Sonarr Prefer X265 ((free)) Instant

Here, you will build a "Release Title" condition. This is a Regular Expression (Regex) that catches every variation of x265 naming conventions.

If your server lacks hardware transcoding and your playback devices are old, sticking with x264 might be safer. However, if your clients are modern, x265 is the clear winner. How to Configure Sonarr to Prefer x265

While x265 is highly efficient, it demands more processing power to decode. Modern client devices—such as the Apple TV 4K, Nvidia Shield, Chromecast with Google TV, and modern Smart TVs—have built-in hardware decoding for x265, enabling seamless playback. However, if your users watch content via older web browsers or legacy tablets, your media server will have to transcode the video on the fly. Ensure your server's CPU or GPU can handle HEVC transcoding before converting your entire library.

: High-definition episodes that might be 1.5GB in x264 often shrink to 600–800MB in x265. Future-Proofing : x265 is essential for 4K and 8K content. Note of Caution

: Sonarr first looks at the resolution and source (e.g., Bluray-1080p, WEBDL-1080p, HDTV-720p). A Bluray-1080p file will always replace a WEBDL-1080p file by default, regardless of the codec, because Bluray is ranked higher in the Quality Profile. sonarr prefer x265

Prevent Sonarr from grabbing files that are too small to maintain acceptable visual quality: Go to > Media Management . Enable Advanced Settings at the top of the page. Scroll down to the File Size Limits section.

If you want to avoid specific groups known for ultra-compressed encodes (like MeGusta or PSA ): Create a new Custom Format named Low Quality Groups .

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Release Profiles let you score releases or block based on words. Here, you will build a "Release Title" condition

Scroll down to the section at the bottom of the profile window. Locate your newly created x265 / HEVC format. Set the score to 100 .

The x265 codec offers significant advantages over the older x264 standard:

: If a client device cannot play x265 directly, your media server (Plex, Emby, or Jellyfin) must decode it on the fly. This process requires significant CPU power or hardware-accelerated GPU transcoding. Method 1: Configuring Custom Formats (Sonarr v4)

Alternatively, some users create a dual-profile approach with one tag for x265 content and another for general content, though this requires more manual management. However, if your clients are modern, x265 is

Click on the tab and add a new specification. Select Release Title from the dropdown menu.

For advanced setups, many users import pre-made JSON configurations from TRaSH Guides which include highly optimized regex for x265, HDR, and more.

: x265 requires more processing power to play. While modern smart TVs and devices like Nvidia Shield handle it easily, older hardware may struggle or "stutter". Prefer Content - x265,HEVC,Ecnoder,Rips · Issue #1724