Ever since digital music entered the picture, it’s just sort of been a given that we’ve traded quality for quantity. Nothing might sound as crisp as a record, but hey, we now have bajillions of songs at our fingertips. ‘Tis the price of modern convenience.
But for those who do want to enhance their listening experience, content creator Mike Sheffer (@mike.sheffer) can help. He claims Spotify users can make a simple setting tweak that’s apparently like switching from “240p” to “4K,” only for sound.
So, what is the secret to this magical sound setting? Lossless audio.
Streaming services automatically compress files to make them take up less storage space and play more reliably. However, with lossless audio, all the original data is preserved, offering something much more faithful to a studio recording. While other apps have offered a lossless audio option, it’s a relatively new feature that Spotify rolled out in September 2025.
“It’s a night-and-day difference,” says Sheffer. “Drums will sound better, singers will sound better, you’ll hear background stuff, you’ll hear little ear candy that maybe you weren’t picking up on before. The instruments are always going to be better. No downside.”
He even added that this shift can be heard whether you’re listening via headphones, speakers, or car audio systems.
Enabling lossless audio on Spotify
As Sheffer explains, after going to the home screen and tapping on the circle with your picture on it, you’ll click on “Settings and Privacy.”
Next, tap “Media Quality,” and choose lossless audio for Wi-Fi, cellular, or downloads.
One caveat: Spotify warns that higher-quality audio files are larger and may require stronger connections or compatible devices.
In addition to lossless audio, Sheffer suggested incorporating other settings like “gapless playback,” which removes pauses between songs, as well as turning off “volume normalization,” which adjusts volume levels across tracks and can compromise sound quality. Both can be found in the “Settings” section.
Of course, even small upgrades like this come with a familiar tradeoff. As mentioned, higher-quality audio uses more data, demands stronger connections, and may not be noticeable to every listener, especially in everyday environments. For some, the convenience of seamless streaming will always outweigh the pursuit of perfect sound.
As streaming services have expanded—whether for music, movies, or television—we’ve gained unprecedented access to vast libraries of content, often at the expense of the meticulous quality that once defined physical formats. The result has been an ongoing push and pull between having more and having better. While convenience still reigns, it is nice that options like lossless audio are increasingly available for those who want to fine-tune their experience.
