Follow these steps to create a custom format and apply it to your media profiles. Step 1: Create the x265 Custom Format Open your Sonarr web interface. Navigate to > Custom Formats . Click the + Add New button. Name the format: x265 / HEVC . Click the Import (BETA) button or manually add a condition.
: This is an inherent limitation with no perfect solution. Prioritize release groups known for including codec information in their naming conventions, and consider using release group filtering as a proxy for codec quality. sonarr prefer x265
| Device | x265 playback | Notes | |---------------------------|---------------|-------| | PC (VLC, MPV, MPC-HC) | ✅ Perfect | Software decode works fine | | NVIDIA Shield / Apple TV | ✅ Perfect | Hardware decode | | Plex / Jellyfin direct stream | ✅ | Works if client supports HEVC | | Plex / Jellyfin | ⚠️ Heavy | CPU transcoding x265 → h264 is very slow | | Old laptop (pre-2015) | ❌ Stutters | No hardware decode | | Roku / Fire Stick (basic) | ⚠️ Some work | Newer models OK | | Browser (Chrome/Safari) | ⚠️ Partial | Safari good; Chrome needs GPU support | Follow these steps to create a custom format
Now, when Sonarr compares two releases of the same quality (e.g., two 1080p Web-DLs), it will choose the one with the x265 tag because it has a higher custom format score. Method 2: Using Release Profiles (Sonarr v3) Click the + Add New button