FormatDrop
Video Format

HEVC

High Efficiency Video Coding (H.265)

HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), also called H.265, is the video codec used in 4K video, modern iPhone recordings, and streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. It achieves roughly 50% better compression than H.264 at the same visual quality — meaning 4K video streams without consuming your entire data plan. The catch: older devices can't play it without stuttering, and some platforms won't accept it.

What is HEVC?

HEVC is a video compression standard developed jointly by the ISO/IEC MPEG group and the ITU-T VCEG group, published in 2013. It's the successor to H.264 (AVC) and uses more sophisticated compression algorithms — larger coding units, more prediction modes, and better entropy coding — to achieve significantly better compression efficiency. At equivalent visual quality, HEVC files are 40–60% smaller than H.264. In practice this means: 4K/60fps video that would be 100 GB/hour in H.264 is 50 GB/hour in HEVC. For streaming, a 4K Netflix stream in HEVC uses 15 Mbps vs. 25+ Mbps in H.264. HEVC is used as: the recording format for 4K video on iPhones (stored in MOV containers as HEVC), the codec used by most modern mirrorless cameras for high-resolution recording, the delivery codec for 4K/HDR content on Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, and the codec inside HEIC photo files (HEIC containers use HEVC compression for still images). Hardware support: all Apple devices with A9 chip or newer support HEVC decode; most Android phones from 2017+ have hardware HEVC decode; Windows 10+ supports HEVC with the Microsoft HEVC extension (free or paid depending on source); macOS supports HEVC natively since High Sierra.

HEVC pros and cons

Advantages

  • 40–60% smaller files than H.264 at equivalent quality
  • Standard for 4K and 8K video delivery
  • HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision) support
  • 10-bit colour depth support
  • Excellent hardware decode support on modern devices
  • Default recording codec on iPhone for 4K

Limitations

  • Older devices (pre-2017 phones, old laptops) cannot hardware-decode HEVC
  • Encoding is significantly more CPU-intensive than H.264
  • Windows requires extra codec install for software without built-in support
  • Some web browsers don't support HEVC playback
  • Multiple competing royalty pools (patent licensing complexity)
  • Not universally accepted by video platforms (some prefer H.264)

When should you convert HEVC files?

Convert HEVC to H.264 when sharing with people on older devices, uploading to platforms that don't support HEVC (older web video players), or sending to editing software that doesn't handle HEVC well. Convert to H.264 for YouTube uploads (YouTube accepts HEVC but re-encodes everything to VP9/AV1 anyway, so H.264 is equally valid). Keep HEVC for archiving 4K content where file size matters, or for Apple ecosystem sharing where all recipients have modern Apple devices.

Convert HEVC files

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HEVC FAQ

Is HEVC the same as H.265?
Yes — HEVC and H.265 refer to the same standard. HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) is the ISO name; H.265 is the ITU-T name. Both appear in product specifications — your camera might say 'records in H.265' while a streaming spec says 'HEVC' — they mean exactly the same codec.
How do I play HEVC video on Windows?
Windows 10/11 supports HEVC but requires a codec. Options: (1) Install the 'HEVC Video Extensions' from the Microsoft Store (free for Windows Insider users, paid for others). (2) Use VLC media player, which includes its own HEVC decoder. (3) Use a video player with built-in HEVC support like MPC-HC or PotPlayer. For modern Windows 10/11 with a recent CPU that has hardware HEVC decode (Intel 6th gen+, AMD Ryzen 2000+, Nvidia GTX 950+), hardware playback is smooth even in 4K.
Should I record video in HEVC or H.264?
If you have a modern phone or camera with hardware HEVC encoding, HEVC is better: smaller files, same quality. If you'll be editing the footage on older software or sharing with people who may have older devices: H.264 for maximum compatibility. For casual video: either is fine, but HEVC saves storage. For professional production: check your editing software's HEVC support first — some older versions of Premiere and Final Cut required proxy workflows for smooth HEVC editing.

More formats

HEICWebPAVIFEPUBWebMOpusMP3WAVM4AFLACAACMP4AVIMKVMOVJPGPNGGIFSVGTIFFICOBMPEPSARWOGGWMVPPTXPagesPDFDOCXRAWH.264AIFFM4VWMA3GPDNGRTFPSDOGVTSFLVAIXLSXCSVZIPAPNGMIDIJPEG XLMPG/MPEGVOBM2TSAC3ALACDTSJP2HEIFAPECBZ3G2SRTDOCPPTXLSODTODSM3URAR7ZM4BAMRTXTMOBITARGZJSONXMLYAMLKEYMTSCR2NEFMXFTGACAFASSVTTDSFRMF4VWVASFRMVBORFRW2EAC-3TTAISODMGXZDjVuFB2AUM4RAZW3MKAEXRVCFICSAAXPRCMP2SPXXSPFM3U8