Sonarr Prefer X265 May 2026

The Benefits of Preferring x265 in Sonarr: A Guide to Efficient Media Storage and Streaming

Biggest issue: If you remote stream and your client doesn’t support x265, your Plex server will transcode → high CPU usage. sonarr prefer x265

The Great Codec Debate: Why You Might (or Might Not) Want Sonarr to Prefer x265

In the world of automated media management, Sonarr is the undisputed king for TV show acquisition. But beneath its sleek interface lies a critical, often misunderstood setting: the preference for x265 (also known as HEVC) over the long-reigning champion, x264 (H.264). The Benefits of Preferring x265 in Sonarr: A

Go to Settings → Profiles (or Quality Profiles). Select the profile you use for TV shows (e.g., "HD - 1080p" or "4K"). Go to Settings → Profiles (or Quality Profiles )

This review covers the "Why," the "How," and the potential pitfalls of setting up an x265 preference in Sonarr.

Result: Sonarr will aggressively grab x265 releases first. If no x265 exists for an old episode, it will fall back to x264. This keeps your automation running smoothly without "stuck" searches.

Part 1: The Prerequisites (Important!)

Before you configure Sonarr, you must ensure your setup can handle the files.