What Is HEVC (H.265)?

Q: Is HEVC compatible with all devices?

HEVC is widely supported on Apple devices since iOS 11, on Windows 10 with a free Microsoft codec, on most Smart TVs from 2016 onward, and on most modern Android phones. Older devices and some web browsers may need conversion to H.264.

HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), also known as H.265, is a modern video compression standard that produces files roughly half the size of the older H.264 codec at equivalent visual quality. iPhones have used HEVC as their default video codec since iPhone 7 and iOS 11 (2017).

How HEVC Works

HEVC was finalized in 2013 by the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding. It improves on H.264 (AVC) by using larger and more flexible coding blocks (up to 64x64 pixels), better motion prediction, and more sophisticated entropy coding. The result is video that looks just as good as H.264 but takes up about half the storage space and bandwidth.

This efficiency is what makes 4K and HDR video practical on mobile devices. Without HEVC, every minute of 4K video on iPhone would consume around 350 MB of storage instead of 170 MB.

HEVC on iPhone

Since iPhone 7, all iPhones record video in HEVC by default when set to "High Efficiency" in Settings > Camera > Formats. HEVC is also the codec used inside HEIC photo files. If you switch to "Most Compatible," your iPhone will record in older H.264 video and JPEG photos instead, at the cost of larger file sizes.

HEVC vs H.264 File Sizes

1 minute of 1080p 30fps: ~60 MB H.264 vs ~30 MB HEVC
1 minute of 4K 30fps: ~350 MB H.264 vs ~170 MB HEVC
1 minute of 4K 60fps: ~440 MB H.264 vs ~440 MB HEVC (60fps not available in H.264)
1 hour of 4K video: ~21 GB H.264 vs ~10 GB HEVC

Compatibility

HEVC is supported natively on Apple devices (iOS 11+, macOS High Sierra+), Windows 10 (with a free Microsoft Store extension), most Smart TVs from 2016 forward, modern game consoles, and most Android phones running Android 9 or newer. Older PCs, web browsers, and editing software may require conversion to H.264 first.

Related Terms

Frequently Asked Questions

What does HEVC stand for?

HEVC stands for High Efficiency Video Coding. It is also known as H.265 and is the successor to H.264 (AVC).

How much smaller are HEVC files than H.264?

HEVC files are roughly 40-50% smaller than H.264 files at the same visual quality.

Is HEVC compatible with all devices?

HEVC is widely supported on Apple devices, Windows 10, modern Smart TVs, and Android 9+. Older devices may need conversion to H.264.

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