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Try restarting your AirPlay devices or toggling the Wi-Fi connection for quick troubleshooting. Make sure these devices are close together, connected to the same network, and that the permissions are set accordingly in the AirPlay receiver’s settings. Disconnect any VPN you are using and install software updates if you are still having problems.
AirPlay lets you wirelessly stream video, audio, or your screen from an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows device running iTunes to an AirPlay receiver like an Apple TV, Mac, or Smart TV. Sometimes things don’t “just work” the way they’re supposed to, so you’ll need to adjust a few things.
What is AirPlay?
AirPlay is a wireless streaming technology used by Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You can use it to send video, audio, or mirror your screen to an AirPlay receiver like Mac or Apple TV. This is accessed using the Control Center or by using the AirPlay button in video and music apps.
Many non-Apple devices can also function as AirPlay receivers, including smart TVs from Samsung (Tizen), LG (webOS), Vizio, TCL (and other Roku TV devices), Sony (Android TV), and others. The list includes smart speakers from Sonos and AV receivers from Denon and Marantz.
To use your Mac as an AirPlay receiver, you’ll need to be running macOS 12 or later with an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 or later. The following models can work as an AirPlay receiver:
- MacBook introduced in 2018 or later
- MacBook Pro introduced in 2018 or later
- MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
- Mac mini introduced in 2020 or later
- iMac introduced in 2019 or later
- iMac Pro
- Mac Pro introduced in 2019 or later
- mac studio
AirPlay devices must be close enough to work
Apple doesn’t say exactly how close an AirPlay source device needs to be to a receiver for the technology to work, but this is worth keeping in mind if you’re having trouble with wireless streaming (particularly dropouts).
You can test this by sitting as close to your AirPlay device as possible and trying to connect. If your issue is not resolved, try one of the other solutions below. If you’re using your Apple TV or HomePod as a wireless AirPlay speaker, keep in mind that walking around the house with the source device (like your iPhone) in your pocket can cause the connection to drop.
Make sure you are connecting to the correct receiver
Are you sure you connected to the correct receiver? This is primarily an issue with Apple TV, as all Apple TV units are labeled “Apple TV” out of the box. If I had $1 for every time someone who lives nearby tried to connect to my Apple TV, either by mistake or on purpose, I would probably have enough money for a month of AppleTV+ by now.
The easiest remedy for this is to change the name of your Apple TV in Settings > General > About > Name. You can do the same for your Mac in System Settings > General > About > Name, although you probably won’t have this problem as your Mac should have the same unique label it did when it was first set up, for example “MacBook by Tim”. Pro”.
Check the match of Wi-Fi networks
Both the AirPlay source device (such as an iPad) and the receiving device (your Apple TV, Mac, or Smart TV) must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for AirPlay to work. Please check this on your various devices if you are having trouble getting things to work.
On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Wi-Fi. On a Mac, head to System Settings > Wi-Fi, and on an Apple TV, you can find it under Settings > Network. You need to check if your smart TV or other receiver (like a Roku) is also using the same network using the menu device configuration.
Wi-Fi extenders shouldn’t interfere with AirPlay playback, but there’s always the possibility. Change the settings so that both devices use the same access point whenever possible (preferably your home router) to avoid any network mismatch issues.
Change the permissions of your AirPlay receiver
In order for an AirPlay receiver to function as a host, it must be configured accordingly. You will need to make sure that “AirPlay Receiver” is enabled on your Mac, Apple TV, Smart TV, or other AirPlay receiver and that the permissions are set accordingly.
On a Mac, go to System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff. On an Apple TV go to Settings > AirPlay & HomeKit. On a smart TV or other device, you’ll need to dig into your device’s settings.
For the best chance of success, change “Allow AirPlay for” (macOS), “Allow access to Apple TV” (Apple TV), or similar to “Everyone” instead of alternatives like “Current User” or “Anyone on the same network “. ”. You can also set password requirements here, which we recommend turning off until everything runs smoothly.
Disconnect from VPN at source and receiver
VPNs can cause all sorts of AirPlay issues. If you’re going to try to stream wirelessly to a TV, Mac, smart TV, or other receiver, you should disable any VPN connection on any of the devices before you begin. You should be able to avoid this problem if you have a VPN router that encrypts all your network traffic, as individual device settings seem to be to blame.
Turn Wi-Fi on and off
Another potential quick fix for AirPlay issues is to disconnect from the current Wi-Fi network and reconnect, which you can do by turning Wi-Fi on and off on both the source and receiver.
On an iPhone or iPad, you can do this by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen and disabling Wi-Fi and then re-enabling it in Control Center. You can do the same in Control Center for Mac by clicking the “Wi-Fi” switch under Control Center in the upper right corner of the menu bar. On an Apple TV and many other receivers, you’ll need to power cycle the device (just unplug it from the wall).
Reboot your devices
It is worth restarting any device that is having AirPlay issues, including both the source and the receiver. Turn off your iPhone or iPad by going to Settings > General > Shut down and then use the “Slide to power off” slider that appears (or tell Siri to restart your device). Press and hold the side button to turn it back on. On a Mac, click the Apple logo, then select “Restart” and your computer will restart.
If AirPlay isn’t working on your smart TV, you can also try restarting it to fix the problem. Since most smart TVs and set-top boxes don’t turn off completely (instead of staying in standby mode), the easiest way to do this is to unplug the TV from the wall, wait 30 seconds, then plug it in and try again. .
You can also try restarting any network equipment that may be causing the problem, including routers and wireless extenders.
RELATED: Why does restarting a computer solve so many problems?
Install pending software updates
iOS, macOS, tvOS, and other firmware updates may fix issues with AirPlay. On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, go to Settings (system) > General > Software Update and install any pending updates. These can be found in Settings > System > Software Updates on an Apple TV.
Smart TVs and other receivers also receive software updates over the Internet. Whether it’s a Roku TV, Samsung, LG, TCL, Vizio TV, or another brand, you’ll need to look in your device’s settings menu to find this option.
RELATED: How to update the Amazon Fire TV Stick
AirDrop can also be flaky
AirPlay isn’t Apple’s only temperamental wireless technology. AirDrop wireless file transfer technology is also prone to unexplained glitches.
If your Apple TV is old and your smart TV doesn’t have AirPlay functionality built in, you might be interested in a new Apple TV 4K. Alternatively, upgrade to one of the better smart TVs and AirPlay may already be around.
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