Sonarr Prefer X265 [ 2026 Update ]

"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 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. sonarr prefer x265

Click → Release Title . Paste the following regex into the Regular Expression box: "Sonarr prefer x265" is not just a keyword;

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. Without proper configuration, Sonarr will grab the first