Convert raw HEVC (.hevc / .h265 / .265) to MP4
Raw HEVC files are the H.265 bitstream with no container. Wave wraps them in MP4 with the correct codec tag (hev1 / hvc1) so Apple, Windows, and every HEVC-capable player can decode them without complaint.
What actually changes
A raw HEVC file (.hevc, .h265, or .265 depending on the encoder) is a bare sequence of HEVC NAL units in Annex B format. The bitstream carries all the compressed video, but no timing, no audio, no container index. These files come out of the x265 encoder, ffmpeg's `-f hevc` output, some hardware encoders, and pipelines where the codec output is separated from the container step for later assembly.
MP4 accepts HEVC directly (registered as `hev1` for parameter-sets-in-samples or `hvc1` for parameter-sets-in-metadata), so the conversion is a re-mux: NAL units copied bit-for-bit into an MP4 container with a synthesized 25 fps timebase. No decoding, no re-encoding, no visible loss. Wave writes the `hvc1` variant because Apple's players (QuickTime, iOS, Safari) require it - `hev1` plays on Windows and Android but silently fails on Apple. Getting this detail right is why a proper remuxer is more reliable than manually running `ffmpeg -f hevc -i in.hevc -c copy out.mp4` (which defaults to `hev1` and produces a file iOS refuses).
HEVC (ITU-T H.265) shipped in 2013 and delivered roughly 40-50% better compression than H.264 at the same visual quality. Its adoption was slowed by patent-pool confusion (two competing pools with overlapping terms), which is why Chrome and Firefox skipped in-browser HEVC playback for years while hardware decoders quietly landed in every phone and TV. As of 2026, HEVC decode is essentially universal on modern consumer hardware; encoding is where the patent story still matters, which is why Wave never bundles the GPL <code>libx265</code> encoder even though decoding is unaffected.
The <code>hvc1</code> vs <code>hev1</code> distinction sounds pedantic but has real consequences. Both codec tags carry the same HEVC bitstream; the difference is where the parameter sets (VPS, SPS, PPS - "how to decode this stream") live. <code>hvc1</code> puts them in the sample description, so the player knows the codec's configuration before it hits the first sample. <code>hev1</code> puts them inline with the samples, so the player has to parse the first NAL to figure out the format. Apple's stricter decoder pipeline needs the up-front info. Windows Media Foundation and Android MediaCodec accept either.
Three steps.
-
01
Step 1
Drop your .hevc, .h265, or .265 file onto the card.
-
02
Step 2
Wave inspects and shows Fast copy - HEVC copies straight into MP4.
-
03
Step 3
Convert and save. The output plays on iOS, macOS, Windows, and Android.
Answers, specifically.
Will this play on iOS?
Yes. Wave writes the `hvc1` codec tag that Apple requires. iOS 11 and later, and macOS 10.13 and later, have hardware HEVC decoders and play the output natively.
What about HDR / 10-bit HEVC?
The bitstream is copied unchanged, so 10-bit HEVC Main 10 profile stays 10-bit. The MP4 will carry HDR metadata if the source had it. Playback requires an HDR-capable display - the file will play on a standard display but the tone mapping is the player's responsibility.
The playback speed is wrong. Fix?
Raw HEVC has no embedded frame rate, so Wave assumes 25 fps. For a source at a different rate, re-mux from the command line with `ffmpeg -r <rate> -i input.hevc -c copy -tag:v hvc1 output.mp4`.
Is there a difference between .hevc, .h265, and .265?
None. Three names for the same raw bitstream. Different encoders use different extensions by convention. Wave treats all three identically.
Can I combine with a separate audio track?
Not in the current build. Command line: `ffmpeg -i video.hevc -i audio.aac -c copy -tag:v hvc1 output.mp4` does it in one pass.
HEVC Main 10 (10-bit) - does that survive?
Yes. The bitstream is copied unchanged, so a Main 10 source produces a Main 10 MP4. Every recent Apple, Android, and Windows device decodes it in hardware. Older devices without HEVC Main 10 decode may show a black screen; check target-device compatibility before distributing widely.
What is the file-size comparison to H.264?
The HEVC bitstream is roughly 40% smaller than an H.264 encode of the same visual quality. If you have a raw HEVC file and you're considering re-encoding to H.264 for compatibility instead of remuxing to HEVC MP4, expect the H.264 output to be about 65-70% larger than the HEVC source.
Does it play on Windows without extra software?
Windows 11 ships an HEVC decoder as part of the OS. Windows 10 requires the Microsoft Store's HEVC Video Extensions app (free for OEM-preinstalled Win 10, $0.99 for retail installs). Every browser and video player that uses the OS decoder benefits automatically once that is installed.