Sonarr Prefer X265 -

But there is a catch: Sonarr (and its cousin Radarr) does not have a native "I only want x265" button. Without proper configuration, Sonarr will grab the first release that meets its quality profile—usually the more common, larger x264 file.

Therefore, the goal is —not outright exclusion. We want Sonarr to grab x264 to satisfy "Missing" episodes immediately, but constantly scan for an x265 upgrade to replace the bloated file. The Core Concept: Custom Formats To prioritize x265, you must ignore the "Quality" settings (Bluray, WebDL, HDTV) and focus on Custom Formats .

"name": "✅ x265 / HEVC (Prefer)", "includeCustomFormatWhenRenaming": false, "specifications": [ "name": "x265 or HEVC", "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification", "negate": false, "required": false, "fields": h)\\.?265\\b , "name": "Not x264", "implementation": "ReleaseTitleSpecification", "negate": true, "required": false, "fields": h)\\.?264\\b ] sonarr prefer x265

In the world of home media servers, storage space is the ultimate luxury. As we curate 4K remuxes, complete TV series box sets, and high-bitrate Blu-ray rips, it’s alarmingly easy to fill a 20TB array.

"Sonarr prefer x265" is not just a keyword; it is a philosophy of efficient media archiving. By leveraging Custom Formats with a +100 score and the "Upgrade Until" logic, you create a self-healing library that automatically sheds gigabytes while maintaining visual fidelity. But there is a catch: Sonarr (and its

Enter (HEVC). This video codec offers roughly double the compression efficiency of the aging x264 (H.264). Switching your downloads to x265 can save you terabytes of space without sacrificing visual quality.

Go to → Profiles (or Quality Profiles ). Select the profile you use for TV shows (e.g., "HD - 1080p" or "4K"). We want Sonarr to grab x264 to satisfy

Click → Release Title . Paste the following regex into the Regular Expression box: