User rating: 3.8/5 (Based on 356 ratings).System requirement: Windows 10 version 16299.0 or higher.Install HEVC Video Extension from Device Manufacturer If the Microsoft options don't work for your needs, another option to consider is the free open-source Libde265 HEVC codec from third-party sources. The paid one uses a hardware decoder in the CPU if one is present, and if one is not present then it will decode using a software decoder that runs as a process in Windows. The free one utilizes the hardware version of the HEVC decoder to allow the playback of HEVC videos. Microsoft releases two versions of HEVC Video Extensions: HEVC from Device Manufacturer (Free) and HEVC Video Extension ($0.99). Install HEVC Video Extensions Free to Get the HEVC Codec for Windows 10 It also endows video editing software lacking native HEVC support with the functionality to handle HEVC content effectively and enables the system to utilize hardware-accelerated decoding for optimized performance. The installation of the HEVC codec equips Windows Media Player and native applications with the ability to decode and play HEVC videos. This limitation necessitates the installation of the HEVC codec. Attempting to work with HEVC footage absent the requisite codec introduces playback failures, program crashes, and disruption of editing capacity. That's why many people found their video editors and media players cannot properly interpret and process HEVC-encoded files. However, as said, while HEVC is increasingly prevalent, native support for HEVC playback is not provided out-of-the-box on Windows 10/11 operating systems. This dramatic gain in coding efficiency enables HEVC-encoded 4K/8K videos to take up significantly less storage space while maintaining the same visual quality. It builds on advanced techniques like intra-frame coding, inter-frame coding, motion compensation, and transform coding to achieve up to double the data compression ratio compared to its predecessor H.264/AVC. HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), also known as H.265, has become one of the most widely used video compression standards in recent years. Thus, in this post, we'll focus on how to get HEVC codec for free as well as explaining what is HEVC codec, together with errors and FAQs about HEVC playback that users are concerned about most.įree Download Free Download What Is the HEVC Codec and Why You Need It This leads a lot of Windows users to seek out how to download HEVC codec or HEVC video extensions. However, the issue is that Windows canceled its native support of the HEVC codec out of the box since the 1703 Creators Update version. On top of this, modern devices like iPhones, action cameras, drones, and 360-degree cameras also natively capture and store video in compact HEVC-encoded formats. Broadcasters are even using HEVC for live sports and event streaming in Ultra HD. Major streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, and Warner Bros are using HEVC for their 4K content offerings. Industry adoption of the HEVC (H.265) codec is accelerating rapidly.
The best part is, whether it works or not, this guide has you covered with 9 different ways to get the HEVC codec for Windows 10 at no cost. Read this post to find out if you can use this free HEVC video extension app for Windows 10. Once you’ve done that you should be able to play H.265 videos and hopefully this guide will save you $1 dollar for you.Sumamry: While Microsoft announced HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufactures no longer works for getting HEVC codec, it still works for some users. And this apparently is open for all not only just for the OEMs. Microsoft leaving an option for OEM to install a new Windows 10 machine with HEVC video codec pre-installed. This will direct you to the page titled “HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer” and free to install. If you follow the link you will be presented to this page.īut there is another Microsoft Store HEVC extension that’s also available for you to download you just have to go find it or follow this link. Download this codec from the Microsoft Store. Codecs allow the app to read and play different files. To play this video, you need a new codec. When you attempt to play an H.265 video with Windows 10, the OS would prompt and ask you to purchase an HEVC Video Extension that costs $0.99 from the Microsoft Store. In our case, the HEVC codec is required to play H.265 encoded videos. Video codecs allow the app to read and play different files that were encoded by a specific codec. In order to play this type of video, you need a new codec that does NOT come out of the box with Windows 10. 4K footage aren’t 4 times than 1080p videos). HEVC or H.265 video are the new video codec that promises a smaller footprint while delivering in a high-resolution video (ie.