How to Fix VLC Media Player HEVC Playback Issues

Are you experiencing difficulties playing videos with the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) format using your VLC media player? Despite being a popular video codec, HEVC playback issues can be frustrating. However, this issue is often easily resolvable by upgrading your software and hardware or installing additional plugins.

Upgrade to the Latest Version of VLC

The first step in resolving HEVC playback issues with VLC is to ensure you are running the latest version of the media player. As mentioned earlier, most recent versions of VLC support HEVC playback since each new release aims to improve compatibility with various video formats and codecs. To upgrade your VLC media player, simply visit their official website and download the latest available version.

Check Your Hardware Capabilities

Another common reason for HEVC playback issues in VLC is insufficient hardware capabilities. HEVC H.265 playback requires a modern Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and powerful processing power to decode videos smoothly. If you're using an older GPU or processor, it may not be able to handle the demands of HEVC decoding.

Install Additional Plugins

In addition to upgrading your software and ensuring adequate hardware capabilities, installing additional plugins can also resolve VLC HEVC playback issues. The 'VLC Plugin' by fancycode is a standalone plugin that supports decoding of HEVC/H.265 using libde265. This plugin is compatible with VLC versions 2.x or higher.

For users running older versions of VLC (below 2.1), the modified MKV demuxer includes support for HEVC streams, while those running even older versions (below 2.2) can use the modified MPEG-TS and MP4 demuxers that also have support for HEVC streams.

By following these simple steps to upgrade your VLC media player software, ensure adequate hardware capabilities, or install additional plugins, you should be able to resolve any HEVC playback issues and enjoy smooth video playback using this popular media player.

Vlc media player hevc