HEVC Video Extensions from device manufacturers is the official app for playing HEVC (H.265) codecs on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft provides two apps for playing this codec natively in hardware, both are identical. The only difference between the two is that one is paid and the other is free. The free ones are included in new devices sold by big brands, such as laptops with Windows pre-installed. So manufacturers don’t have to pay to include this codec.

Fortunately, other users can freely download the codecs and install them on their computers. That’s the file provided here. After installation, you will be able to play videos and movies recorded with HEVC (H.265) codec. Most 4K movies are recorded in this format and this download allows them to be played using a native Windows application called Movies and TV.

By using hardware to decode HEVC video, less processor and graphics card power is required, greatly reducing the consumption of computer resources. Plus, playing from a laptop will give you better battery life (otherwise decoding is done in software and consumes more resources).

So if you want to decode HEVC content on Windows hardware, feel free to download HEVC video extensions from your device manufacturer.