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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:

Note: Sonarr does not re-download existing files just because a better codec exists. You must use the "Interactive Search" tab and manually select an x265 release, or change your profile to lower the score of your existing x264 files.

Here is the final, battle-tested recommendation for 99% of users:

By implementing this "Prefer but not Mandatory" strategy, your Sonarr instance will slowly, intelligently, and automatically upgrade your library to x265. Your hard drives will thank you, your electricity bill will drop (less spinning rust), and your users will never notice the difference—unless they try to watch on a 2014 Smart TV, in which case, tell them to buy a Fire Stick.

Now go reclaim your storage space.

This article was originally published for the /r/sonarr and /r/DataHoarder communities. Always verify your local copyright laws before automating downloads.

To make Sonarr prefer x265 (HEVC) releases without strictly requiring them, you should use Custom Formats (in v4) or Release Profiles (in v3) to assign a positive "score" to those terms. How to set up x265 preference

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.

Navigate to Custom Formats: Go to Settings > Custom Formats. Create a Format for x265: Add a new format and name it "x265/HEVC".

In the Conditions section, add a "Release Title" specification.

Use a regular expression or simple text like \b(x265|HEVC|h265)\b to match the codec. Assign a Score in Profiles:

Go to Settings > Profiles and select the quality profile you use (e.g., Any or 1080p).

In the Custom Formats section at the bottom, find your new "x265/HEVC" format and give it a positive score, such as 100.

Ensure "Upgrade Until" is set to a score equal to or higher than your x265 score if you want Sonarr to eventually replace x264 files with x265 versions. Why use scoring over restrictions?

Flexibility: Unlike "Must Contain" restrictions, which will ignore any release without the keyword, scoring allows Sonarr to grab an x264 file if it's the only one available and then upgrade to x265 later when it's uploaded.

Community Standards: Many users on Reddit suggest including tags like MeGusta or HEVC in your search criteria, as not all encoders label their releases identically.

If you want to dive deeper into advanced configurations, you can check out community-driven setups on Reddit that include blocking specific audio formats or preferring certain release groups.

How to Configure Sonarr to Prefer x265 (HEVC) Releases If you are looking to save disk space without sacrificing visual quality, configuring Sonarr to prefer x265 (also known as HEVC) is one of the most effective optimizations you can make. x265 releases typically offer 40-50% smaller file sizes compared to traditional x264 while maintaining similar or better clarity.

This guide explains how to set up Sonarr to automatically prioritize these efficient files using Custom Formats (v4) and Release Profiles (v3). Why Prefer x265?

Storage Efficiency: High-definition 1080p files that might take up 2GB in x264 can often be compressed to under 800MB in x265.

Bandwidth Savings: Smaller files mean faster downloads and less stress on your internet data caps.

Future Proofing: HEVC is the standard for 4K and HDR content, making your library ready for modern playback devices. Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Preference in Sonarr v4

Sonarr v4 utilizes a powerful Custom Formats system that allows for granular control over which releases are "scored" higher than others. 1. Create the Custom Format Navigate to Settings > Custom Formats. Click the + button to add a new format. Name it "x265 HEVC". Add a Condition and select Release Title.

In the regex field, use a pattern like: [xh][ ._-]?265|\bHEVC(\b|\d). Click Save. 2. Assign Scores in Quality Profiles Quality and Custom Format help - sonarr :: forums

To make Sonarr prefer x265 (HEVC) content, you must configure Custom Formats (v4) or Release Profiles (v3) to assign positive scores to releases containing x265-related keywords. This tells Sonarr that while a 1080p x264 and a 1080p x265 file are the same "Quality," the x265 version is preferred due to its higher score. Setting Up Preferences in Sonarr v4

Sonarr v4 uses Custom Formats, 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".

Under Specifications, add a "Release Title" condition with the regular expression: \b([xh].?265|HEVC)\b. Assign Scores in Quality Profiles:

Go to Settings > Profiles and select your active profile (e.g., "1080p").

Under the Custom Formats section at the bottom, find your new "x265" format. Assign it a positive score (e.g., +100). Set Upgrades:

Ensure your Upgrade Until quality is set high enough so Sonarr keeps looking for better versions.

If two files have the same Quality (e.g., both are Bluray-1080p), Sonarr will now choose the one with the higher Custom Format score. Alternative: Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)

If you are still on v3, you use Release Profiles to achieve the same result: Go to Settings > Profiles > Release Profiles.

In the Preferred field, enter terms like x265, h265, and HEVC.

Assign each a positive score. A common setup is to give x265 a score of 100. Best Practices for Quality

Avoid "Must Contain": Do not put x265 in the "Must Contain" box unless you want to strictly block all x264 releases. Using "Preferred" allows Sonarr to grab an x264 version immediately and then "upgrade" to x265 later when it becomes available.

The "Golden Rule": Expert guides like TRaSH Guides generally recommend x265 for 4K (2160p) content but suggest caution for 1080p. Low-bitrate 1080p x265 encodes from some release groups can lose significant detail compared to x264 equivalents.

Automated Scoring: For the most optimized setup, many users use tools like Profilarr or follow the pre-made scoring lists at TRaSH Guides to ensure they only get high-quality x265 encodes rather than "trash" ones.

  • If unwanted upgrades occur:

    • Sonarr v3/v4 lets you set release profiles with “must contain” or “prefer” keywords. Adding x265 or hevc to the “prefer” list tells Sonarr to give higher scores to x265 releases, but still download x264 if no x265 exists.

    Sonarr Prefer X265 -

    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:

    Note: Sonarr does not re-download existing files just because a better codec exists. You must use the "Interactive Search" tab and manually select an x265 release, or change your profile to lower the score of your existing x264 files.

    Here is the final, battle-tested recommendation for 99% of users:

    By implementing this "Prefer but not Mandatory" strategy, your Sonarr instance will slowly, intelligently, and automatically upgrade your library to x265. Your hard drives will thank you, your electricity bill will drop (less spinning rust), and your users will never notice the difference—unless they try to watch on a 2014 Smart TV, in which case, tell them to buy a Fire Stick.

    Now go reclaim your storage space.

    This article was originally published for the /r/sonarr and /r/DataHoarder communities. Always verify your local copyright laws before automating downloads.

    To make Sonarr prefer x265 (HEVC) releases without strictly requiring them, you should use Custom Formats (in v4) or Release Profiles (in v3) to assign a positive "score" to those terms. How to set up x265 preference

    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.

    Navigate to Custom Formats: Go to Settings > Custom Formats. Create a Format for x265: Add a new format and name it "x265/HEVC".

    In the Conditions section, add a "Release Title" specification. sonarr prefer x265

    Use a regular expression or simple text like \b(x265|HEVC|h265)\b to match the codec. Assign a Score in Profiles:

    Go to Settings > Profiles and select the quality profile you use (e.g., Any or 1080p).

    In the Custom Formats section at the bottom, find your new "x265/HEVC" format and give it a positive score, such as 100.

    Ensure "Upgrade Until" is set to a score equal to or higher than your x265 score if you want Sonarr to eventually replace x264 files with x265 versions. Why use scoring over restrictions?

    Flexibility: Unlike "Must Contain" restrictions, which will ignore any release without the keyword, scoring allows Sonarr to grab an x264 file if it's the only one available and then upgrade to x265 later when it's uploaded.

    Community Standards: Many users on Reddit suggest including tags like MeGusta or HEVC in your search criteria, as not all encoders label their releases identically.

    If you want to dive deeper into advanced configurations, you can check out community-driven setups on Reddit that include blocking specific audio formats or preferring certain release groups.

    How to Configure Sonarr to Prefer x265 (HEVC) Releases If you are looking to save disk space without sacrificing visual quality, configuring Sonarr to prefer x265 (also known as HEVC) is one of the most effective optimizations you can make. x265 releases typically offer 40-50% smaller file sizes compared to traditional x264 while maintaining similar or better clarity.

    This guide explains how to set up Sonarr to automatically prioritize these efficient files using Custom Formats (v4) and Release Profiles (v3). Why Prefer x265? If you already have a library mixed with

    Storage Efficiency: High-definition 1080p files that might take up 2GB in x264 can often be compressed to under 800MB in x265.

    Bandwidth Savings: Smaller files mean faster downloads and less stress on your internet data caps.

    Future Proofing: HEVC is the standard for 4K and HDR content, making your library ready for modern playback devices. Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Preference in Sonarr v4

    Sonarr v4 utilizes a powerful Custom Formats system that allows for granular control over which releases are "scored" higher than others. 1. Create the Custom Format Navigate to Settings > Custom Formats. Click the + button to add a new format. Name it "x265 HEVC". Add a Condition and select Release Title.

    In the regex field, use a pattern like: [xh][ ._-]?265|\bHEVC(\b|\d). Click Save. 2. Assign Scores in Quality Profiles Quality and Custom Format help - sonarr :: forums

    To make Sonarr prefer x265 (HEVC) content, you must configure Custom Formats (v4) or Release Profiles (v3) to assign positive scores to releases containing x265-related keywords. This tells Sonarr that while a 1080p x264 and a 1080p x265 file are the same "Quality," the x265 version is preferred due to its higher score. Setting Up Preferences in Sonarr v4

    Sonarr v4 uses Custom Formats, 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".

    Under Specifications, add a "Release Title" condition with the regular expression: \b([xh].?265|HEVC)\b. Assign Scores in Quality Profiles:

    Go to Settings > Profiles and select your active profile (e.g., "1080p"). Note: Sonarr does not re-download existing files just

    Under the Custom Formats section at the bottom, find your new "x265" format. Assign it a positive score (e.g., +100). Set Upgrades:

    Ensure your Upgrade Until quality is set high enough so Sonarr keeps looking for better versions.

    If two files have the same Quality (e.g., both are Bluray-1080p), Sonarr will now choose the one with the higher Custom Format score. Alternative: Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)

    If you are still on v3, you use Release Profiles to achieve the same result: Go to Settings > Profiles > Release Profiles.

    In the Preferred field, enter terms like x265, h265, and HEVC.

    Assign each a positive score. A common setup is to give x265 a score of 100. Best Practices for Quality

    Avoid "Must Contain": Do not put x265 in the "Must Contain" box unless you want to strictly block all x264 releases. Using "Preferred" allows Sonarr to grab an x264 version immediately and then "upgrade" to x265 later when it becomes available.

    The "Golden Rule": Expert guides like TRaSH Guides generally recommend x265 for 4K (2160p) content but suggest caution for 1080p. Low-bitrate 1080p x265 encodes from some release groups can lose significant detail compared to x264 equivalents.

    Automated Scoring: For the most optimized setup, many users use tools like Profilarr or follow the pre-made scoring lists at TRaSH Guides to ensure they only get high-quality x265 encodes rather than "trash" ones.

  • If unwanted upgrades occur:

    • Sonarr v3/v4 lets you set release profiles with “must contain” or “prefer” keywords. Adding x265 or hevc to the “prefer” list tells Sonarr to give higher scores to x265 releases, but still download x264 if no x265 exists.