Spotify Rolls Out Lossless Audio for Premium Users Worldwide
After years of anticipation, delays, and industry speculation, Spotify is officially deploying its lossless audio tier. Codenamed "HiFi" in its long gestation period but launching simply as "Lossless," the feature is now hitting Premium subscribers in over 50 markets, delivering true CD-quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) and high-resolution (up to 24-bit/192kHz) streaming without a price hike.
This strategic move finally aligns Spotify with rivals like Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, which have offered lossless tiers for years, and Tidal, the long-time pioneer in high-fidelity streaming. However, by bundling it into existing plans, Spotify bets that convenience and ecosystem loyalty trump a competitor's spec sheet.
Unlocking Lossless: a quick setup guide
The new tier streams using the FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format, the open-source industry standard for bit-perfect audio. Enabling it isn't automatic; it requires a manual toggle deep in the settings. Users must navigate to Settings & Privacy → Audio Quality and select "Lossless" for their preferred connection (Wi-Fi, Cellular, or Download). This tier sits above the existing "Very High" (320 kbps Ogg Vorbis) setting.
An indicator in the "Now Playing" view and the Connect Picker confirms when a track is streaming in Lossless, a nod to audiophiles who want verification.
Can you even hear the difference?
The audible difference may be negligible for most users. Still, for the influential segment of audiophiles and music enthusiasts, the vocal minority who drive brand perception, this move addresses a long-standing grievance. It eliminates a key reason for them to turn to a competitor, effectively future-proofing the Premium subscription.
As with any hi-res offering, the audible difference between Lossless and Spotify's high-quality 320kbps Ogg Vorbis stream is highly dependent on the listener's audio gear, environment, and own hearing acuity. The benefits are most apparent on high-end equipment in quiet listening environments.
The tech limitations you’ll face
The rollout highlights the nuanced reality of high-res audio, where software is only part of the equation.
The Bluetooth bottleneck: This is the biggest caveat. Standard Bluetooth codecs (even AAC and SBC) are lossy by nature and cannot transmit a full lossless signal. The promise of true wireless lossless hinges on future adoption of new codecs like LE Audio and LC3, which Spotify will likely support down the line. For now, the experience requires wired headphones or a Spotify Connect-enabled setup.
The ecosystem play: Spotify Connect is crucial to their strategy. The company is leveraging partnerships with major brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser, with support for Sonos and Amazon devices coming soon. This pushes users toward a connected, Wi-Fi-based listening environment that Spotify controls, potentially locking them deeper into its ecosystem.
The data trade-off: Lossless files are massive. A single minute can consume 5-10x the data of a "Very High" stream. Spotify's new data usage metrics are an essential tool, not just a nice-to-have, for anyone on a metered mobile plan.
A checkmark, not a revolution
Ultimately, Spotify's Lossless launch is a catch-up feature, but a critically important one. It closes a glaring gap in its service specification and aligns its offering with the modern streaming standard. The real differentiators for Spotify remain its industry-leading discovery algorithms, personalized playlists, and social features.
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