There are two ways to get the HEVC Video Extensions for free. There's only one catch - If Microsoft discovers this loophole, they might close it. We now have a workaround that will allow you to download the HEVC codec for free, as it should be. These extensions also let you encode HEVC content on devices that don't have a hardware-based video encoder. Software support is provided for devices that don't have hardware support for HEVC videos, but the playback experience might vary based on the video resolution and PC performance. These extensions are designed to utilize hardware capabilities on newer devices, including those with an Intel 7th Generation Core processor and newer GPU to support 4K and Ultra HD content. Once you have the codecs, you can play High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) videos on your Windows 10 or 11 devices in any video app.

After all, Microsoft keeps touting how advanced these operating systems are. While not a bank-buster, the encoders should be included in Windows & 11 for free.

Playing HEVC or HEIC requires downloading the HEVC encoder from Microsoft for 99 cents.

Codec pack hevc