Apple TV allows you to stream and play videos in supported formats, otherwise you will receive an error message saying "This video is in a format that cannot be streamed to this TV" or "This video format cannot be played."
Here, I will walk you through what video formats Apple TV supports and how to convert videos to Apple TV video formats for smooth playback.
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Michelle | Updated on Jul 3, 2026
When you try to stream a movie to Apple TV over AirPlay, make sure that the movie format is supported by your Apple TV. In short, .mp4, .mov, and .m4v are the only container formats supported by Apple TVs. But there are also restrictions on how the video is encoded. To know whether your video can be played on your Apple TV, compare your video with the video specs provided by Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD (4) below.
| Device | Max Resolution | Video Codecs | HDR Support | Audio Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple TV 4K | 4K 60 fps | HEVC, H.264, MPEG-4 | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) Dolby Digital (AC-3) AAC, HE-AAC MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, AIFF, WAV Protected AAC |
| Apple TV HD | 1080p 60 fps | HEVC, H.264, MPEG-4 | Not supported |
Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) Dolby Digital (AC-3) AAC, HE-AAC MP3, Apple Lossless, FLAC, AIFF, WAV Protected AAC |
đź”” Note:
WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro offers users the easiest way to convert videos to Apple TV format. In just three steps, you can obtain converted files with high quality. Try it out now!
If your video is not supported by Apple TV, it cannot be played on the device. To resolve this issue, you can convert the video into an Apple TV supported video format.
WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a powerful video converter that supports virtually all video formats. It can work as a dedicated Apple TV converter, allowing you to easily convert unsupported videos into Apple TV-compatible formats. You can choose specific formats supported by Apple TV or simply select the built-in Apple TV preset for conversion. Additionally, the software can maintain excellent image quality during the process to ensure a crisp viewing experience on your TV.
Please free download free download the video converter and follow the instructions to get started.
Step 1: Open WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory on your PC and enter the “Converter” program. Next, click the “Add Files” button to import the unplayable videos into the converter.
Step 2: On the right side of the converter, click the format icon to unfold the output format list. Next, go to the Apple device section and choose the "Apple TV" profile directly.
Alternatively, you can select MP4, MOV, or M4V as the output format under the "Video" category and then adjust the settings, such as choosing H264 for the video encoder and AAC for the audio encoder, to match Apple TV specifications.
Step 3: Finally, choose an output folder at the bottom of the interface and hit “Run” to start the conversion. After the conversion, you should have no problem playing the video on Apple TV.
- Record computer screen and audio;
- Download SD/HD/4K/8K videos from YouTube;
- Compress large video files while keeping quality;
- Cut and join audio/video without limit.
You can stream many videos from your iPhone or iPad to an Apple TV using AirPlay or Home Sharing, but the format has to be compatible in order to play.
Apple TV has best compatibility with MP4 files with H264 video and AAC audio. This combo makes for reliable playback on Apple devices and prevents conversion issues. Apple TV 4K also supports HEVC video and HDR formats including Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG for higher quality content.
It’s important to check your video’s codec, resolution and audio format to know whether it’s supported by your device. And don’t worry if it’s not, because you can use an Apple TV converter like WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro to convert the video to an Apple TV-friendly format in just a few clicks.
That’s all I wanted to share about the Apple TV video formats and how to convert videos for playback on Apple TV. Thanks for reading!
I write about multimedia topics, including video and audio conversion, compression, editing, and downloading. I joined WonderFox in 2020, and my goal is to help readers solve everyday tech problems more easily. I have shown you what video formats are supported by Apple TV and what to do if your video is not supported. Hope you find this article helpful.
I write about multimedia topics, including video and audio conversion, compression, editing, and downloading. I joined WonderFox in 2020, and my goal is to help readers solve everyday tech problems more easily. I have shown you what video formats are supported by Apple TV and what to do if your video is not supported. Hope you find this article helpful.
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