Sonarr Prefer X265 Fix -

There is one major caveat: . Older streaming devices (like early generation Fire Sticks, older smart TVs, or web browsers) cannot play x265 natively. When a device cannot play a file directly, your Plex, Jellyfin, or Emby server must "transcode" it on the fly. Transcoding x265 video requires a powerful CPU or a dedicated GPU with hardware acceleration. Ensure your server can handle transcoding before converting your entire library. How to Prefer x265 in Sonarr v4 (Custom Formats)

Some automated uploaders take low-resolution or poorly encoded sources and compress them into x265 just to use the trendy tag. To avoid downloading low-bitrate garbage, pair your x265 custom format with a limit inside your Quality settings. This ensures that while the file is compressed, it still retains enough data to look sharp on a large screen. Summary Checklist for x265 Optimization Action Item Configuration Location Create Custom Format Settings > Custom Formats Detects x265 , h265 , and HEVC tags. Set Format Score Settings > Profiles > [Your Profile] Gives x265 releases a higher priority over x264. Enable Upgrades Settings > Profiles > [Your Profile] Replaces old x264 library files with x265 alternatives. Configure Delay Profile Settings > Profiles > Delay Profiles Waits for x265 releases to drop before grabbing x264.

This guide will walk you through setting up custom formats and quality profiles to ensure your library shifts toward the x265 standard. Why Prefer x265?

: Smaller file sizes mean faster download times and less data consumption.

If adding manually, select as the condition type. sonarr prefer x265

The hum of the server rack was the only heartbeat in Elias’s apartment. To anyone else, it was background noise, but to him, it was the sound of a perfectly curated digital library breathing.

If you remote stream and your client doesn’t support x265, your Plex server will transcode → high CPU usage.

However, Sonarr does not have a simple checkbox for "Prefer x265." Instead, it uses a sophisticated scoring system based on . This guide will teach you how to set that up properly.

This is the professional way to handle x265. It allows you to score x265 releases positively while penalizing low-quality releases. Note: This requires the "Custom Formats" feature, which is available in newer versions of Sonarr (v3/v4). There is one major caveat:

A 1GB x264 episode often shrinks to ~500MB in x265 without visible quality loss.

Sonarr prioritizes "Quality" (e.g., Bluray-1080p vs. WEBDL-1080p) over Custom Format scores by default. If a high-quality x264 file is found, it may be picked over a lower-quality x265 file unless scores are high enough.

| Factor | Rating (1–10) | |--------|---------------| | Storage efficiency | 9/10 | | Quality vs size tradeoff | 8/10 | | Ease of use (Sonarr) | 9/10 | | Hardware compatibility | 5/10 | | Future-proofness | 9/10 |

For those on Sonarr v3 or preferring simpler configurations, Release Profiles offer a straightforward way to prioritize x265. Transcoding x265 video requires a powerful CPU or

: This format requires both x265 and 1080p resolution, useful for users who want HEVC for HD content but not for lower resolutions.

: Ultra-HD content natively relies on HEVC encoding.

Once configured, Sonarr will start preferring releases containing x265 in their name. If an existing episode is in x264, Sonarr will automatically search for and grab an x265 version, provided it meets the quality profile and score requirements. Important Considerations