Spotify has officially begun rolling out lossless audio streaming for Premium users at no extra cost, fulfilling a promise first made in 2021. The feature is being gradually introduced across 50 markets, including the US, UK, and Australia. However, there is still no clarity on when it will be available to users in India.
Premium subscribers will receive an in-app notification once the feature is enabled for their account. They will then need to turn it on manually for each device. When activated, music streams in 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC format, which Spotify says consumes about 1GB of data per hour.
Explaining the delay, Gustav Gyllenhammar, Vice President of Subscriptions at Spotify, wrote in a blog: “We’ve taken time to build this feature in a way that prioritizes quality, ease of use, and clarity at every step, so you always know what’s happening under the hood. With Lossless, our premium users will now have an even better listening experience.”
For context, producer and engineer Jack Mason explained in an Instagram post: “Lossless refers to when there’s no change between what you deliver to a streaming service and what the listener hears. Without lossless, track files might get compressed in the encoding process, which might not lend to the best quality.”
Spotify recommends using Wi-Fi with wired headphones or speakers through a direct connection such as Spotify Connect for the best playback. It clarified that Bluetooth currently lacks the bandwidth required for true lossless streaming, meaning audio is compressed before reaching the device.
The feature is supported on mobile, desktop, and tablets, along with devices compatible with Spotify Connect, including models from Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Support for Sonos, Amazon, and other brands will follow next month.
Spotify has also warned users that due to the larger file sizes, tracks may take extra time to cache and load before playing.
How to enable lossless audio on Spotify:
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Open the app and tap the profile icon on the top left.
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Go to Settings and Privacy, then select Media Quality.
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Choose where to enable lossless audio: Wi-Fi, cellular, or downloads.
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