How to Stream Lossless Audio on macOS 13

macOS 13 Ventura natively supports streaming lossless and high-resolution lossless audio directly through the Apple Music app without third-party software. By enabling the built-in playback settings, subscribers can stream audio encoded in Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) at resolutions ranging from 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD quality) up to 24-bit/192 kHz. This guide outlines how to configure native lossless streaming in macOS 13, hardware requirements, and key technical considerations.

How to Enable Lossless Streaming

Lossless streaming is disabled by default to preserve network bandwidth. To turn it on in macOS 13:

  1. Open the Music app on your Mac.
  2. In the menu bar, navigate to Music > Settings (or press Command + ,).
  3. Select the Playback tab.
  4. Under the Audio Quality section, check the box next to Lossless audio.
  5. Set your preferred quality under the Streaming dropdown:
    • Lossless: Up to 24-bit/48 kHz.
    • Hi-Res Lossless: Up to 24-bit/192 kHz.

Hardware Requirements

While macOS 13 handles the decoding natively, your output hardware dictates whether you can actually hear true lossless audio:

  • Standard Lossless (up to 24-bit/48 kHz): Plays natively through the Mac's built-in speakers, wired headphones, or connected powered studio monitors.
  • Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24-bit/192 kHz): Requires an external digital-to-analog converter (DAC) connected via USB or optical cable, paired with capable wired headphones or speakers. Note that certain Mac models released in 2021 or later feature upgraded 3.5mm headphone jacks that support hardware sample rates up to 96 kHz natively, but an external DAC is still necessary for 192 kHz playback.

Wireless and Bluetooth Limitations

Bluetooth connections do not support lossless audio. When using wireless headphones—including AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max—audio is transmitted using the lossy AAC codec rather than true lossless ALAC. To achieve lossless streaming, your playback chain must rely entirely on wired connections.

Managing Output Sample Rates

The Music app on macOS does not automatically switch the operating system's sample rate to match the incoming stream. To ensure bit-perfect audio without system resampling:

  1. Open the Audio MIDI Setup utility (located in /Applications/Utilities/).
  2. Select your active output device from the left sidebar.
  3. Manually adjust the Format dropdown to match the bit-depth and sample rate of the track currently playing (e.g., 24-bit/44.1 kHz, 24-bit/96 kHz, or 24-bit/192 kHz).