HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer is the official application for playing the HEVC (H.265) codec on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft offers two identical applications for playing this codec natively by hardware. The only difference between them is that one costs money and the other is free. The free one is included on new devices sold by big brands, like laptops that come with Windows pre-installed. These manufacturers don’t have to pay to include the codec.

Luckily, you can download the codec for free and install it on your own computer. That’s what this file offers. After installing it, you can play videos and movies recorded with the HEVC (H.265) codec. Most 4K movies are recorded in this format, so with this application, you’ll be able to play them using the native Windows application called Movies and TV.

By decoding HEVC videos by hardware, the consumption of computer resources decreases dramatically because it requires less graphics card and processor power. It also increases battery life if you watch something on a laptop (otherwise, the decoding is done by software, which consumes more resources).

So don’t hesitate to download HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer if you want to decode HEVC content by hardware on Windows.