X HEVC Encoder
A free Windows GUI for encoding video to HEVC (H.265). Supports software encoding via libx265 and x265 CLI, plus hardware encoders from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel. Auto-detects which encoders are available on your system.
Features
libx265 via FFmpeg, standalone x265 CLI, NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF and Intel QSV. Auto-detects which are available.
Archival, Streaming, HDR/4K, Web/Social, Blu-ray and Mobile - each pre-configures CRF, preset speed and profile.
Shows the exact command before encoding. Edit it directly or paste from the HEVC Settings Guide - your changes run as-is.
Reads resolution, codec, fps, bit depth and HDR flag via FFprobe. Suggests Main10 profile automatically for HDR sources.
Passes colorprimaries, transfer function and color matrix through the encode for correct HDR display.
Progress bar with speed and ETA. Full FFmpeg log tab for troubleshooting. Portable .exe - no installer.
X HEVC Encoder v1.0 - Windows 10/11
What you need to download
X HEVC Encoder is a GUI front-end and does not bundle the encoders itself - this keeps the download small and lets you use whichever version you already have. Place the executables in the same folder as X HEVC Encoder.
FFmpeg (with libx265)
Required for all encoding modes. Download a static Windows build from free-codecs.com - it includes libx265, FFprobe and all codecs in a single .exe.
Download FFmpeg - free-codecs.comx265 CLI (standalone encoder)
The standalone x265.exe gives slightly better performance and more direct control than libx265 via FFmpeg. Uses a two-step pipe: FFmpeg decodes, x265 encodes, FFmpeg muxes.
Download x265 CLI - free-codecs.comGPU hardware encoders (NVENC / AMF / QSV)
Hardware encoders are built into your GPU and activated via driver - no separate download needed. X HEVC Encoder detects them automatically at launch. Requires an NVIDIA (Maxwell+), AMD (RX 400+) or Intel (Skylake+) GPU.
Software vs hardware encoding
| Encoder | Speed | Quality | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
libx265 |
Slow | Best | Archival, final exports |
x265 CLI |
Slow | Best | Archival, advanced params |
hevc_nvenc |
Very fast | Good | Live capture, quick exports |
hevc_amf |
Very fast | Good | Live capture, quick exports |
hevc_qsv |
Fast | OK | Battery-friendly laptop encodes |
Hardware encoders are 5-10x faster than libx265 but produce larger files at the same CRF. For archival use libx265 or x265 CLI. For streaming or quick exports use NVENC/AMF.