- Spotify is working on a tool to update older downloads to lossless audio without deleting them.
- The new mode uses FLAC files up to 24-bit/44,1 kHz to deliver higher quality
- The option was discovered in the code of the Android app, which is still in the development phase.
- The platform will warn about high data and storage consumption of lossless audio.
Spotify is preparing a major new feature for those who have been downloading music to their mobile phones for years. The company is working on an option that will allow Update old downloads to lossless audio without having to delete them and download them again from scratch, something that until now was quite cumbersome, especially in large libraries.
The function was discovered thanks to the analysis of the Android application's code, where references to a massive download that changes the quality of already saved filesAlthough it is not yet available to the public, everything points to it being a tool designed precisely for those who want to make the leap to lossless audio without completely cluttering their library.
What is Spotify's lossless audio and why does it matter?
For the past few months, Spotify Premium users in Spain and the rest of Europe have been able to activate a new quality level that offers lossless audio in FLAC format up to 24 bits/44,1 kHzUnlike the usual compressed formats, this type of file preserves many more nuances of the original recording.
In practice, that means that the songs They sound clearer, with better dynamic range. and a feeling closer to what you hear in the studio. For those who use good headphones or sound equipment, the leap can be remarkable, especially in styles with many details such as jazz, classical music or certain electronic music productions.
However, it's not all advantages. Lossless audio needs It requires much more storage space and consumes more data. than Spotify's standard quality. Various tests indicate that an hour of playback in this format can be around 1 GB, so updating a large downloaded library can strain both your phone's memory and data plan.
That's why the Swedish company has had to accompany the launch of this quality with Notices regarding the impact on data storage and trafficThis is also reflected in the internal messages that have appeared in the application's code.
The problem: old downloads couldn't be upgraded
The major obstacle since the introduction of lossless audio is that It only applied to new downloadsAll the music that users already had saved on their mobile phones remained limited to the previous quality, even if the new level had been activated in the account settings.
At other quality levels—low, normal, high, and very high—Spotify is indeed able to automatically update downloaded files When the user changes the settings, such as switching from 24 kbps to 96 kbps or higher quality, it's not a problem and the application handles it automatically.
With lossless audio, however, things changed completely: the only way to enjoy the highest quality in albums, playlists, or downloaded songs was delete all content and download it againA solution that, realistically, might be manageable if you only have a few lists, but becomes a real headache for those who have been accumulating downloads for years.
Many users in Spain and other European countries criticized precisely that point, since the effort required to reorganize the entire library meant that the appeal of the new format would be reduced Quite a lot. In practice, many chose to leave most of their downloads as they were and only use lossless audio for specific content.
In the end, the situation was striking: Spotify was finally offering a much-anticipated listening mode, but It did not provide an easy way to migrate pre-existing downloads to that quality, something that other music streaming platforms do manage more directly.
The new option to upgrade downloads to lossless audio
To address this problem, the company is working on a new download tool that, according to the app's code analyzed by Android Authority, will allow "Update current downloads to the selected audio quality"The reference appears in version 9.1.48.148 of Spotify for Android.
Although the lossless level is not explicitly mentioned in those code snippets, everything indicates that That is the main objective of the functionThe other quality settings are already adjusted automatically when the user changes the configuration, so the new feature would only make sense if it serves to convert all previously downloaded music to a lossless format.
The implementation is presented as a massive download that acts on the existing libraryInstead of going song by song or playlist by playlist, the system would allow all tracks stored on the device to be updated to the new quality in a single process, minimizing manual tasks.
This approach would be especially helpful for those who have built libraries with hundreds or thousands of songs stored locally. In those cases, deleting everything and starting over is not only inconvenient, but can also involve... lose the order that each person has given to their playlists, something that many users take great care of.
It is expected that, once activated for the public, this tool will be available to Premium subscribers in Spain and the rest of EuropeJust like lossless audio. At the moment, there are no concrete dates or official announcements, but the fact that there are already references in the code indicates that development is relatively advanced.
Notices about storage space and data usage
Android Authority's analysis has also revealed that Spotify is preparing specific warning messages linked to this new option. Internal text found in the code warns that the download update to lossless format This could cause the device to run out of space..
This type of warning is not accidental. FLAC files at 24-bit/44,1 kHz can take up between three and four times more space than a traditional high or very high quality song. If someone decides to update hundreds of tracks at once, they'll likely find their phone practically full.
Added to this is the data factor: if downloads are done using the mobile network, the amount of data used can quickly skyrocket. Therefore, it seems likely that Spotify will encourage users to download over a mobile network whenever possible. connected to a stable WiFi network and with the device plugged into the mains, to avoid surprises on both the bill and the battery.
In any case, the fact that the company includes these reminders shows that it is aware that, although lossless audio is very popular among the most demanding users, It's not a practical option for everyone.Especially on mobile phones with 64 GB of memory or less, having a large library entirely in FLAC format can be unrealistic.
It is expected that, once officially launched, the feature will include some kind of granular control to select which lists or albums to updateso that each person can decide whether it is worthwhile to convert their entire collection to the lossless format or only a part of it.
How to activate lossless audio and what users should keep in mind
Beyond this future tool, it's worth remembering that the zero-loss level is not activated by default. In Spain and other European markets, It is necessary to manually enter the application settings to choose the desired quality for both streaming and downloads.
Once activated, any new song downloaded from that point on can be saved in FLAC, provided the device and connection allow it. The problem, as we've seen, arises with everything that was downloaded before changing that setting, which continues to remain at a lower quality until it is lowered again.
With the new download update feature, this bottleneck should disappear. Premium users could, in theory, to suddenly improve the quality of your entire local library and ensure that your favorite albums and playlists sound as good as possible without having to redo your organization from scratch.
However, before rushing to update everything, it will be crucial to check the free space on your phone and assess whether it's really worth it. All downloaded music is in lossless audio formatFor many people, it may make sense to reserve this quality for the albums they listen to most often or for those where the difference is most noticeable, and leave the rest in high but lighter qualities.
In short, the arrival of lossless audio on Spotify has been an interesting leap forward for those seeking higher quality, but it has also revealed certain practical limitations. With the option to Update old downloads without deleting themThe platform is taking a necessary step to ensure that this feature better reflects how users actually use their libraries and doesn't just remain a claim in the app's settings.