How to Get the HEVC Codec on Windows
Windows does not include the HEVC codec by default. If your H.265 videos show a codec error or won't play, this guide walks you through every fix - from the free Microsoft extension to the full codec pack solution.
How to install HEVC on Windows 10 and 11
Check if HEVC is already installed
Open the Movies & TV app (or Films & TV) and try playing an HEVC file. If it plays, you are done. If you see the message "To play this video, you need a new codec" or nothing plays at all, continue to step 2.
Alternatively: right-click a video file, choose Properties, go to the Details tab. If the Video codec shows HEVC or H265, Windows can read the metadata but may still not be able to play it without the codec.
Download HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer (free)
This is the official Microsoft HEVC codec extension. The Device Manufacturer version is free and identical to the paid $0.99 "HEVC Video Extensions" in the Store. It enables HEVC decoding in the Windows media pipeline.
After installing, restart the Movies & TV app and try your HEVC file again. If it still won't play, continue to step 3.
Update your GPU drivers
If HEVC still doesn't play smoothly after installing the extension, outdated GPU drivers are the most common cause. Hardware-accelerated HEVC decoding requires up-to-date drivers to work correctly.
Install X Codec Pack for full compatibility
The HEVC Video Extensions only work with apps that use the Windows media pipeline. For MKV files, VLC, MPC-HC, foobar2000, or any third-party media player, you need a full DirectShow codec. X Codec Pack includes LAV Filters which provide complete HEVC support - 8-bit, 10-bit, HDR10, hardware-accelerated via DXVA2 and D3D11 - for every player on your system.
Download X Codec Pack - FreeWhy doesn't Windows include the HEVC codec?
HEVC is a patented codec. Licensing fees are required to distribute it as part of an operating system. Microsoft chose not to include it by default in Windows 10 and 11, instead offering it as a separately distributed extension - either free from device manufacturers or as a paid download from the Microsoft Store.
On devices where the hardware manufacturer pre-installed Windows (OEM builds), the HEVC extension is often already included. On clean Windows installs, developer builds, or virtual machines, it is usually absent. The free download linked above resolves this for the Windows media pipeline.