The issue with the software arises when we start to create a new project. Soon when you finish your edits and head towards rendering it, the size of file with highest/medium settings comes out to be very large. Adding to it the rendering time also increases depending upon the duration of the clip. So before moving to the fix, lets talk about the importance of h.264 codec and why we need it.
Download H.264 Codec After Effects
H.264 is a video codec standard, which is also known as AVC. The AVC stands for Advanced Video Coding MPEG-4 PT 10. H.264 codec can achieve high quality video in relatively very low bit rates. It is from one of the most commonly used formats for recording, distribution and compression of video content. Other than that it supports resolutions up to 4K UHD. Hence the h.264 video codec enclosure will lead us for best quality video rendering as well as with reduced size. So we will be requiring the following codec to be installed on the system.
In this article, we will focus on how to free download HEVC codec extensions for 4K/8K video playback, and how to play HEVC videos without installing extra HEVC/H.265 codec packs, explaining what is HEVC codec, together with errors and FAQs about HEVC playback that users concern most.
Summary: You can open "ms-windows-store://pdp/?ProductId=9n4wgh0z6vhq" to download the free HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer. But if this doesn't work, you can always buy and download the official HEVC extensions from the Microsoft Store. Meanwhile, there are various free HEVC codec packs and VLC to help open HEVC H.265 videos.
Codec packs make video playing easier by installing a number of different codecs at once. But they are likely to pose software conflict and are full of adware or spyware. That's exactly why Windows 10 introduces HEVC codec extensions officially. Microsoft charges for its official HEVC codec $0.99. Before you free download the HEVC video extensions and make a purchase, you should know that:
By the way, Microsoft automatically installs security updates for these codecs for security purposes. So make sure to enable "Update Apps Automatically" in "Settings". Still, some unlucky users are encountering errors with the HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft on Windows 10. For example, there are errors like the HEVC extension is not launching, can't download/install the HEVC extensions after purchase, won't open MKV videos with HEVC codec, etc.
There was a package "HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer" which was free to download on Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store. The free HEVC codec is exactly the same as the $0.99 official HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft but is free. However, that version is no longer available. But you can still get it for free. Here is how:
If it asks you to launch your Microsoft store, just open it. Click the Install button and it will then ask you to enter your Microsoft account. Just close that window and it will continue to install the HEVC video codec free on Windows 10. If that won't work, you can still find the HEVC Video Extension available for free download for Windows 10 and later on sites like free-codecs.com and codecpack. The HEVC codec works on devices new than an Intel 7th Generation Core processor and newer GPU to support 4K and Ultra HD content. With the HEVC Video Extension downloaded and installed, you can also view .HEIC photos without further codecs.
4. The HEVC codec extensions are compatible with Windows built-in apps. But it may not work with other players and editors. So you may see Premiere Pro or Filmora asking you to install HEVC codec after you download the Microsoft HEVC video extensions. Try other free HEVC codec packs below.
As Windows 10/11 doesn't contain a built-in HEVC codec, it will give you an error asking you to download the HEVC Video Extensions for $0.99 when you try to play an HEVC video using Microsoft's programs. How to download HEVC codec extensions for Windows 10 Media player or other video player software? What if you don't want to spend $0.99 on Microsoft's HEVC codec extensions?
Beginners may search HEVC codec extensions on Google or software download sites to get a direct download link. But the random results are quite confusing. So, we list the following reliable HEVC (H.265) codecs for you to download on Windows 10.
x265 is an open-source HEVC encoder application library that helps users encode video/images into an HEVC bitstream. It's available under either GNU GPL 2 license or a commercial license. This codec aims to provide the best HEVC/H.265 encoder and deliver the highest encoding speed and visual quality. It has been adopted by many open-source programs, incl. FFMPEG, Handbrake, etc. The latest version is v3.5 at 1.5MB in size, you can download x265 v3.5 here >>
DivX is one of the most popular video codecs with the implementation of several mainstream video and audio standards, including DivX, MKV, HEVC/H.265 up to 4K, H.264, MPE4, AVI, MPEG-2, AAC, AC3, DLNA, DTS-HD, etc. The most recent version of the DivX codec itself is v10.8.10. It is built-in DivX HEVC Ultra HD codec extension, meant to help users create and play HEVC videos up to 4K UHD. You can download the DivX codec here. (Note that the DivX 10 HEVC codec pack for Windows may contain ads)
Media Player Codec Pack Plus is a free HEVC/H.265 codec pack that will work in Microsoft Windows Media Player as well as any other DirectShow compatible player. With the free HEVC codec downloaded on Windows 11/10, you can play videos in HEVC, H.265, 10bit x265, MP4, MKV, AVI, WebM, M4V, and more. HEVC videos in 4K and higher resolutions are supported. It supports GPU hardware acceleration from Nvidia, AMD, ATI, and Intel for smooth HEVC playback.
Except for the above free HEVC video codec packs and extensions, you can also download Windows 10 Codec Pack or Media Player Codec Pack Plus to have a try. They also support a wealth of compression and file types used by modern video and audio files, from x265 to H.265/HEVC, 10bit x264, H.264, AVCHD, DivX, XviD, MP4, MPEG2, etc.
In general, mobile devices and computers manufactured after 2016 such as iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, Samsung Galaxy S7 equivalent, or better can handle the HEVC codec. While for the 4K HEVC video, the decoding process will be slow or stuttering if without hardware acceleration. So powerful hardware is required for efficient HEVC playback. Below are the minimum hardware requirement for decoding 4K HEVC H.265 videos.
If you don't want to pay for Microsoft's official HEVC video extensions, don't want to bother with other free HEVC codecs, or have problems getting the HEVC codecs to work with your program, there is an easy alternative solution to play HEVC videos. The VLC media player comes with the built-in support for HEVC codec and can help open and play HEVC videos without third-party codec packs. You simply need to download VLC on Windows 10, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps, and set VLC as your default player. Next time, it will automatically open an HEVC video with VLC.
In Part 2, we have listed the best free HEVC video extensions you can download for your PC. However, how to install and have HEVC codecs work on Windows 10? Here are the steps: download the HEVC codec from the link below them > once downloaded, double-click the downloaded pack and follow the instructions to install it > you may be asked to set the player you use (such as Windows Media Player) as the Preferred video/audio player. Then the video player will take advantage of the H.265 codec and open HEVC videos without error.
If you don't want to download and install an extra HEVC video codec on Windows 10, you can still play HEVC videos on PC as there are video players that come with built-in HEVC decoders. Here we list some best free HEVC codec players for Windows 10 and later. Have any 4K/HD HEVC videos that will not play, try the free HEVC video decoders below.
You see, more and more videos are encoded in the HEVC codec or packaged into HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) format in HEVC. HEVC H.265 plays in 17.17% of all browsers, 78% for iOS devices, and 57% for Android 6 years after being an international standard. On the other hand, the momentum of the AV1 codec and VVC codec[3] cannot be underestimated.
AV1 plays in 32.02% of all browsers since both Google and Mozilla are AOMedia members. Meanwhile, in Nov, 2018, Microsoft released the beta AV1 Video Extension, which allows AV1 playback on Windows 10 devices. On the other hand, being the next-gen standards-based codec after HEVC h.265, the VVC codec delivers a 30% bit rate reduction over HEVC codec at the same perpetual quality. And the BBC found HEVC (HM) and AV1 to be about the same, with VVC (JEM) substantially better than both.
To play HEVC videos on Windows 11, install official HEVC Video Extensions for Windows 11 and download free H.265 codecs (Windows 11) like Device Manufacturer HEVC codec, Libde265, K-Lite Codec Pack, etc.
I am using MacOS Sierra and am trying to download the ProRes444 Codec in order to export my Adobe After Effects 4k RED footage in this format (probably using Adobe Media Encoder based on what I have seen others do). I found a download of 'pro video formats' that supposedly includes this codec, and downloaded a trial of final cut pro so that it could run ProRes444 on my computer, but am not sure how to find it in Media Encoder now. Are there other steps I'm missing? Thanks!
More information on the Beta builds and rendering H.264 is available on the After Effects (Beta) forums: -effects-beta-discussions/feature-focus-exporting-h-264-from-the-after-effects-render-queue/td-p/13117618 ( -effects-beta-discussions/feature-focus-exporting-h-264-from-the-after-effects-render-queue/td-p/13117618 )
As Adobe Media Encoder doesn't render the same way After Effects does this is a critical feature. If whatever causes AME to render differently than after effects was fixed I would be OK with just using Adobe Media Encoder.
There can be many reasons for the issue from the old graphic driver not supporting file formats to absence of compatible codecs. You might have used wrong export settings combination or a certain special effect that lead to the quality loss in videos after export. Based on the probable reason, apply the below fixes to resolve quality loss issue in videos after export: 2ff7e9595c
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