Play H.265 Videos Free on Windows using LAV Filters

You just downloaded a movie or phone recording in HEVC format, double-clicked it, and nothing happened.

Maybe Windows threw an error, maybe your media player showed audio but no video. Either way, you are stuck.

The problem is simple: Windows does not include a free HEVC decoder out of the box.

Microsoft charges $0.99 for their HEVC Video Extension, and many third-party players rely on external codecs to handle H.265 content.

LAV Filters solves this completely. It is a free, open-source set of DirectShow filters that adds HEVC decoding (along with nearly every other format) to any compatible media player on Windows.

Once installed, your HEVC files just work.

What Are LAV Filters and Why Do You Need Them?

LAV Filters is a collection of three DirectShow components: LAV Splitter (handles container formats like MKV and MP4), LAV Video (decodes video streams including HEVC, H.264, AV1, and VP9), and LAV Audio (decodes audio streams like AAC, DTS, and FLAC).

Together, these filters act as a universal codec layer for Windows. Any media player that supports DirectShow - including MPC-HC, MPC-BE, PotPlayer, and even Windows Media Player - can use LAV Filters to play formats it otherwise could not handle.

LAV Filters also supports hardware-accelerated decoding through DXVA2 and D3D11, which means your GPU handles the heavy lifting. This is especially important for 4K HEVC content, where software-only decoding can stutter on older CPUs.

Step 1: Download and Install LAV Filters

Head to the LAV Filters download page and grab the latest version. Run the installer and follow the prompts.

During installation, you will see checkboxes for the three components: LAV Splitter, LAV Video, and LAV Audio. Keep all three checked. Unchecking any of them limits what formats you can play.

Step 2: Enable HEVC in LAV Video Configuration

After installation, open the LAV Video Configuration tool. You can find it by typing "LAV Video" into the Windows Search bar - it installs alongside the filters automatically.

Click the Formats tab. You will see a list of every video codec LAV Video can handle. Make sure HEVC (H.265) has a checkmark next to it. It should be enabled by default, but it is worth confirming.

While you are here, check the Hardware Acceleration section at the bottom. If you have a modern GPU (NVIDIA GTX 960+, AMD RX 400+, or Intel 6th gen+), set this to D3D11 or DXVA2 (native) for the best 4K playback performance.

Step 3: Choose a Compatible Media Player

LAV Filters works with any DirectShow-based player. The most popular choices are:

• MPC-HC - Lightweight, fast, and integrates with LAV Filters automatically. Best option for most users.
• MPC-BE - A fork of MPC-HC with extra features like improved subtitle rendering and a modern interface.
• PotPlayer - Feature-rich player with built-in codec support, but can be configured to use LAV Filters for better HEVC handling.
• Windows Media Player - Works with LAV Filters since it uses DirectShow, though it lacks the advanced options of dedicated players.

If you are using MPC-HC, LAV Filters integrates automatically - no extra configuration needed. Just open an HEVC file and it plays.

For PotPlayer or other players, you may need to go into the player's filter settings and set LAV Video Decoder as the preferred video decoder.

In PotPlayer, navigate to Preferences > Filter Control > Video Decoder and select LAV Video.

Step 4: Play Your HEVC Video

Open your HEVC file in your chosen media player. LAV Filters handles the decoding automatically in the background.

To confirm LAV Filters is active, look for the LAV Video or LAV Audio icons in your system tray during playback. You can also right-click in MPC-HC during playback, go to Filters, and check that LAV Video Decoder and LAV Audio Decoder appear in the filter chain.

Troubleshooting Common HEVC Playback Issues

Black screen with audio only: This usually means a different video decoder is taking priority over LAV Video. Open your player's external filter settings and set LAV Video Decoder to "Prefer" or remove competing decoders like ffdshow.

Stuttering on 4K files: Enable hardware acceleration in LAV Video Configuration. Switch to D3D11 mode if DXVA2 is not smooth enough. Also make sure your GPU drivers are up to date.

No audio: Check LAV Audio Configuration and verify that the audio format used in your file (usually AAC or AC3) is enabled. If you are passing audio to a receiver, enable Bitstreaming in the Audio settings.

File opens but immediately closes: The container format might not be recognized. Make sure LAV Splitter is installed and set as the preferred splitter for the file type (MKV, MP4, etc.).

HEVC still will not play after setup: Some HEVC files use 10-bit color depth, which requires proper GPU support. If your hardware does not support 10-bit HEVC decoding, LAV Filters will fall back to software decoding. This works but may stutter on 4K content with older CPUs.

Alternative: Use K-Lite Codec Pack Instead

If you want a simpler all-in-one solution, the K-Lite Codec Pack bundles LAV Filters with MPC-HC and pre-configures everything for you. Install it, and HEVC playback works immediately without any manual configuration.

K-Lite is particularly useful if you deal with multiple video formats beyond HEVC. It includes decoders for AV1, VP9, MPEG-2, and virtually every other codec you might encounter, all managed through a single installer that prevents filter conflicts.

Download LAV Filters, install all three components, confirm HEVC is enabled in LAV Video Configuration, and open your file in MPC-HC or PotPlayer. For a zero-configuration approach, install K-Lite Codec Pack instead - it includes LAV Filters pre-configured.