The long, long wait is over — Spotify Lossless has arrived and here's how to turn it on

Spotify Lossless, the highly anticipated high-fidelity audio tier, has officially arrived, bringing crystal-clear sound to your favourite tunes. It’s been a marathon, not a sprint, since Spotify first teased HiFi back in 2021, and even longer since those initial murmurs of better-than-CD quality streaming began to circulate eight years ago. Many of us had nearly given up hope, but our patience has finally paid off.

Spotify Lossless now offers audio streaming up to 24-bit/44.1kHz in FLAC, covering nearly every song in its colossal 100 million-plus catalogue. That's a noticeable step up from standard CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) and a welcome change for audiophiles and casual listeners alike. The best part? This incredible upgrade is being rolled out to existing Spotify Premium subscribers at no additional cost.

The rollout has already begun as of this month, continuing through October, in over 50 countries. Premium users in Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the US, and the UK are among the first to get access. Keep an eye out for a notification that will let you know you’ve got the function.

Spotify Lossless is compatible across mobile, desktop, and tablet devices and integrates seamlessly with Spotify Connect. This is fantastic news, as many hi-fi and audio products already support Connect. Launch partners include Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser, Denon, Marantz, Bluesound, and Yamaha, with Sonos support hot on their heels.

To truly savour the Lossless experience, Spotify recommends streaming over Wi-Fi or using wired headphones and speakers. Bluetooth, despite being convenient, just can't handle the full bandwidth of lossless audio, meaning your signal would be compressed.

This launch is a huge moment for the streaming market. While Spotify has always shone with its usability and discovery features, sound quality has sometimes lagged behind rivals like Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music. Now, Spotify is firmly back in the game.

How to turn on Spotify Lossless

Ready to elevate your listening? It's super simple! Once you receive your notification that Lossless is available:

• Tap your profile icon in the top left of the Spotify app.
• Head to Settings and Privacy.
• Select Media Quality.
• You'll see the Lossless option appear alongside other audio streaming choices for Wi-Fi, cellular, and downloads. Enable it where needed.
• You'll know it's on when the "Lossless" indicator pops up in the Now Playing view or bar. Remember to enable it manually on each device you use.

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