Sonarr Prefer X265 ((full)) Official

How to Prefer x265 (HEVC) in Sonarr In Sonarr v4, the best way to prefer x265 (HEVC) releases over x264 is through Custom Formats. Unlike older versions that used "Preferred Words," Custom Formats allow you to assign specific scores to media attributes, ensuring Sonarr always picks your preferred codec when available. Step 1: Create the x265 Custom Format Navigate to Settings > Custom Formats. Click the + (Plus) button to add a new format. Name: x265 (HEVC) Click Add Condition and select Release Title. In the Regex field, enter: ([xh].?265|hevc).

• Why? The resolution difference (1080p vs 720p) usually holds more weight in the quality profile hierarchy than the custom format score, depending on how you rank your quality cutoffs. If you prefer resolution over codec, x265 won't override 1080p.

The best way to handle this is by scoring keywords so Sonarr picks the most efficient file available while still falling back to x264 if necessary. sonarr prefer x265

• You are space-constrained (under 20TB total storage).
• You have a modern media server (Intel Quick Sync 7th gen+, Nvidia Shield, or a dedicated GPU).
• Your primary clients are powerful (Shield TV, Apple TV 4K, PC desktops).
• You are downloading 4K content.

Quality Trumps Score: 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. How to Prefer x265 (HEVC) in Sonarr In

4) Set Custom Format Scoring

In Sonarr’s Custom Formats section:

First, you need to tell Sonarr what to look for in a filename. Navigate to Settings > Custom Formats to add a new format. x265 / HEVC Specifications: Add Condition and select Release Title Regular Expression: \b(x265|hevc)\b (this matches most standard release naming conventions). the format. 2. Assign a Score in your Quality Profile The best way to handle this is by

Step 3: Assign the Score

This is where the magic happens.

Good Release Groups for TV x265: