Spotify has officially started rolling out its highly anticipated lossless audio feature to its premium users. The feature is being launched more than four years after the company first teased the “Spotify HiFi” option, and existing paid users can use it at no extra cost. The new audio quality will be available in FLAC format at up to 24-bit/44.1kHz.
This release marks a significant step forward, especially as competitors like Apple Music and Amazon Music have offered similar high-fidelity and spatial audio features for years, typically without additional charges. While Spotify’s lossless audio is a major upgrade from its previous 320kbps Ogg Vorbis files, it still doesn’t match the high-resolution offerings of some competitors, which can go up to 24-bit/192kHz. Additionally, Spotify does not currently offer spatial audio content.
The new feature is being rolled out gradually, with premium users in over 50 markets expected to have access by the end of October. Initially, the feature is available in the US, UK, Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden. When the feature is available, users will receive a notification in the app and will need to manually enable it on each device. Spotify recommends using a Wi-Fi connection with wired headphones or speakers, as Bluetooth connections currently compress the audio signal.