Open Settings > Apps > Music > Audio Quality and turn on Lossless Audio. Then choose the quality you want for cellular streaming, Wi-Fi streaming, and downloads. Lossless files use more data and storage, and ordinary Bluetooth headphones do not play Apple Music's lossless stream as lossless audio.
Enable lossless playback
- Open Settings and choose Apps > Music.
- Tap Audio Quality.
- Turn on Lossless Audio.
- Set separate quality choices for Cellular Streaming, Wi-Fi Streaming, and Downloads.
If you use a cellular data cap, consider a lower setting for cellular streaming and a lossless choice for Wi-Fi. Higher quality downloads also occupy more device storage. The exact labels available can depend on your device and connection.
Choose equipment that can use it
Apple Music's standard Lossless can reach 24-bit/48 kHz. Hi-Res Lossless can go higher, but playback above 48 kHz requires an external digital-to-analog converter. Bluetooth connections, including normal AirPods playback, are not lossless. If you mostly listen through Bluetooth, changing the lossless setting may increase data use without giving you a lossless signal at your ears. A wired connection or suitable external audio hardware is the practical route when the format matters to you.
Existing downloads and other limits
Changing the download quality does not upgrade songs already stored on the phone. Delete those downloaded copies and download them again after choosing the new quality. Check available storage and use Wi-Fi before replacing a large library. Apple also notes that some Music features, including Automix and Crossfade, may be unavailable with Hi-Res Lossless. If playback is interrupted or storage fills quickly, use a lower quality choice for the relevant connection.
What lossless means in Apple Music
Lossless compression preserves the audio information in the original digital recording instead of discarding some of it to make a smaller file. Apple uses Apple Lossless Audio Codec, or ALAC, for its lossless catalog. Apple Music offers tracks from CD-quality 16-bit/44.1 kHz through 24-bit/192 kHz when the recording and playback equipment support it. The two numbers describe bit depth and sampling rate; selecting the highest number in Settings cannot create information that is absent from a particular recording.
The Lossless setting has a maximum of 24-bit/48 kHz on iPhone. Hi-Res Lossless can reach 24-bit/192 kHz, but Apple says an external digital-to-analog converter is required for sample rates above 48 kHz. A digital-to-analog converter, or DAC, turns the digital audio signal into the analog signal used by headphones or speakers. Choose a setting based on the equipment you actually use rather than assuming the largest number will improve every listening session.
Pick separate quality settings for each situation
Music offers separate controls for Cellular Streaming, Wi-Fi Streaming, and Downloads. That separation is useful. Someone who listens on mobile data during a commute can choose a more economical cellular option, while keeping Lossless for home Wi-Fi and downloads. If you routinely play through wireless headphones, remember that the Bluetooth connection itself is not lossless, even when the source track is labeled Lossless.
Higher settings use more data and space and can make tracks take longer to start on a weak connection. Before changing cellular quality, check your plan's data limit. Before choosing lossless downloads for a large library, check Settings > General > iPhone Storage so you know how much free space remains. If a high setting causes buffering, change only the affected connection category rather than turning off the entire feature.
Check whether a track is available in lossless
Apple says a Lossless icon can appear on album pages when lossless audio is available. With Lossless Audio enabled, it can also appear in Now Playing. This identifies the offered format, not proof that the sound reaching a particular Bluetooth headset is lossless. Network conditions and the capabilities of connected headphones or speakers still matter. Some tracks or regions may not offer the same format. Apple Music itself is not available everywhere.
If you are comparing two versions of a song, match the playback volume and equipment before deciding that one setting sounds better. A louder playback often seems clearer even when the file format is unchanged. Listening preference is personal; lossless availability is a technical format claim, not a promise that every listener will hear a difference.
Replace old downloads correctly
Changing the Downloads quality affects future downloads. Apple says songs already downloaded must be removed and downloaded again from the Apple Music catalog to obtain a lossless version. Confirm that the song is in your library and that you can access the catalog before removing its local copy. Use Wi-Fi for a large redownload if cellular data is limited. Then check the Music app and available storage. Removing a download is different from deleting a song from your library; choose the local-download action when you intend to keep the library entry.
Troubleshooting and questions
When high quality playback pauses or stalls
Lossless audio needs a steadier connection than a smaller compressed stream. If music pauses on cellular data, try the same song on a reliable Wi-Fi network. If Wi-Fi works, choose a lower cellular quality while keeping Lossless for Wi-Fi and downloads. If both connections stall, check whether the Music service and your internet connection are working before changing the audio setting again. A song that has already been downloaded can help distinguish streaming trouble from playback trouble: play the local copy while offline and note whether it starts reliably.
How to choose between Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless
Start with Lossless unless you have a wired playback chain and an external DAC that supports higher sample rates. Apple says regular Lossless reaches 24-bit/48 kHz, which matches the upper limit before the external DAC requirement. Hi-Res Lossless offers a higher maximum, but the track, connection, converter, and output device all have to support the format to use it. If one part of the chain does not, a bigger streaming setting alone does not change the physical output.
For an iPhone used mostly with AirPods, choose quality with data use and convenience in mind. Apple's Bluetooth note means the wireless link is not lossless. For a wired listening setup, check the headphone adapter or DAC specifications rather than assuming any cable provides high-resolution playback. Also consider whether the listening environment is quiet enough for subtle differences to matter to you.
Storage and download planning
Before redownloading a playlist, try one album and inspect the resulting storage use. If that works well, replace the rest in manageable groups. Avoid deleting an entire offline library immediately before a trip: you may not have time or connectivity to rebuild it. In Music settings, Apple's Optimize Storage option can automatically remove downloads you have not played in a while when space is low. That may be useful for storage management, but it is a separate choice from the audio format and could remove offline copies you expect to have available.
Downloaded Apple Music tracks remain subject to Apple Music access and catalog availability. Changing quality does not make a permanent purchased copy or upgrade a file acquired from another source. If a particular album does not show the expected Lossless label, verify that you are viewing the Apple Music catalog version, not a previously imported or separately purchased file.
A quick setup example
If you listen through wireless headphones on the train and wired equipment at home, choose a moderate Cellular Streaming setting, enable Lossless for Wi-Fi Streaming, and choose Lossless for Downloads only for music you know you will play through the wired setup. Play a known album over Wi-Fi and check for the Lossless indicator. Then compare cellular use and storage over several days. If either becomes inconvenient, reduce only the affected category. The setting is a tradeoff you can revise, not a one-time commitment.
Why is the Lossless switch missing? Confirm that you have an Apple Music subscription, the Music app is available in your region, and iOS is current enough for the feature. Look under Settings > Apps > Music > Audio Quality on recent iOS versions. Older Settings layouts can place Music directly in the main list.
Will AirPods play lossless over Bluetooth? Apple says ordinary Bluetooth connections, including AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and Beats wireless headphones, are not lossless. The audio may still sound good; the transmission format is the distinction.
Should I choose Hi-Res Lossless on the phone's built-in output? The higher-than-48 kHz sample rates need an external DAC. Without suitable equipment, the larger setting can consume more resources without delivering the intended high-resolution output.
Does lossless apply to tracks I imported myself? The Apple Music setting applies to supported Apple Music catalog audio. A file you imported has its own source format; the setting cannot turn a previously lossy file into a lossless original.
For a separate download walkthrough, see how to listen to Apple Music offline. If you also stream with Pandora, see how to change Pandora audio quality on an iPhone.
Apple's lossless audio guide explains quality settings, equipment, and download behavior.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.