Spotify has finally launched Lossless Listening for Premium users, one of its most requested features. It’s rolling out now in select countries, and Premium subscribers will receive a notification in the app when it becomes available. Lossless audio gives you the highest sound quality on Spotify, if you’re exploring new releases or revisiting old favourites. This upgrade is part of Spotify’s ongoing effort to enhance its Premium service. Alongside features like DJ, Jam, AI Playlist, Mix, daylist, and curated playlists from Spotify’s editors, Lossless takes your listening to the next level. With Lossless, you can stream music in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC, giving you more detail in almost every track.
Launched in 2006, Spotify has grown into the world’s leading audio streaming platform, with more than 696 million users worldwide. In the past year, the company reported its first-ever annual net profit, earning over $1.3 billion on $18.4 billion in revenue. Headquartered in Sweden, Spotify now operates in more than 180 markets and offers a library of over 100 million songs, nearly 7 million podcasts, and 350,000 audiobooks.
Your Device, Your Choice
You can choose your preferred audio quality for Wi-Fi, mobile data, and downloads: Low, Normal, High, Very High, or Lossless. Spotify also shows how much data each option uses, so you can decide easily. Lossless works on mobile, desktop, and tablet, as well as on many Spotify Connect devices from brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Support for Sonos, Amazon, and more is coming next month.
How to Turn On Lossless
- Tap your profile icon (top left).
- Go to Settings & Privacy → Media Quality.
- Choose where to enable Lossless: Wi-Fi, cellular, or downloads.
You’ll need to enable it on each device separately. A Lossless badge will show up in the Now Playing view or Connect Picker when it’s on. For the best experience, Spotify recommends streaming Lossless over Wi-Fi with wired headphones or speakers using Spotify Connect. Bluetooth can’t yet transmit full lossless audio, so it has to compress the sound first. Because Lossless files are larger, songs may take a moment to load the first time, but once cached, they’ll play smoothly.
The Future of Audio
- Responding to Demand: This launch answers one of the most requested features from Spotify users, helping the platform stay competitive in the high-fidelity audio space.
- Enhancing High-Resolution Content: By introducing this feature, Spotify is stepping up its audio quality, offering listeners a richer, more detailed experience across its extensive music library.
What Comes Next
Rolling out lossless audio is a clear step forward, but it also sets the stage for what’s next. As Spotify expands its library of over 100 million tracks, 7 million podcasts, and 350,000 audiobooks, higher fidelity will likely become the default. The company may also explore adaptive streaming that automatically adjusts quality to connection speed, or even spatial and immersive audio formats that go beyond stereo.
More broadly, Spotify is serious about keeping Premium subscribers engaged — not just through convenience and playlists but also through sound quality. In an era where high-resolution music is becoming standard, this upgrade helps ensure Spotify remains the first stop for music lovers.
- Lossless Audio: The Starting Point – Lossless formats (like FLAC, ALAC, or Spotify HiFi) preserve every bit of sound from the original recording. This means nothing is lost—no compression, no missing frequencies. It’s great for audiophiles who want perfect reproduction, but it’s still essentially a “flat” 2D experience—just sound coming through speakers or headphones.
- Beyond Fidelity: Immersive Experiences – The next evolution isn’t just about hearing every detail; it’s about feeling like you’re there. Spatial audio / 3D sound technologies allow music to exist in a three-dimensional space around the listener. Instruments can feel like they’re coming from different directions. Vocals can seem like they are moving around you. Example: Dolby Atmos or Sony 360 Reality Audio.
- AI-Enhanced Audio: AI can go further than just playing music, enhancing old recordings to make them clearer or more dynamic. Customizing tracks for individual listening preferences. Separating instruments or vocals for remixing or immersive experiences. This creates a personalized, optimized sound experience that lossless alone cannot provide.
- Multi-Sensory Audio: The ultimate frontier may combine sound with touch or visuals, Haptic feedback in headphones or chairs. Music that creates a subtle vibration corresponding to bass or rhythm.
You’re not just listening—you’re experiencing music.
Availability
Lossless is rolling out gradually to 50+ countries through October. Premium listeners in Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the US, and the UK already have access.
