Sonarr Prefer X265 -

| Custom Format | Score | Purpose | |---|---|---| | x265 Preferred | +100 | Prefer HEVC when available | | x265 + 1080p Only | +1000 | Heavily favor HEVC for HD content | | Block x264 | -10000 | Prevent x264 downloads entirely | | Trusted Groups (ELiTE, QxR, etc.) | +50 | Favor high-quality release groups |

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

Whether you're building a space-saving 720p HEVC collection or assembling a pristine 4K library with Dolby Vision, Sonarr's custom format system gives you the tools to achieve your goals. The key is patience in configuration, attention to detail in scoring, and a willingness to refine your approach based on actual results.

: Either restrict your profile to a single quality level (e.g., only 1080p) or create separate profiles for different quality tiers, each with its own codec preferences. sonarr prefer x265

Find your newly created Prefer x265 format and assign it a positive score (e.g., up to +100 ).

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 community-standard TRaSH Guides have a specific opinion on x265 usage, which they've termed the "Golden Rule": | Custom Format | Score | Purpose |

If you are still on v3, you use instead of Custom Formats. Prefer x265 files? - Help & Support - sonarr :: forums

If you already have a library mixed with x264 and x265, Sonarr struggles to "upgrade" them because it sees both as 1080p. To force upgrades:

Navigate to Settings > Profiles and select the profile you want to edit (e.g., 1080p ). : Either restrict your profile to a single quality level (e

Managing a media library requires balancing video quality with storage capacity. Television shows with multiple seasons can quickly fill up hard drives. The x265 video codec—also known as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)—offers a solution by providing the same visual quality as older x264 encodes at roughly half the file size.

✅ By assigning a positive score to the x265/HEVC regex in your Custom Formats, you automate a leaner, higher-quality media library.

: The availability of TV shows and movies encoded in x265 can vary. Some content may only be available in x264 or other codecs.