What are the best Apple Music sound quality settings on iPhone?

Turn off Dolby Atmos, EQ, Sound Check, and Crossfade. Turn on Lossless Audio. Set streaming and downloads to Hi-Res Lossless if you use an external DAC, or Lossless if you listen through headphones.

Does Hi-Res Lossless on Apple Music require a DAC?

Hi-Res Lossless content at sample rates above 48 kHz requires an external DAC connected to the iPhone or iPad via USB-C or Lightning. The built-in speaker and the Lightning-to-headphone adapter operate at lower rates.

Should I turn off Dolby Atmos in Apple Music?

For bit-perfect playback, yes. Dolby Atmos applies spatial processing to stereo tracks and replaces Lossless delivery with an Atmos mix where available. If you prefer the original stereo master, turn Atmos off.

Does AirPods support Apple Music Lossless?

No. Bluetooth codecs available to AirPods do not carry Apple Music Lossless end-to-end. Lossless output requires a wired digital path - USB-C or Lightning - to an external DAC.

Unlock the Best Apple Music Quality in Settings - iPhone & iPad

First, tap on Search and enter music.

Then, open Music . Select following settings:

Apple Music Audio settings on iPhone - Dolby Atmos off, Audio Quality, EQ off, Sound Check off, Song Transitions off

Apple Music Audio Quality settings on iPhone - Lossless Audio on, Mobile Data Streaming Lossless, Wi-Fi Streaming Hi-Res Lossless, Downloads Hi-Res Lossless

Settings at a glance

Setting	Location	Set to
Dolby Atmos	Settings → Music → Dolby Atmos	Off
EQ	Settings → Music → EQ	Off
Sound Check	Settings → Music → Sound Check	Off
Crossfade	Settings → Music → Crossfade	Off (optional)
Lossless Audio	Settings → Music → Audio Quality	On
Wi-Fi Streaming	Settings → Music → Audio Quality	Hi-Res Lossless (with DAC) / Lossless
Cellular Streaming	Settings → Music → Audio Quality	Lossless
Downloads	Settings → Music → Audio Quality	Hi-Res Lossless (with DAC) / Lossless

Choose the tier by output

With an external USB-C or Lightning DAC

Set Wi-Fi Streaming, Cellular Streaming, and Downloads to Hi-Res Lossless. The DAC receives the digital signal at its native sample rate (up to 24-bit / 192 kHz) and handles the digital-to-analog conversion outside the iPhone's internal chain.

Without an external DAC (wired or Bluetooth headphones, built-in speaker)

Set streaming to Lossless (up to 24-bit / 48 kHz). The Lightning-to-headphone adapter and the iPhone's built-in output operate at 48 kHz; Hi-Res Lossless beyond that rate gets downsampled by iOS before it reaches a headphone jack. Lossless is the honest ceiling for that chain.

On AirPods or other Bluetooth

AirPods and Bluetooth headphones use Apple's AAC codec for wireless delivery; Apple Music Lossless does not carry end-to-end over Bluetooth. Set streaming to Lossless anyway for local lossless playback and for cases where you plug into a DAC later; expect AAC fidelity when streaming to AirPods.