Sonarr Prefer X265 -
Check the box for if you want to exclude things, but leave it unchecked for this setup. Click Save . Step 2: Configure Your Quality Profiles to Use the Score
If you manage a self-hosted media server, you know the constant battle against disk space. High-definition video files can easily consume terabytes of storage.
Locate the section. This is where we tell Sonarr what terms we like. Click Add and enter x265 , giving it a score of 100 . Click Add again and enter HEVC , giving it a score of 100 . Click Add again and enter h265 , giving it a score of 100 .
In your Quality Profile (Settings → Profiles): sonarr prefer x265
If you want to be precise and avoid bad quality x265 releases, the community standard is to use the custom formats. They offer a pre-made JSON collection that is superior to manual creation.
Is preferring x265 in Sonarr worth it?
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) Check the box for if you want to
If you want to fine-tune your x265 preferences, you can use more sophisticated regex patterns or combine conditions.
Purpose: Identify releases whose release title contains encoder/codec hints (x265, HEVC, 10bit, HDR terms). Sonarr can match custom formats to release titles for scoring.
Click to store your new Custom Format.
x265 can provide the same visual quality as x264 at roughly half the file size. This means storing twice as many episodes or movies on the same hard drive.
Sonarr v4 uses , which are more powerful and granular than the older v3 profiles. Create Custom Formats : Navigate to Settings > Custom Formats . Add a new format named "x265".
If you want, I can produce: