While VLC is primarily a media player, it has tons of hidden functions you probably don’t even know of - it also comes with the HEVC codec built-in. Popular third-party video apps offer the codec by default. The Windows 10 store isn’t your only source to satisfy your need for the HEVC codec. Doing so will automatically install the codec and allow you to start playing HEVC videos on your computer. By default, apps such as Microsoft’s Movies & TV player won’t allow you to play these files, giving you an error instead: If you want to play these files on your Windows 10 device without having to download even more third-party apps, you’ll need a codec that includes HEVC support. 4K UHD Blu-ray footage also uses the same format to give lossless playback quality. This increase in use is thanks to Apple’s iPhone smartphones, which by default record and save videos in the HEVC format. Why is this important? The HEVC format is becoming more and more popular nowadays. While Windows 10 comes with many different and essential codecs by default, some are missing from the system’s starter pack.
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For example, on a device without codecs, you'd be unable to record through your webcam or play media you downloaded or received.
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Without codecs, you're unable to play videos on your device, which also limits you from editing or filming in specific formats yourself. What is the HEVC codec and why you need itĬodecs are essential for streaming media. In this article, we'll be going over how you can acquire the HEVC codec without having to spend any money.