M4V is Apple's video format, essentially MP4 with optional FairPlay DRM, designed for iTunes and Apple TV playback. Android Video is an H.264-encoded MP4 preset optimized for Android smartphones and tablets at 720p resolution. Converting M4V to Android Video repackages the content with encoding parameters specifically tuned for Android's hardware decoders, ensuring smooth playback across Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and other Android devices.

While DRM-free M4V files can technically play on Android (they are just MP4 files), the encoding settings may not be optimal for Android's hardware video decoders. The Android Video preset uses H.264 Baseline or Main profile at 720p with parameters specifically matched to Android's MediaCodec API, ensuring hardware-accelerated playback with minimal battery drain even on mid-range devices.

FFmpeg transcodes the M4V's H.264 video to H.264 Main Profile Level 3.1 at 720p (1280x720), which is universally supported by Android's hardware decoders. The video bitrate is set to 2-4 Mbps for a balance between quality and file size. Audio is transcoded to AAC-LC at 128-192 kbps stereo. The output MP4 uses a faststart atom arrangement (moov atom at the beginning) for efficient streaming and progressive playback on Android.

Resolution: 1920x1080

Bitrate: 8-12 Mbps

H.264 recommended for fast processing

Resolution: 1080x1080

Bitrate: 3.5 Mbps

Square or 9:16 for Reels

Resolution: 1080x1920

Bitrate: 4 Mbps

9:16 vertical, under 60s ideal

Resolution: 1280x720

Bitrate: 5 Mbps

Under 140s, 512MB max

Resolution: 960x540

Bitrate: 2 Mbps

16MB limit for standard, 64MB for document

Resolution: 1280x720

Bitrate: 4 Mbps

8MB free, 50MB Nitro

If the M4V is DRM-free, yes — renaming to .mp4 often works because they use the same container. However, the encoding parameters may not be optimal for Android hardware decoding, which is why re-encoding with Android-specific settings is recommended.

H.264 Main Profile at 720p is supported on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and newer, which covers virtually all Android devices still in use.

No. FairPlay DRM must be removed before conversion. Only DRM-free M4V files can be converted.

720p is optimal for phones (5-7 inch screens) and uses less battery. Choose 1080p for tablets (10+ inches) or when connecting to external displays.

Approximately 200-400 MB per hour of video at 720p, compared to 1-2 GB for the original M4V at 1080p. This is a significant space saving.

Device	M4V	Android Video
Windows PC	Partial	Partial
macOS	Native	Partial
iPhone/iPad	Native	Partial
Android	Partial	Partial
Linux	Partial	Partial
Web Browser	No	No

Feature	M4V	Android Video
Full Name	iTunes Video	Android Compatible Video
Extension	.m4v	.mp4
Best For	Apple ecosystem	Android optimized

Convert M4V to Android Video — Free Online Converter

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