Here is my guide on playing HEVC videos on Windows through Plex Web Player without the need for transcoding. Additionally, external .srt subtitle files are incorporated.

  • Install HEVC Video Extensions from Microsoft Store. You will have to pay 1$ for it.
  • Opt for Microsoft Edge; there’s no need to fret as it’s actually quite pleasant. It has become my primary browser. Over the past few months, I transitioned from Chrome to Brave, and now I exclusively use Edge.
  • Install h265ify Edge extension. No extra configuration is needed.
  • Make sure you are using version 118 of Edge. I am curently using Version 118.0.2088.122 (Official build) (64-bit).

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How to downgrade Edge

It’s likely that you don’t have version 118 installed. If your version is lower than 118, consider avoiding the update. I encountered problems with HEVC video playback when using version 120 for a few days, prompting me to find a workaround by downgrading to version 118 and disabling updates. Unfortunately, Edge lacks a user-friendly method for disabling updates, but there is a solution.

How to disable Edge updates

In the Windows Services application, deactivate the following three services by double-clicking on the service name and adjusting the startup type to Disabled.

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In the Task Scheduler application, deactivate the following three tasks by right-clicking on the task name and choose Disable.

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How to downgrade Edge

When reverting to a previous version of Edge, start by downloading the most recent build for version 118 from the official Microsoft website.

To revert to a previous version, simply execute the following command in your terminal. Although you won’t observe any progress, after a few minutes, an Edge shortcut will be created on your Desktop, indicating a successful downgrade. Before opening Edge, ensure that the disabled services and tasks remain deactivated.

msiexec /I MicrosoftEdgeEnterpriseX64.msi /qn ALLOWDOWNGRADE=1

With the older version of Edge in use, prevent any updates. You may receive frequent prompts to install new updates when accessing the settings page. Simply refrain from allowing the Microsoft Edge Update application to initiate.

This is the information you should find on the Settings > About Microsoft Edge page.

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