Apple Music Lossless: What It Is and How It Changes Your Listening

When you stream music on Apple Music lossless, a high-fidelity audio format that delivers music without compression, preserving every note as the artist recorded it. Also known as lossless streaming, it’s not just a marketing buzzword—it’s a technical upgrade that makes a real difference if you care about sound quality. Most streaming services, including Apple Music’s standard tier, use compressed audio like AAC or MP3. These formats shrink file size by cutting out sounds most people can’t hear—but what if you can? Lossless audio keeps all of it, from the brush of a cymbal to the breath between vocal lines.

Apple Music lossless works with any pair of headphones, but to truly hear the difference, you need the right gear. A $20 pair of earbuds won’t reveal the full range. You need something that can handle higher bit depths and sample rates—like wired headphones connected directly to your iPhone, or a dedicated DAC and amp setup. The high-resolution audio, audio with a sample rate above 48kHz and bit depth over 16-bit, often labeled as Hi-Res. Also known as Hi-Res audio, it goes even further than standard lossless, offering up to 24-bit/192kHz. Apple Music supports both, so you can pick the level that fits your ears and your budget.

This isn’t just for audiophiles with fancy setups. If you’ve ever listened to a song and thought, "There’s something there I can’t quite place," lossless might be the answer. It brings back the warmth, the space, the dynamics that compression flattens. A piano doesn’t just sound clearer—it sounds alive. A drum hit doesn’t just hit harder—it fills the room. And when you listen to albums like Joni Mitchell’s Blue or Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool, the difference isn’t subtle. It’s emotional.

Apple Music lossless doesn’t require a separate subscription. It’s included in your existing plan. But turning it on isn’t automatic. You have to go into Settings > Music > Audio Quality and flip the switch. Then, your phone or computer will stream the best version your gear can handle. It uses more data, so if you’re on mobile, you might want to download tracks over Wi-Fi first. But once downloaded, they stay lossless—even offline.

Compare this to other services. Spotify’s highest quality is still compressed. Tidal and Amazon Music Unlimited offer lossless too, but Apple Music has the biggest catalog, the most consistent delivery, and the easiest setup. You don’t need a special app. You don’t need to pay extra. You just need to turn it on.

Below, you’ll find guides on how to get the most out of Apple Music lossless, what gear actually makes a difference, how to spot the difference in your favorite songs, and what to watch out for when streaming or downloading. Whether you’re just curious or ready to upgrade your listening, the next few posts will show you exactly where to start.