑Fi and trains can be hit-or-miss.
What about your hardware? You don’t need studio gear, but the chain matters:
- Headphones and speakers: Any decent pair will reveal some gains, especially cleaner highs and a more open sound. The better your gear, the more you’ll notice.
- Wired vs. Bluetooth: For true lossless end-to-end, use wired headphones or a USB DAC. Bluetooth usually compresses the stream again.
- Receivers and streamers: Many Spotify Connect devices will pass FLAC directly. Check for a firmware update from your device maker.
- Computers: Desktop support is solid, but your system’s audio settings can still resample audio. Even if that happens, you’re getting a lossless source, which reduces artifacts versus a lossy file.
How does Spotify compare to rivals right now? Apple Music streams ALAC lossless and offers high‑res tiers up to 24‑bit/192 kHz at no extra cost. Amazon Music’s “Ultra HD” goes to similar rates on supported hardware. Spotify’s ceiling is 24‑bit/44.1 kHz, which focuses on CD rate and bit depth rather than ultra‑high sample rates. For most people and most recordings, the jump from lossy to CD‑quality is the big audible leap; the step beyond that to high‑res is more subtle and depends on your gear, your ears, and the recording.
You’ll also see Spotify push features that make Premium feel fuller: DJ, Jam, AI Playlist, Mix, and daylist. Lossless slots into that bundle as a quality upgrade that’s on-demand rather than a separate tier. It’s a smart retention play. For years, the rumor mill said Spotify would charge extra for HiFi. Not doing that now makes the value proposition simple: pay what you already pay, get better sound.
Early listening impressions line up with what you’d expect. Cymbals and acoustic guitars sound more natural, sibilance is less harsh, reverb tails feel longer, and busy mixes hold together better. If you’ve ever heard a favorite track feel “airless” or splashy on a high‑compression stream, the lossless version usually fixes that. If you mostly listen on the subway with budget earbuds, the difference is smaller—but still there.
Two practical tips to avoid disappointment:
- Verify the badge: If you don’t see “Lossless” in Now Playing, the track or your chain isn’t delivering lossless. Try another track or check your settings.
- Mind your cast path: When sending audio to a speaker or TV, the Connect path has to support lossless end-to-end. If the device falls back to a lower quality, you’ll see that in the Connect Picker.
What about your existing downloads? If you switch downloads to lossless, the app will re‑download tracks in the new quality as space allows. That can take time and bandwidth. If you’re tight on storage, start with your favorite albums and playlists instead of flipping your whole library at once.
On the business side, this move likely increases delivery costs—lossless files are bigger, and streaming them millions of times isn’t cheap. But Spotify is betting that better sound reduces churn and brings back users who hopped to Apple or Amazon. It also simplifies the product lineup. No need to explain a pricey add‑on tier; just turn it on. Licensing likely drove the original delays, along with the engineering work to make lossless reliable across a wild mix of phones, speakers, cars, and receivers.
Speaking of cars: CarPlay and Android Auto work with the new setting, but your car’s head unit and connection determine what you actually get. Many systems limit quality to keep things smooth over cellular. If you want guaranteed lossless in the car, downloaded tracks over a wired connection are your safest bet.
Here’s a quick checklist if you’re troubleshooting:
- App is updated to the required version or newer.
- Lossless is toggled on for streaming type you’re using (Wi‑Fi, cellular, downloads).
- Track shows “Lossless” in Now Playing; if not, try another track or playlist.
- If casting, confirm the Connect device reports lossless in the picker.
- For wired listening, confirm your dongle or DAC is detected and working.
- On cellular, ensure strong signal or switch to Wi‑Fi for testing.
Bottom line on sound quality: the biggest upgrade is moving from lossy to CD‑quality. That’s the move Spotify just delivered. If you’ve stayed because of playlists, discovery, or podcasts, now you don’t have to trade sound quality to keep those perks.
