# TIDAL

Application: Block, Inc.

Also called tidal hi-fi, tidal desktop

Block, Inc., System

A HiFi streaming client. Ownership moved to Block. The process is TIDAL.exe. It is not Spotify.

## What you need to know

TIDAL is the HiFi catalog client. Spotify is a different locker.

TIDAL.exe signs in to TIDAL. Ownership moved to Block. Quality tiers are a billing choice, not a Windows codec pack.

- **What is it?**: A HiFi streaming client

  **Who owns it?**: Block. The app is still TIDAL.exe

  **Same as Spotify?**: No. Different catalog and account

Feex says

If you bought TIDAL for the HiFi plan, I would install the client from tidal.com. I would not tell you it is Spotify with a different skin, and I would not dump those downloads into foobar2000.

## What is TIDAL?

TIDAL’s Windows app is the official desktop player for that catalog. TIDAL.exe streams what your plan includes.

## If you have never used it

If you pay for TIDAL because you want the HiFi or Max tiers that service sells, this is the Windows client. Download it from tidal.com/download. Sign in with the TIDAL account. It is not Spotify. It is not a local FLAC folder player, even though the marketing talks about quality. Block (the Square company) owns TIDAL now. That is a corporate fact, not a new exe name.

## What is it used for?

**HiFi catalog playback**

Play the TIDAL locker at the tier you pay for. Spotify’s catalog and social stack are a different product.

**Offline on a plan**

Download albums the client allows. They stay inside TIDAL, not a foobar2000 library.

**Desktop tray player**

Media keys and a resident window. The website also plays if you do not want TIDAL.exe.

## Who is it for?

- People who already pay for a TIDAL HiFi or Max plan
- Listeners who chose TIDAL instead of Spotify for that catalog
- Anyone who should ignore “TIDAL unlocked” installers

## Current status

TIDAL (2014) is a current music streaming from Block, Inc.. The vendor still points Windows users at https://tidal.com/download.

## How old is it?

TIDAL launched in 2014 as a high-end streaming brand, later associated with artist ownership stories, then moved under Block. It is newer than Spotify’s 2008 service and much newer than Winamp. A 2015 “Jay-Z owns TIDAL” headline is history, not the current owner.

## Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Desktop

Web player

## System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

### Minimum

| Operating system | A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| RAM              | 4 GB class machines run the client. Offline caches want disk         |

## Resource profile

- **CPU demand**: Decode and hardware acceleration

  **Network demand**: Streaming at the tier you pay for

## Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

| TIDAL.exe | Main Windows executable |
| --------- | ----------------------- |

## Startup components

TIDAL can start with Windows from its settings. Turn that off if you only want it when you click the shortcut.

## File locations

| Typical install | C:\Users\\\<you>\AppData\Local\TIDAL\\ |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------- |

## File formats

streamed TIDAL audio

## Common problems

### Plan does not include the quality you expected

HiFi and Max are plan names. That is the account page, not a broken DAC.

### Crashed after a GPU driver change

Toggle hardware acceleration in TIDAL before you replace the card.

## Getting unstuck

### Install from tidal.com/download

The official Windows client is there. Search-ad setups are bait.

### Confirm the Block-era account still signs in

If login fails, TIDAL support is the path. Reinstalling Windows will not recreate the subscription.

### Check output device in TIDAL settings

Exclusive mode and the wrong endpoint are player settings, not a dead headset by themselves.

## Alternatives

Spotify or Apple Music if that is the catalog you already pay for. foobar2000 if you already own the files.

## Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

| Download      | [tidal.com/download ](https://tidal.com/download)Official installer or vendor page |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Help          | [support.tidal.com/ ](https://support.tidal.com/)Vendor support                    |
| Official site | [tidal.com/download ](https://tidal.com/download)Start here, not a random exe host |

## Related hardware

A clean DAC path matters more for HiFi talk than a gaming GPU. The plan still has to include that quality.

## Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

## Related

These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link.

[Deezer: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/deezer)[Spotify: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/spotify)[How to read Task Manager: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/how-to-read-task-manager)

## Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research).

- [TIDAL official site ](https://tidal.com/download)· Vendor product page
- [TIDAL help ](https://support.tidal.com/)· Vendor support
- [TIDAL support ](https://support.tidal.com/)· Plans, playback, and desktop help
- [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

## Was this article useful?

A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note.

Quick facts

The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article.

- **Developer**: Block, Inc.

  **Category**: Music streaming

  **Process**: TIDAL.exe

  **License**: Free client. Catalog needs a TIDAL plan

  **First released**: 2014

  **Official site**: [tidal.com](https://tidal.com/download)

  **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole

Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026

---

Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/software/tidal/)

[Developer guide](https://feex.it/wiki/developers/) | [API policy](https://feex.it/developers/api-policy/) | [Agent guidance](https://feex.it/wiki/llms.txt)