Spotify has always been my favorite music service. I love its playlists, personalized recommendations, and how easy it is to use. But lately, it can feel a little less exciting for newcomers compared with Apple Music. Apple streams music in lossless audio and even offers spatial audio, which makes songs sound richer and more detailed. If you care about sound quality, this difference can be noticeable.
The exciting news is that Spotify now has lossless sound, also once known as Spotify HiFi. It's a bit late, since it was expected in 2024, but it's finally here. This is a big step for Spotify, and I was eager to try it and hear the difference myself.
After checking it out, I realized Lossless isn't available to everyone yet. Even though it's a Premium feature, it hasn't shown up in my settings. According to Spotify, it will be appear once you get a notification, so some users might see it before others.
In this post, we'll cover what we know about Spotify lossless audio so far. We'll show how to access and enable it using official guidance, and share some tips to get the most out of it. Let's get started.
Part 1. Spotify Lossless Audio vs. Standard vs. Other Streaming Qualities
Premium listeners now have more control over audio quality. You can choose from Low, Normal, High, Very High, and the new Lossless option. Each setting affects data usage, which you can see along with the tier or check later in this post.
The older options use compressed audio formats. Low streams at about 24 kbps, Normal at 96 kbps, High at 160 kbps, and Very High up to 320 kbps. Before Lossless, "Very High" was the top option, available only to Premium users on the apps (not Web Player). Spotify uses Ogg Vorbis for its apps and AAC for the web version and Apple devices. These compressed formats reduce file size by removing some of the music's original data. That means some details, depth, and texture can be lost, especially when listening on good headphones or speakers.
Lossless changes all that. Formats like FLAC and Apple's ALAC keep all the original data from a song. Spotify Lossless streams in FLAC at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz, letting you hear every detail from the original recording. This is a big upgrade for daily listeners, and it may encourage some free users to subscribe. Combined with popular features like DJ, Jam, and Mix, music now sounds richer and more immersive than ever.
| Tier | Approx. Data per Minute | Approx. Data per Hour | Approx. Hours to Reach 1GB | Approx. Songs to Reach 1GB |
| Low (24 kbps) | 0.18 MB | 10.8 MB | 92.6 hours | ~1,852 songs |
| Normal (96 kbps) | 0.72 MB | 43.2 MB | 23.1 hours | ~463 songs |
| High (160 kbps) | 1.2 MB | 72 MB | 13.8 hours | ~277 songs |
| Very High (320 kbps) | 2.4 MB | 144 MB | 6.9 hours | ~138 songs |
| Lossless (24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC) | ~9 MB | ~540 MB | ~1.85 hours | ~37 songs |
Part 2. What You Need for Spotify Lossless Audio
Before getting Lossless, there are a few things you need. They're simple, but important to get ready to stream music in the best quality and hear your favorite songs in a richer, fuller way:
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1. Spotify Premium
Lossless audio is only for Premium users. Free accounts can't use it, so make sure your Premium plan is active. FYI: it now costs $11.99 per month and gives access to unlimited listening, a variety of content, and features like Mix. Lossless is another great reason to subscribe. As with any brand-new feature, it's rolling out slowly and is available only in select markets, so patience is needed.
Available markets: Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and the US. -
2. The Spotify App
You need the latest Spotify app. Lossless works on desktop and mobile apps, but not on the web player.
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3. Devices That Work
Not all devices support Lossless audio yet. If you use Spotify Connect like me, it currently works with some devices from brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Spotify also plans to add support for more devices. Sonos and Amazon audio devices should get Lossless next month, according to the official post.
Part 3. How to Enable Lossless Audio on Spotify
Once you have Spotify Premium, the app, and a compatible device, you can start streaming in lossless quality. Keep in mind that Lossless must be enabled individually on each device you use.
- Stream lossless audio over Wi-Fi instead of cellular for the clearest sound and to save data.
- Make sure your device supports Lossless; some older speakers may only play compressed audio.
- Use wired headphones or speakers whenever possible — wired connections deliver better quality than Bluetooth.
- You'll know Lossless is active when you see the Lossless indicator in the playback view.
Directly on Your Device
For Desktop (Windows / Mac):
- Open the Spotify app on your computer.
- Click your profile icon and select Settings.
- Scroll down to the Audio Quality section.
- Click the chevron down icon next to the current selection for both Streaming and Downloads.
- Choose Lossless.
- For the best experience, connect to a strong Wi-Fi network and enable Lossless for both online and offline playback. Turn off the Automatic setting to prevent Spotify from changing your selection. You can adjust these options depending on how you listen.
For Mobile (iOS / Android):
- Open the Spotify app on your phone.
- Go to Settings and tap Media Quality.
- Select Lossless for Wi-Fi, cellular, or downloaded music.
For Other Spotify Connect Devices
From Desktop (Windows / Mac):
- Open the Spotify app on your computer.
- Play the song or playlist you want in Lossless.
- Click the Devices Available icon in the bottom-right corner of the app.
- Browse the list of compatible devices connected to your network.
- Select the device you want to cast to (like a supported speaker or home audio system).
- Lossless playback will switch to that device.
From Mobile (iOS / Android):
- Open the Spotify app on your phone.
- Start playing a song or playlist in Lossless.
- Tap the Devices Available icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Browse the list of compatible devices on your Wi-Fi network.
- Tap the device you want to play music on. Music will now stream lossless audio to the selected device.
Part 4. Best Spotify Lossless Audio Downloaders
If you want to play Spotify tracks outside the app, a good downloader is essential. Spotify songs are in OGG Vorbis format and protected by DRM, which prevents them from being used in other apps or devices—even if you're a Premium user.
ViWizard Spotify Music Converter solves this problem. It's a lossless downloader that lets you download songs, albums, playlists, podcasts, and even audiobooks from Spotify, then convert them to formats like FLAC while keeping the original quality. After conversion, you can play your favorite songs on any device.
Download Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks as MP3 and more. Keep full sound and listen offline anytime.
Step 1Install and Open ViWizard
Download and install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter on your computer (Windows or Mac). Open the program and log in to your Spotify account. It works with both free and Premium accounts. The built-in Spotify interface lets you browse playlists, albums, or tracks directly inside the app.
Step 2Add the Spotify Tracks You Want
Use the search bar or paste Spotify links to select the playlists, albums, or individual songs you want to download. Click the + button to add them to your download list. You can choose exactly what you want, whether it's a single track, a full playlist, or an entire album.
Step 3Set FLAC as the Output Format
Go to Preferences or Settings and choose FLAC as the output format to ensure lossless quality. You can also adjust audio settings and organize your files by artist or playlist for a neat library.
Step 4Convert and Save Your Music
Click the Convert button to start the process. ViWizard will remove DRM and save the music in FLAC format on your computer. Once finished, open the output folder to access your files. They are now ready to play on any device that supports FLAC, letting you enjoy Spotify tracks in true lossless quality.
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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