# What is HEVC?

HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, H.265) is a video compression standard designed for better compression than H.264 at similar quality.

Canonical URL: https://www.subclip.app/faq/what-is-hevc

Last modified: 2026-04-17T00:00:00+00:00

**Definition**
HEVC (H.265) is a video codec standard designed to deliver similar visual quality to H.264 at lower bitrates.

**Who made it and why**
HEVC was standardized by ITU-T and ISO/IEC experts to improve compression efficiency for HD and 4K delivery.

**Why teams adopt HEVC**
- Lower bandwidth at high resolutions
- Smaller storage footprints
- Common in modern capture/streaming pipelines

**Compatibility caveat**
Playback support depends on hardware decode support, OS capabilities, and licensing in the player stack.

**Use it in Subclip**
Import HEVC in [Subclip Home Player](https://subclip.app/home), then convert for broader playback with [HEVC to MP4](/tools/convert-video-format/hevc-to-mp4).

**History and adoption**
HEVC was finalized in 2013 and became mainstream in 4K streaming and mobile capture workflows over the following decade.

**TL;DR**
HEVC is efficient and modern, but not as universally compatible as H.264 MP4.

**Related converters**
[HEVC to MP4](/tools/convert-video-format/hevc-to-mp4), [MP4 to HEVC](/tools/convert-video-format/mp4-to-hevc).

**Related FAQs**
[How do I open HEVC files?](/faq/how-to-open-hevc-files), [What is an MP4 file?](/faq/what-is-an-mp4-file), [How do I open an MP4 file?](/faq/how-to-open-an-mp4-file).

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