Install Hevc Codec For Vlc Exclusive May 2026

Microsoft offers a free version of the HEVC codec, but only for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). You can sideload it legally.

Verification: Play an HEVC file. Open Tools > Codec Information. Look for "HEVC" and "Hardware decoding" – it should say "Active".

You might be asking, "Why shouldn't I just buy the $0.99 Microsoft extension?" install hevc codec for vlc exclusive

Here is why the VLC Exclusive method wins:

VLC uses FFmpeg libraries for HEVC. Install them via your package manager: Microsoft offers a free version of the HEVC

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install vlc ffmpeg

Fedora:

sudo dnf install vlc ffmpeg

Arch:

sudo pacman -S vlc ffmpeg

No separate codec pack needed.

Even after installation, you may see a green or purple screen, or hear audio with no video.

HEVC is highly parallelizable. Force VLC to use all CPU cores: Verification: Play an HEVC file