Sonarr Prefer X265 🎁 Top

If a file has x264 in the title, it loses 10000 points. If it has x265 , it gains 10000. The x265 file wins by 20,000 points. Sonarr will literally download a lower quality x265 file (like a WEB-DL) before downloading a remux x264.

The most effective way to tell Sonarr what you want is through . This allows you to "score" specific terms found in release titles. Navigate to Settings > Custom Formats . Click the + icon to create a new format. Name: Call it "x265 HEVC". Specifications: Add a new specification. Select Release Title as the type. In the Regular Expression field, enter: (?i)x265|HEVC . Save the format. Step 2: Configure Your Quality Profile sonarr prefer x265

Go to → Profiles (or Quality Profiles ). Select the profile you use for TV shows (e.g., "HD - 1080p" or "4K"). If a file has x264 in the title, it loses 10000 points

grabs x265 when available but will settle for x264 otherwise, set a "Minimum Custom Format Score" of and a "Upgrade Until Custom Format Score" of 3. Why Prefer x265? Storage Efficiency: Sonarr will literally download a lower quality x265

: 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.

is the gold standard because it offers roughly 50% better compression efficiency, saving massive amounts of disk space without sacrificing visual quality.