High quality on desktop is the same thing as extreme quality in the mobile app. The only difference is that it's named high quality in the desktop app instead of extreme. Both high quality on desktop and extreme quality on mobile are 320kbps bitrate. When you turn on high quality in the desktop app, this will also apply to offline songs. If you have 'High Quality' in preferences checked, Spotify should download the tracks in 320 Kbps or similar. ? 99% of the tracks are available in the Spotify catalogue in high quality, so most will download in high quality. If you previously made playlists offline before you selected 'High Quality' you will have to resync to make sure.
Part 1. Everything We Know About Spotify Bitrate
What's Bitrate?
Have you had a full knowledge of bit rate already? No matter yes or no, let's check what it means again. According to the official definition, bitrate refers to the number of bits—or the amount of data—that are processed over a certain amount of time. In audio tracks, this usually means kilobits per second. Taken Spotify as example, songs or playlists you stream on Spotify is 160 kilobits per second, meaning there are 160 kilobits of data stored in every second of a song. Higher bitrate, more storage. Lower bitrate, you will plain hear a bit of distortion or can't hear the subtle background tracks, etc. So, a higher bitrate track could be the better listening experience.
Which Bitrate Does Spotify Stream At?
As for Spotify audio bitrate, it could be divided into three different parts according to platforms and subscription plans. With using Spotify desktop client, free Spotify users will be able to enjoy 160 kbps standard quality on PC and Mac, while premium subscribers can listen to 320 kbps high quality on desktop client. With using Spotify Web Player, you can enjoy AAC 128 kbps or 256 kbps audio quality for free or paid users. Besides, Spotify has compressed its music down to a bit rate of 96 kbps for standard quality, 160kbps for high quality and 320 kbps for Extreme quality (Premium only) on mobile devices.
Spotify has a range of audio quality options to suit your device, plan, and preferences.
Music quality
Spotify free | Spotify Premium | |
Web player | AAC 128kbit/s | AAC 256kbit/s |
Desktop, mobile, and tablet | Automatic: Dependent on your network connection Low: Equivalent to approximately 24kbit/s Normal: Equivalent to approximately 96kbit/s High: Equivalent to approximately 160kbit/s | Automatic: Dependent on your network connection Low: Equivalent to approximately 24kbit/s Normal: Equivalent to approximately 96kbit/s High: Equivalent to approximately 160kbit/s Very high: Equivalent to approximately 320kbit/s |
Change music quality
App similar to spotify free. Turn music quality up to hear the finer details or turn it down to save data. Free spotify to mp3 mac.
Note: You can’t change audio settings when using Spotify Connect to play on another device.
You can have different settings for listening online (streaming quality) or offline (download quality).
Higher streaming quality uses more data, and higher download quality uses more space.
- Tap Home .
- Tap Settings .
- Under Music Quality, select your preferred settings.
- Click in the top-right corner and select Settings.
- Under Music Quality, select your preferred settings
You can’t adjust music quality on the web player. Download the app to get more features.
What Quality Is Spotify
Podcast quality
Podcast quality is equivalent to approximately 96kbit/s on all devices except the web player where it’s 128kbit/s.
Spotify App Extreme Quality Group
On mobile/tablet, if you change the music quality to low, the podcast quality will also lower to approximately 24kbit/s.