Spotify finally brings lossless audio at no extra cost to users but there's a catch

Spotify

After years of “coming soon” promises, Spotify is finally flipping the switch on lossless audio. First teased in 2017, promised again in 2021, and declared “almost ready” in mid-2024, HiFi audio on Spotify had become something of a running joke. But this time it’s real — and rolling out globally.

No HiFi paywall

The biggest surprise? Lossless isn’t being tucked behind a new HiFi or Music Pro subscription. All Spotify Premium users get access automatically, at no extra cost. The rollout starts with 50 markets including the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and Australia, with availability expanding over the next two months.

Subscribers will see an in-app notification once the feature lands. From there, lossless playback can be enabled in Settings → Media Quality. Spotify says tracks playing in lossless will be flagged with an indicator in the Now Playing bar and via the Connect Picker on supported devices.

At launch, the feature will work with gear from Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Sonos and Amazon Echo support is promised next month. That means most mainstream hardware will be ready, though audiophiles with exotic setups may need to wait.

The catch: resolution limits

There’s one caveat: Spotify’s lossless caps out at 24-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC. That’s a big step up from today’s compressed streams, but not as generous as rivals. Apple Music, Tidal, and Qobuz all offer Hi-Res Lossless up to 24-bit / 192 kHz.

For everyday listeners, the difference will be negligible unless you’re running high-end speakers or headphones. However, the ceiling gives Spotify room to launch a more premium “deluxe” tier later if it wants to chase audiophiles with deeper pockets.