How to Change Spotify Audio Quality on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Spotify is a popular music streaming service that gives you access to millions of songs and other audio content from artists around the world. One of Spotify's great features is the ability to adjust the audio quality, which can improve your listening experience. Whether you're using a computer running Windows, Mac or Linux, changing the audio quality can be beneficial, especially if you have a good set of headphones or speakers. This detailed explanation will guide you through the steps needed to adjust Spotify audio quality on these operating systems.

Understanding audio quality settings

Before going into the steps to change audio quality, it's important to understand what goes into the audio quality settings. Spotify offers different levels of streaming quality, which typically include:

• Low: This setting uses around 24 kbps and is suitable for very simple earphones or environments with poor internet connectivity.
• Normal: At around 96 kbps, this setting offers a balance between data usage and quality.
• High: This increases the quality to around 160 kbps, and is generally good for everyday listening.
• Very High: Exclusive to premium users, this quality level uses around 320 kbps and provides the best audio experience.

Choosing the right audio quality is not just about getting the best sound, but also about managing your data effectively. Higher audio quality uses more data, which can be a problem if you're on a metered internet connection.

Changing audio quality on Windows

If you're using Windows, changing the audio quality in Spotify is pretty easy. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Spotify application on your Windows computer. You can find the Spotify icon on your desktop or search for it using the Start menu.
2. Once Spotify opens, look for the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the window. It may be a circle with your profile image or a placeholder icon if no image is set.
3. Click on the profile icon and select Settings from the drop-down menu.
4. Scroll down the Settings page until you find the Music Quality section.
5. In the Music Quality section, you can see the streaming quality options along with a drop-down menu. Click the drop-down menu to see the different quality options: Automatic, Low, Normal, High, and if you are a Premium user, Very High.
6. Choose the quality setting you want. Remember, higher quality settings will use more data.
7. Once you choose the quality you want, the change is automatically saved. You can now close the settings menu.

With these steps, your Spotify streaming quality on your Windows system is changed, and you can enjoy your music with the new settings.

Changing audio quality on Mac

The steps to change Spotify audio quality on a Mac are very similar to those on a Windows PC. You need to:

1. Launch the Spotify app by clicking its icon in the Applications folder or using the Dock.
2. In the main Spotify interface, find your profile icon in the top-right corner and click on it.
3. Select Settings from the drop-down menu that appears.
4. Scroll down on the Settings page until you find the Music Quality section.
5. Find the Streaming Quality drop-down menu in this section. Click it to see the quality options available to you: Automatic, Low, Normal, High, and, for Premium users, Very High.
6. Select the quality setting you want from the list.
7. Your new sound quality selection will be saved automatically. You can now navigate or close the settings.

These steps will ensure that you are all set with the desired audio quality on Mac, giving you better sound output as per your preferences.

Changing audio quality on Linux

Spotify doesn't officially support Linux, but you can use it in a variety of ways by downloading it via Snap, Flatpak, or directly from the Spotify website. Assuming you already have Spotify installed, here's how you can change the audio quality on Linux:

1. Open the Spotify application through your Applications menu or by using a terminal command, such as spotify.
2. In the Spotify interface, find your profile icon in the top-right corner.
3. Click on this icon and choose Settings from the drop-down menu.
4. Under the Settings tab, look for the Music Quality section.
5. In this section, find the Streaming Quality drop-down menu. Click it to see your options: Automatic, Low, Normal, High, and Very High (assuming you have a Premium account).
6. Select your preferred audio quality from the drop-down list.
7. The changes you make will be saved automatically. You can now exit the Settings menu.

Using these instructions, you can adjust audio quality settings on Linux in a similar way to Windows and Mac.

Considerations for changing audio quality

With the knowledge of how to change Spotify audio quality on Windows, Mac, and Linux, there are a few additional elements to consider to optimize your listening experience:

• Internet connection: Higher audio quality levels consume more data. If you experience buffer delays, you may want to opt for a lower setting, especially if your internet connection is slow or if you are using mobile data with bandwidth restrictions.
• Device performance: Some older computers may have performance limitations, and playing higher quality streams may use more CPU and memory resources.
• Headphone/speaker type: If your listening device does not support high-quality audio qualities, you may not notice a significant difference in quality. Make sure your playback devices are capable of playing high-quality audio.

How audio quality affects your music experience

How you listen to your music or podcasts can be greatly affected by the audio quality. While low and normal audio settings may be sufficient for listening in noisy environments or on low-quality speakers, they may not do justice to music with rich, complex sounds when listening on high-end headphones or sound systems.

With Spotify's Very High setting, people often experience much crisper audio results, where instruments and vocal ranges become clearer and more distinct. This is especially beneficial for audiophiles and people who appreciate nuances in music recordings.

Examples of when to use the different quality settings

• Low quality: Ideal for traveling, when using public Wi-Fi or conserving mobile data.
• Normal quality: Suitable for general background listening while working, where perfect audio is not a priority.
• High quality: Ideal for listening at home with good Wi-Fi and basic to mid-range speakers or headphones.
• Very high quality: Best used at home for critical listening sessions with a good hi-fi system or high-quality headphones, where bandwidth usage isn't a concern.

Conclusion

Adjusting the audio quality on Spotify can make a huge difference to your music listening experience. Whether you're a casual listener or an audiophile, the ability to change audio quality allows you to tailor your Spotify experience to your needs and circumstances. By following simple steps, you can change the settings on Windows, Mac or Linux, ensuring seamless access to the optimal sound for your environment. By taking into account factors such as internet connection, device capabilities and intended use, you can make informed decisions about the best audio quality settings for every occasion.

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