via Spotify, For the Record

Spotify just rolled out something listeners have been asking about for years: lossless audio for Premium subscribers. That means you can finally stream music in 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC, giving you more detail, depth, and nuance than the usual compressed streams. It’s a big step forward if you’ve ever felt like your favorite tracks were missing some of the texture you’d hear on a CD or vinyl.

The feature isn’t locked behind a new plan—it’s included with Premium. You’ll be able to choose whether to stream or download in lossless depending on your connection. Spotify even shows you the data costs for each quality option, so you can decide if you want the extra fidelity on Wi-Fi, cellular, or offline downloads. The little “Lossless” indicator in the Now Playing screen will let you know when it’s active.

Right now, it works on mobile, desktop, tablets, and a bunch of Spotify Connect devices from brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Support for Sonos and Amazon gear is rolling out next month. The one catch? Bluetooth still compresses audio, so if you really want the full effect you’ll need wired headphones or speakers—or a Connect device over Wi-Fi.

Spotify is rolling this out to Premium users across 50+ countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, and Sweden, with more regions coming through October. If you’re eligible, you’ll get a notification, and you can flip the switch under Settings → Media Quality.

For Linux users, access is facilitated through the official Spotify app, utilizing the Chromium Embedded Framework to ensure cross-platform compatibility. However, subscribers will need to manually activate the feature on each of their devices to enjoy the enhanced quality.

This upgrade positions Spotify alongside its competitors, enhancing the listening experience for its users and potentially drawing in more audiophiles seeking the best audio streaming options.

For anyone who’s been frustrated with Spotify’s sound quality compared to Apple Music or Tidal, this levels the playing field. Casual listeners can stick to lighter settings, but if you’ve got decent gear and care about the details, this is the update you’ve been waiting for.