After years of rumours and plenty of healthy speculation, Spotify has finally brought one of its longest-standing promises: lossless audio. It’s a brand new listening experience rolling out to Premium subscribers right now. Have a subscription, and wondering what it means for the way you listen to music? Here’s what you actually need to know.
So, what actually is “lossless” audio?
In simple terms, lossless audio means you're hearing music in a much higher quality than standard streaming. In simple terms, it’s about preserving every detail from the original recording of a song, without compressing away the nuance.
On the technical side, Spotify’s Lossless streams in FLAC at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz. For most listeners, that means richer detail, deeper clarity, and a listening experience that's akin to a front-row seat in the recording studio. In other words, if you’ve ever flinched at a muffled bassline, this is the fix.
Are there any downsides to Spotify Lossless?
Just one: file size. Lossless audio is data-heavy, which means tracks may take a little longer to load, especially on slower networks. That said, once cached, you’re good to go. And yes, if you’re streaming on cellular, expect your data usage to spike—plan accordingly.
When will it reach you?
Spotify’s Lossless is rolling out in more than 50 markets now. If you're in Australia, the US, the UK, Japan, or most of Europe, there's a good chance it's already available. Keep an eye out for a notification in your app.
How to access Spotify Lossless
Once available in your market, Lossless will appear as a new option under your Media Quality settings. You can toggle it independently for Wi-Fi, cellular, and downloads, giving you total control over data use and storage.
You’ll also see a Lossless indicator in the 'Now Playing' bar, so you know exactly when you're streaming in full quality.
Spotify recommends using wired headphones or speakers, since Bluetooth doesn’t have the bandwidth to handle true lossless files yet.
Where can you listen?
Lossless is supported across Spotify’s mobile, desktop, and tablet apps, plus many Spotify Connect-enabled devices from brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser.
Feature image via Pinterest.
