Sonarr Prefer X265 Repack 〈90% TRUSTED〉

If you're still using Sonarr V3 or prefer a simpler approach, Release Profiles remain a viable option, though they lack the sophistication of Custom Formats.

Now that Sonarr knows what an x265 file looks like, you need to tell it that these files are "worth more." Settings > Profiles Select the Profile you use (e.g., Scroll down to Custom Formats Find your new x265 / HEVC format and give it a positive score (e.g., Save Changes Step 3: Set an Upgrade Goal (Optional)

The only significant downside to x265 is the processing power required to decode it. While modern devices like Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, Fire TV sticks, and newer Smart TVs handle x265 natively (Direct Play), older streaming sticks, web browsers, and budget tablets may not. If a client device cannot decode x265 natively, your media server (Plex/Jellyfin) will have to transcode the video on the fly, heavily taxing your server's CPU or GPU. How to Configure Sonarr to Prefer x265 sonarr prefer x265

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.

Once your profiles are updated, Sonarr won't immediately replace your entire library. To trigger the shift: If you're still using Sonarr V3 or prefer

While preferring x265 in Sonarr offers several advantages, there are some challenges and considerations:

To make Sonarr "prefer" x265, we need to assign it a positive score. However, we must also ensure that x265 doesn't break your quality standards. If a client device cannot decode x265 natively,

To create a proper fallback chain where Sonarr prioritizes x265 but falls back to x264 when necessary, you need to carefully structure your quality profile. One effective approach is to:

The TRaSH Guides have become the gold standard for Sonarr and Radarr configuration, providing battle-tested custom formats and quality profiles used by thousands of media server operators.

In Sonarr v3 and v4, Custom Formats are the modern and recommended way to weight preferences. They are far more powerful and flexible than the legacy Release Profiles.