How to Play MKV Files on Apple TV (with or without Converting)

Apple TV is a digital media player developed and marketed by Apple Inc. designed to stream video and audio content to the television. It provides access to content from a variety of online streaming services, as well as locally stored content on Apple devices. So, have you ever thought about playing some locally stored file formats like MKV files on your Apple TV? After all, MKV files are a popular and versatile format capable of saving different audio, video, subtitles, and more in a single file. This article will answer whether Apple TV can play MKV files, and if yes/no, how to play MKV on Apple TV. Just keep reading to learn about this.

Part 1: Can Apple TV Play MKV Files

Apple TV itself cannot play MKV files directly. No matter which generation of Apple TV you bought, you need to make some changes to play MKV on Apple TV. But don't worry. You can still play MKV on Apple TV through three solutions: converting MKV to a format supported by Apple TV, mirroring MKV videos to Apple TV with Airplay, or using a third-party media player app. We will walk you through the steps for each of these methods below!

Part 2: How to Play MKV on Apple TV

Method 1: Convert MKV to Apple TV

It doesn't matter that Apple TV does not support MKV. You can use a video format converter to convert MKV files to formats compatible with Apple TV or directly to MKV profiles. The best MKV to Apple TV converter is AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate, which allows you to convert any MKV video to Apple TV and solve the incompatibility problem. Apple TV supports video files encoded in H.264 in MOV, M4V and MP4 formats. Therefore, you just need to convert MKV to M4V/MOV/MP4 Apple TV format. After that, you can play MKV on Apple TV successfully.

1. Click the Free Download button above to download and install the best MKV to Apple TV converter, AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate. After the installation, run it. Then, click Add Files to import your MKV video.

2. Click the Output Format option to set the format supported by Apple TV, or you can directly select from the Device tab > Apple > Apple TV/Apple TV 4K.

3. Select the output folder for the converted MKV files from the Save to option. At last, click Convert All to convert MKV files to Apple TV.

Method 2: Stream MKV to Apple TV via Airplay Mirroring

If you have a Mac computer, you can use AirPlay to stream MKV files to Apple TV. AirPlay can mirror streaming MKV video from Mac to Apple TV. Thus, you can play MKV files on Apple TV 5/4/3/2/1 for free. The main disadvantage is that the MKV streaming video quality and fluency is reduced. If you don't mind, you can stream MKV to Apple TV by AirPlay mirroring.

1. Connect your Mac computer and Apple TV with the same Wi-Fi network.

2. Find and click the AirPlay icon on the top menu of your Mac computer.

3. Click Apple TV to start the AirPlay mirroring.

4. Now you can AirPlay MKV files on Apple TV remotely. (How to do if AirPlay not show up on Mac )

Method 3: Watch MKV Files on Apple TV with VLC Media Player

Though you cannot play MKV videos on Apple TV directly, you can use a compatible media player as a tool instead. It is VLC Media Player that can offer the Apple TV MKV playback feature. The MKV video can be decoded and played on Apple TV without converting. Though VLC for Apple TV version does not work with Apple TVs before the fourth generation. Moreover, it requires Apple TV tvOS 9.0 and later versions.

1. Download and install VLC Media Player on Apple TV. You can install other compatible video players to open MKV on Apple TV as well.

2. Run VLC Media Player. Add the target MKV video to the casting list.

3. Double-click on this MKV video. Now you can watch and enjoy MKV video on Apple TV.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Apple TV itself does not support MKV files, but with the above 3 feasible ways to play MKV on Apple TV, you can work around this limitation. If you don't have a Mac or iOS device, or you want to get the best output quality, using AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate is your best choice. With it, you can easily convert MKV files to Apple TV with a few simple steps. After that, you can watch MKV videos on Apple TV losslessly. Click the free download button below to try it now!