Spotify Brings HD Lossless Audio to Premium Users at No Extra Cost
Spotify has begun providing lossless audio for its Premium subscribers, offering 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC streaming in over 50 regions as the rollout continues through October.
Users in markets including the US, UK, Germany, Australia and Japan are already seeing access, with in-app notifications and manual activation through Media Quality settings.
The company frames this as a long-awaited improvement. Gustav Gyllenhammar, VP of Subscriptions, said:
“the wait is finally over; we’re so excited lossless sound is rolling out to Premium subscribers”.
He emphasized a careful build focused on transparency, ease of use, and performance.
Lossless integration comes without an added fee or creation of a new tier. Spotify has resisted launching a previously announced “HiFi” or “Music Pro” level for now.
That places it alongside Apple Music and Amazon Music, which already include similar quality in base plans, though Apple and Amazon support higher sample rates up to 24-bit/192 kHz, than Spotify’s current offering.
Listeners should note the technical conditions. Bluetooth is excluded due to bandwidth constraints and Spotify recommends Wi-Fi and wired or Spotify Connect connections (like Sonos, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser hardware; support for Amazon and Sonos arrives next month).
Lossless must be enabled per device and a Lossless icon will confirm when it's active. Here's how Spotify Pemium users can enable Lossless manually on each device:
- Open the Spotify app
- Tap our profile icon
- Go to Settings page
- Open Media quality option
- Switch to lossless quality
You can see the official guide in the image below:
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| Credits: Spotify |
Early reactions from audio enthusiasts reflect skepticism. A Reddit user commented:
“Apple Music goes up to 24/192. Tho tbh once you get above CD quality you need a m*f*** of a HiFi system to notice any difference”.
Another noted:
“After all this time they still only deliver 24 bit at 44.1 kHz”.
Industry observers will watch whether Spotify ultimately nests this feature behind a higher-priced tier or uses it to justify future rate hikes.
Spotify’s move brings its platform up to standard with mainstream rivals while keeping things straightforward for users.
The measure may add subtle value to Premium subscribers, even if audiophiles still point to higher-resolution offerings elsewhere.
