Download HEVC Video Extension for Free in Windows 10/11

To get the HEVC Video Extension for free in Windows 10/11, first check whether your PC maker already installed Microsoft's free HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer; if not, the official route is the $0.99 HEVC Video Extensions on Microsoft Store, and the free route is VLC, which plays HEVC without any extension. The free Store listing now shows This product is unavailable in your market when opened in a browser, so most PCs can no longer install it directly.

Microsoft Store lists a free Microsoft package called HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer, while the standard HEVC Video Extensions listing costs $0.99 in the US.

This guide shows how to check whether you already have the free version, how to get either listing from Microsoft Store, when free VLC is the better answer, and how to fix HEVC files that still refuse to play.

Download HEVC Video Extension for Free in Windows 10/11 — iPhone 7 and later records video in HEVC by default, which is why Windows may ask for the extension. (Image: Microsoft)

Table of Contents

Direct HEVC codec download link

Both HEVC listings come from Microsoft and work on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Start by checking whether your PC maker already installed the free one.

Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps and type HEVC in the search box. On Windows 10, open Settings > Apps > Apps and Features instead.
If HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer or HEVC Video Extensions is listed, you already have the codec. Skip to the verify section.
If nothing is listed, try the free listing at HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer and install it through the Microsoft Store app. If it says This product is unavailable in your market, move to the next step.
Close and reopen the app you play videos in, such as Photos, Media Player or Movies & TV.
If the Store will not install the free listing on your PC, choose between the $0.99 HEVC Video Extensions and the free VLC player, which decodes HEVC on its own.

What is HEVC and why do I need it?

HEVC stands for High Efficiency Video Coding and is also called H.265. iPhone 7 and later running iOS 11 or later record video in HEVC when the camera is set to High Efficiency.

You need it because HEVC packs the same picture into a much smaller file than the older H.264 format, so phones, cameras, drones and 4K Blu-ray rips use it, and Windows cannot open those files until an HEVC decoder is installed.

What a video codec like HEVC does: encoder and decoder explained — A codec compresses and decompresses video; Windows apps need an HEVC decoder to play H.265 files. (Image: Microsoft Support)

How HEVC video works on Windows 10

Windows ships with codecs for Windows Media Audio, Windows Media Video and MP3. Microsoft adds formats such as HEVC, VP9, AV1 and MPEG-2 as separate Store extensions, so apps like Photos show You need an extension to use this file until one is installed.

Item	What it is	Price (US Store)
HEVC / H.265	A video compression standard that stores the same picture in a smaller file than H.264	Not applicable
HEVC Video Extensions	Microsoft codec, publisher Microsoft Corporation, category Utilities & tools. Plays and encodes HEVC in any app that uses Windows codecs	$0.99
HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer	Microsoft codec, publisher Microsoft Windows, category System Components. Plays HEVC; its listing does not mention encoding	Free
HEIF Image Extension	The companion codec for HEIF photos, which Microsoft says you need alongside HEVC even for photos	Free

Both HEVC listings require Windows 10 build 16299 or later, so they cover every current Windows 10 and Windows 11 release.

Why HEVC codec is not free in Windows 11

HEVC is a patent-licensed format, so Microsoft does not include its decoder in Windows 11 or Windows 10 and sells it as the $0.99 HEVC Video Extensions instead. The free Device Manufacturer package is meant for PC makers to preinstall, which is why its Store page shows This product is unavailable in your market for most people. If your laptop came with it, you already have the codec for free; check Installed apps before paying.

Do you really need HEVC codec?

Only if you want HEVC files to play in Windows apps such as Photos, Media Player, Clipchamp or Movies & TV, or to create HEVC video. If you just want to watch the file, a player with its own decoder, such as VLC, plays it for free. If you only need to share the clip, converting it to H.264 or switching the iPhone camera to Most Compatible avoids the codec altogether.

Paid vs free HEVC codec: detailed comparison

Your situation	Use this	Why
You want HEVC in Photos, Media Player and Movies & TV at no cost	HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer	Free, published by Microsoft, and works system-wide in apps that use Windows codecs
The Store will not install the free listing on your PC	HEVC Video Extensions ($0.99)	The same Microsoft codec, sold to any Windows 10 or 11 user
You need to create or export HEVC video on a PC with no hardware encoder	HEVC Video Extensions ($0.99)	Its listing states it can encode HEVC on devices without a hardware encoder
You only want to watch the file and pay nothing	VLC media player	Free and open source, with its own HEVC decoder, so no Windows extension is needed
You want another free player instead of VLC	A player whose own website lists HEVC or H.265 support	Download it only from the developer's own site, never from a download portal
Someone else needs to open the video	Convert to H.264 with HandBrake	H.264 plays on almost every device without extra codecs
Your iPhone keeps creating HEVC files	Switch the camera to Most Compatible	New videos are saved as H.264 instead
A site offers a "free HEVC codec" installer or a codec pack such as K-Lite	Skip it	Microsoft warns that free codec packs cause compatibility problems; see the safety section

Method 1: Install HEVC for free via the Microsoft Store

Microsoft sells the codec through two Store listings. The product description on both is identical; the difference is the price, the publisher name and encoding support. The free one is the OEM version, HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer.

Open HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer in your browser. Check that the publisher reads Microsoft Windows and the price reads Free.
Select the install button, and allow the page to open the Microsoft Store app.
Sign in with your Microsoft account if the Store asks, then wait for the install to finish.

If the page shows This product is unavailable in your market or the Install button does nothing, your PC is not eligible for the OEM package. Use Method 2 or Method 3.

HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer free listing on Microsoft Store — The free OEM codec is published by Microsoft Windows under System Components; select Install if your PC is eligible. (Image: Microsoft Store)

Method 2: Install HEVC codec using official paid method

Open HEVC Video Extensions instead and check that the publisher reads Microsoft Corporation.
Select $0.99 and buy it with the payment method on your Microsoft account.
Restart Photos, Media Player or whichever app showed the extension prompt, then open the video again.

Get the codec only from these two Microsoft Store pages. An appx or msix file of the extension posted elsewhere is not a Microsoft download.

Download HEVC Video Extension for $0.99 from Microsoft Corporation on Microsoft Store — The paid HEVC Video Extensions listing from Microsoft Corporation costs $0.99 and works on any Windows 10 or 11 PC. (Image: Microsoft Store)

Security updates come through the Store, too

Because the HEVC extension is a Store app, Microsoft patches it through Microsoft Store rather than Windows Update, and it has shipped security fixes for the HEVC extension that way. Keep automatic app updates on, or update Microsoft Store apps manually from Library > Get updates. A copy installed from a third-party site never receives these fixes.

Method 3: Use VLC Media Player (built-in HEVC support)

VLC is a free, open-source player from the VideoLAN project. Its release notes list HEVC/H.265 support in MKV, MP4 and raw files, plus HEVC hardware decoding on Windows through DxVA2 and D3D11.

VLC does not install a Windows codec, so Photos and Media Player still need an extension. VLC alone plays the file.

Open the VLC listing on Microsoft Store and check that the publisher reads VideoLAN. The desktop installer is also on videolan.org.
Install it. The listing is free.
Right-click your HEVC video in File Explorer, select Open with, then choose VLC media player.
To make VLC the default player, select Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps.
Type the file extension, such as .mp4 or .mov, in Set a default for a file type or link type.
Select the current app shown for that extension, choose VLC media player, then select Set default.

Store search also shows VLC UWP from VideoLAN. Its listing warns it lacks features of the desktop version, including DVD and Blu-ray support, so pick the one titled VLC.

VLC media player from VideoLAN on Microsoft Store plays HEVC without an extension — VLC by VideoLAN is free on Microsoft Store and decodes HEVC on its own. (Image: Microsoft Store)

Method 4: Use free media players

Every player falls into one of two groups: it uses the Windows HEVC extension, or it carries its own decoder. Knowing which group a player belongs to explains why a file plays in one app and fails in another.

Player	Needs the Windows HEVC extension?	Where to get it
Photos, Media Player, Movies & TV	Yes	Built into Windows or on Microsoft Store
VLC (desktop)	No, it has its own HEVC decoder	Microsoft Store listing by VideoLAN, or videolan.org
VLC UWP	No; its Store package declares HEVC playback	Microsoft Store listing by VideoLAN
Open-source players such as mpv, MPC-BE and MPC-HC	Check the project's own documentation	The project's own website or repository only

If a player's own site does not state HEVC or H.265 support, treat it as unsupported rather than trusting a download portal's description.

Method 5: Install codec packs (advanced option)

Codec packs such as the K-Lite Codec Pack add HEVC and many other decoders system-wide through DirectShow, which helps older players such as Windows Media Player Legacy and MPC-HC. Microsoft does not recommend them: its Codecs FAQ warns that free codec packs have known compatibility issues, can cause serious playback problems and system corruption, and should be removed if the player misbehaves.

Try Methods 1 to 3 first; they need no system-wide changes.
If you still want a pack, create a system restore point first, as Microsoft advises.
Get the pack only from its developer's own website, never a download portal.
If videos or apps start failing afterwards, uninstall the pack from Settings > Apps > Installed apps and restart.

Signs that you need HEVC codec

How to tell if your video is HEVC

The file extension does not settle it. An .mp4 or .mov file can hold H.264 or HEVC video, and Microsoft notes that file extensions only hint at the format.

Sign	What it tells you
Photos or Media Player says You need an extension to use this file	The video, or a HEIF photo, uses a format Windows has no codec for yet. HEVC is the usual cause for iPhone videos
The video came from an iPhone 7 or later set to High Efficiency	It was recorded in HEVC
MediaInfo shows HEVC as the format in its video section	Confirmed HEVC. The free, open-source MediaInfo from mediaarea.net also lists bit depth and colour details
The file plays in VLC but not in Photos	The file is fine and Windows lacks the codec. Install the extension or keep using VLC

How to verify if HEVC codecs are installed

Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps. On Windows 10, use Apps and Features.
Type HEVC in the search box. You should see HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer or HEVC Video Extensions.
Open an HEVC video, such as an iPhone clip, in Photos or Media Player.
Confirm the video plays with picture and sound and the You need an extension message no longer appears.

Microsoft Store Library listing HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer — This entry in the Microsoft Store Library confirms the free extension already installed on this PC. (Image: Microsoft Q&A)

Installed HEVC codec, but still failed to open HEVC?

These are the common problems and fixes when the codec is installed but the video still will not open. If the Store itself will not install or update the extension, reset the Microsoft Store cache and try again.

Photos still says "You need an extension to use this file"

The app was open during the install and has not loaded the new codec, or the file is a HEIF photo rather than a video.

Close Photos completely and open it again, as Microsoft's own instructions say.
Restart the PC if the message stays.
Install the free HEIF Image Extension too. Microsoft says both extensions are needed, even for photos.

The extension is installed but HEVC files still fail

The extension's package is damaged.

Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Select the More icon next to the HEVC extension, then Advanced options.
Select Repair. If that does not help, select Reset.
Uninstall the extension from the same list and reinstall it from its Microsoft Store listing if both options fail.

Video plays but stutters, freezes or drops frames

Your GPU has no HEVC hardware decoding, so the CPU decodes in software. Microsoft says software playback varies with resolution and PC performance.

Update the graphics driver from your PC maker or GPU vendor. AMD owners can use AMD Software.
Open the same file in VLC to see whether a different decoder handles it better.
Check the file in MediaInfo. 4K, high frame rate, 10-bit or HDR files are the heaviest to decode.
Convert the file to H.264 at 1080p with HandBrake if playback stays choppy.

It plays in VLC but not in any Windows app

VLC uses its own decoder, while Windows apps depend on the extension.

Install either Microsoft HEVC listing from Method 1 or Method 2.
Keep VLC as the default player if you do not need HEVC in Photos or Media Player.

No video codecs work at all on a Windows N edition

Windows N editions omit Media Foundation and codecs including H.264 and H.265.

On Windows 11 N, select Settings > Apps > Optional features, then select View features next to Add an optional feature.
On Windows 10 N, select Settings > Apps > Apps and Features > Optional features > Add a feature.
Select Media Feature Pack and install it.
Restart the PC, then install the HEVC extension.

Media Feature Pack restores video codecs on Windows N editions before installing HEVC — Windows N editions need the Media Feature Pack before the HEVC extension can work. (Image: Microsoft Support)

HEVC vs. H.264 vs. AV1: What's the difference?

Codec	Strength	Windows support
H.264 (AVC)	Plays on almost every device and browser; larger files	Built into Windows 10 and 11 (not N editions)
HEVC (H.265)	Similar quality to H.264 in a much smaller file; used by iPhones, cameras and 4K video	Needs the HEVC Video Extensions ($0.99, or the preinstalled OEM version)
AV1	Royalty-free codec from the Alliance for Open Media, used by YouTube and Netflix streams	Free AV1 Video Extension on Microsoft Store

Pick H.264 when you share a file with other people, HEVC when you want to save space on your own devices, and AV1 mainly for streaming.

How to convert HEVC to H.264 for free

HandBrake is a free, open-source video transcoder for Windows, Mac and Linux. Its General presets such as Fast 1080p30 output H.264, which plays without an HEVC codec on nearly any device.

HandBrake's documentation says handbrake.fr is its only official download source and warns that copies elsewhere can carry malware.

Install HandBrake from handbrake.fr.
Launch HandBrake and select Open Source, or drag the HEVC video onto the main window.
Under presets, choose Fast 1080p30 from the General group.
Set the output file name in Save As, and pick a folder with Browse.
Select Start on the toolbar and wait for HandBrake to report the encode is finished.
Open the new file in Photos or Media Player to confirm it plays without the extension prompt.

Avoid the HEVC presets, such as Fast 2160p60 4K HEVC, because they produce H.265 again.

How to change iPhone settings to avoid HEVC files

Apple lets iPhone 7 and later switch between HEVC and H.264 capture. The change only affects new recordings, not videos already in your library.

Open Settings on the iPhone and tap Camera.
Tap Formats.
Select Most Compatible. New photos save as JPEG and new videos as H.264.
For transfers over USB, open Settings > Apps > Photos and leave Keep Originals off, so iOS can convert media to JPEG or H.264 when copying to your PC.

Microsoft notes that some iOS devices no longer offer Most Compatible. In that case, the extension, VLC or OneDrive, which shows HEVC videos in any browser, are the remaining routes.

Is it safe to download HEVC codec from third-party sites?

Microsoft's Codecs FAQ warns against free codec packs from the internet because of known compatibility issues, and says to install codecs only from trusted sources. That covers system-wide packs such as K-Lite as well as unofficial "free HEVC" downloads.

Microsoft warning against free HEVC codec packs from the internet — Microsoft strongly discourages free codec packs and says to install codecs only from trusted sources. (Image: Microsoft Support)

Source	Safe?	Reason
HEVC listings on apps.microsoft.com	Yes	Published by Microsoft, delivered and updated by Microsoft Store
VLC from Microsoft Store or videolan.org	Yes	The developer's own channels
HandBrake from handbrake.fr	Yes	The only official source, per HandBrake
HEVC appx or msix files on file-sharing or download sites	No	Not distributed by Microsoft, so the file cannot be traced to Microsoft
System-wide codec packs such as K-Lite Codec Pack	Not recommended	Microsoft cites known compatibility issues with components in free codec packs
Pop-up sites offering a "free HEVC codec" to play one video	No	A common delivery route for unwanted software

Hardware support for HEVC

The extension uses your graphics hardware when it can. Microsoft's listing names Intel 7th Generation Core processors and newer GPUs for 4K and Ultra HD HEVC content.

HEVC Video Extensions hardware support for Intel 7th Gen Core and newer GPUs — The HEVC extension uses hardware decoding on Intel 7th Gen Core and newer GPUs for 4K and Ultra HD content. (Image: Microsoft Store)

Your PC	How HEVC is decoded	What to expect
Intel 7th Gen Core or newer, or a GPU with HEVC decoding	Hardware	Smooth 4K and Ultra HD playback with low CPU load
Older CPU and GPU without HEVC hardware	Software, on the CPU	Playback quality depends on resolution and PC speed; 4K can stutter
PC with no hardware HEVC encoder	Software encoding via the $0.99 listing	You can still export HEVC, but slowly

HEVC on Windows 10 vs Windows 11

Point	Windows 10	Windows 11
Store listings	Same two Microsoft listings	Same two Microsoft listings
Minimum build	Build 16299 or later	All releases qualify
Check if installed	Settings > Apps > Apps and Features	Settings > Apps > Installed apps
Apps that use it	Photos, Movies & TV, Windows Media Player and other codec-based apps	Photos, Media Player and other codec-based apps
N editions	Install Media Feature Pack first	Install Media Feature Pack first

HEVC video extension FAQ

How do I download the HEVC video extension for free?

First check Settings > Apps > Installed apps, because your PC maker may have installed the free HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer already. If not, try its Microsoft Store listing; when it shows This product is unavailable in your market, the free option is VLC, which plays HEVC without an extension.

Is the Microsoft HEVC Video Extension free?

One version is. HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer is free, while the standard HEVC Video Extensions listing costs $0.99 in the US. Both are made by Microsoft; only the paid one lists HEVC encoding.

Is there a free HEVC video extension download for Windows 10?

Yes, if your PC is eligible. The free Device Manufacturer listing supports Windows 10 build 16299 and later. Install it through Microsoft Store, then restart Photos or Movies & TV before opening the video again.

Is there a free HEVC video extension download for Windows 11?

Yes. Windows 11 uses the same two Microsoft Store listings as Windows 10. Install the free Device Manufacturer version if your PC is offered it, or pay $0.99 for the standard one, or use VLC for free playback.

Do I need to download the HEVC video extension for VLC?

No. VLC has its own HEVC decoder and does not use the Windows extension. Install VLC from Microsoft Store or videolan.org and it plays HEVC files straight away.

What is the difference between the two HEVC extensions?

Price and encoding. The $0.99 HEVC Video Extensions plays and creates HEVC video. The free Device Manufacturer version is listed for playback only. The product description on both listings is otherwise identical.

Is it safe to download the HEVC extension from other websites?

No. Get it only from its Microsoft Store listings. Appx files and "free HEVC codec" installers on other sites are not Microsoft downloads, and Microsoft warns that free codec packs cause compatibility issues.

Why does Photos still ask for an extension after I installed HEVC?

Photos needs a restart to load the new codec. If the file is an iPhone photo, it is HEIF rather than HEVC, so also install the free HEIF Image Extension from Microsoft Store.