Open it online right now, no installation needed.
With over 15 years working alongside public authorities, law enforcement, professional installers and end users on video surveillance systems, we know this problem well: people who can't open an H265/HEVC (and sometimes H264) file exported by NVRs and cameras in formats that PCs and phones don't recognize. That experience led to H265 Viewer, the online player that solves it in seconds.
Upload your video: it's processed entirely on your own device, we never receive it on our servers. If the file is readable, we'll show you a free preview frame — to watch the full video and download the converted file, unlock it for €2.99.
Drag your video file here or click to select it
Supported formats: MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI (H264, H265/HEVC) — max 1 GB
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open an H265 file?
H265 (HEVC) is a highly compressed video codec, but not every browser or device can decode it natively — Chrome and Firefox on Windows, for example, often can't without a plugin. H265 Viewer solves this by opening the file directly in your browser, no software installation required.
What's the difference between H264 and H265?
H264 is the older, universally supported codec: almost every browser and device opens it without issues. H265 (HEVC) is its successor, offering better compression at the same quality (smaller files), but browser support is more limited — which is why an H265 video might fail to open while the same footage in H264 would play just fine.
Why does my NVR or camera record in H265?
CCTV NVR and camera manufacturers (Hikvision, Dahua and similar) increasingly use H265 because it takes up less disk space at the same recording quality. The advantage for storage becomes a disadvantage when you later need to review the footage on a PC or phone that doesn't support the codec.
Which camera and NVR brands produce H264 or H265 files?
Practically every major video surveillance manufacturer: Hikvision and Dahua are probably the most common brands, but the issue affects virtually any brand, generic or professional, that records in H264 or H265 — H265 Viewer works with files from any manufacturer, not just the well-known ones.
Can I open an H265 video on iPhone or Mac?
Yes, Safari on Mac and iPhone supports H265 natively in most cases, so the video often opens without any extra tool. The problem shows up more often on Windows with Chrome or Firefox, where H265 support isn't built in by default.
Which browsers are supported for conversion on this site?
The player works on all modern browsers. For converting H265 files (when the browser can't read them natively) we recommend Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, which handle the technology behind this tool best. Safari sometimes has technical issues specifically with the conversion feature — if the preview doesn't generate, try one of the other browsers instead.
What's the maximum file size for conversion?
The limit is 1 GB. We set it to make sure the conversion — which happens entirely in the user's browser, not on our servers — works correctly even on less powerful devices; larger files could slow down or freeze the page on older computers.
My file is larger than 1 GB, what can I do?
You can split it into smaller parts using a free tool like LosslessCut (open source, cuts video without re-encoding, so it's very fast even on large files), then upload and unlock each part separately on H265 Viewer.
Are my files uploaded to your servers?
No. The video is processed entirely inside your own browser, on your device — we never receive it on our servers. You can verify this yourself by disabling your internet connection after the page has loaded: video playback keeps working regardless.