> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.soundcloud-desktop.fun/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Audio quality: SQ, HQ and CDN

> What the badges by the player mean, and why STAR sometimes plays SQ

The badge is in the player at the bottom.

| Badge | What it means |
| - | - |
| **SQ** | Standard quality |
| **HQ** | High quality. Needs [STAR](/en/star) |
| **CDN** | The file came from the project's servers, not straight from SoundCloud. It is not a quality level: **HQ + CDN** is normal |

## Turn on HQ

<Steps>
  <Step title="Get STAR">
    Without STAR tracks play in SQ. [How to get STAR](/en/star/buy)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose HQ">
    Open **Settings -> Audio -> Playback -> Audio quality** and click **Max · HQ**. Or keep **Auto**: then HQ plays whenever the track has it. The current badge is on the right, in the **Now playing** line.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="STAR is on but it is still SQ" id="star-sq">
    The track came straight from SoundCloud (it only has SQ) or was saved earlier in SQ.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Choose HQ and play the track again">
        **Settings -> Audio -> Playback -> Audio quality -> Max · HQ**
      </Step>

      <Step title="Clear the audio cache">
        **Settings -> Storage -> Cache -> Audio -> Clear**, then play the track again.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Check the network">
        Open **Settings -> Network -> Network check -> Check** and follow the advice under the result. [What the result means](/en/fix/network-check)
      </Step>

      <Step title="Test without zapret">
        Turn zapret off and play the track again. Better? [The app doesn't work with zapret](/en/fix/zapret)
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Max · HQ is grey and cannot be clicked">
    The app does not see STAR on this account. [Paid, but STAR is not active](/en/star/not-active)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My Go+ on SoundCloud">
    Your SoundCloud Go+ subscription is not used in the app and does not change the quality. Full Go+ tracks instead of 30-second previews come with [STAR](/en/star).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


## Related topics

- [What STAR gives](/en/star.md)
- [Paid, but STAR is not active](/en/star/not-active.md)
- [No sound or sound on the wrong device](/en/fix/sound.md)
- [Uninstall or reinstall clean](/en/install/uninstall.md)
- [Tracks don't load or stay at 1%](/en/fix/tracks-not-loading.md)


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