01
Pick the encoder by target
H.264 plays everywhere; H.265 halves the size at the same quality but costs more time and breaks on older hardware players. For a file that will be shared, H.264 is the safe answer.
Pick the **H.264 or H.265 encoder**, set **RF 20 to 23** with the **slow preset**, and leave the resolution alone. Constant quality beats a target bitrate for anything that is not going to a strict platform.
Requirements
- HandBrake
- A video file
- Disk space for the output
Instructions
02
Use constant quality, not a bitrate
RF mode spends bits where the picture needs them. RF 20 is close to visually lossless for most sources, RF 23 is a good archive setting, and above 26 you start seeing banding in gradients.
Quality: RF 22tipThe RF scale differs between H.264 and H.265. An RF 22 in H.265 is roughly an RF 20 in H.264.
03
Choose a preset you can wait for
The speed preset trades time for size. Slow gives noticeably cleaner output at the same RF; medium is the usual compromise for a library conversion.
Preset: Slow / Medium
04
Leave the resolution and frame rate alone
Downscaling is a separate decision from compression. Keep the source dimensions unless the file must fit a device, and never convert frame rate without a reason.
⚠ warningInterlaced sources need the deinterlace filter, not a lower resolution. A combed image that gets smaller is still combed.
05
Check the audio track first
Copy the audio when the source is already reasonable, or convert to AAC at 160 kbit/s per channel pair. Dropping a 5.1 track to stereo is a choice, not a default.
Audio: AAC 160 kbit/s
06
Compare a thirty-second sample
Encode a short range from a dark, grainy scene and compare frames side by side at 100 %. Grain is the first thing to disappear, and it is where the compression shows.
Range: 00:05:00 - 00:05:30Common issues
The output is larger than the source
The source was already compressed well, or the RF is too low. Raise RF by two points and compare again.
Colours look washed out
A colour range mismatch between source and encoder. Set the range explicitly under the filters or the video tab.
The encode is far slower than expected
H.265 on the slow preset uses every core for hours. Enable the hardware encoder for speed, at a small quality cost.
The result stutters on a TV
The container or the level does not match the player. Use MP4 with the level set to 4.1 for older hardware.
Frequently asked
Is two-pass better than RF?
Only for a hard bitrate limit, such as a platform maximum. For storage, RF is simpler and usually better.
Does HandBrake keep subtitles?
Yes, if you add them on the subtitles tab. They are not copied automatically.
How to undo this
Delete the converted file. HandBrake never modifies the source, so the original stays as it was.
Changelog · 1 entry
- 2026-10-31First version
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