Why your TV says the video format isn't supported

You AirPlay a video from your Mac and your TV says the format isn't supported. Or the picture plays with no sound. Here is what is usually going on.

What your TV can play

Over AirPlay, your TV plays the video itself, so the file has to be in a format it reads. That is usually H.264 or HEVC video with AAC audio, in an MP4, MOV or M4V file. Anything else may be refused.

Common causes

• The container. MKV, AVI and WebM files are usually refused, even when the video inside is fine.
• The video codec. Older DivX and Xvid files, and VP9 or AV1 video, often won't play.
• The audio codec. DTS, FLAC and some surround formats can leave you with a picture and no sound.
• HDR. Some HDR files play with washed-out or wrong colors on TVs that expect a standard picture.

How to fix it

1. Convert the file to MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio, using a free converter such as HandBrake. This works with almost every TV, but takes time.
2. Mirror your screen instead, from Control Center. Your TV never sees the file, only a picture of your screen, so the format doesn't matter. The quality is lower.
3. Use an app that converts as it plays. Snork reads the file on your Mac and sends your TV a stream it can play. H.264 video goes through as it is, other video is converted using your Mac's video hardware, audio is converted to AAC, and HDR is mapped to standard colors when needed.