How to AirPlay to TV in 2023: The Ultimate Guide

How to AirPlay to TV in 2023 and Beyond

AirPlay is a feature that allows you to stream or mirror content from your Apple devices to your TV, as long as they are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. You can use AirPlay to watch videos, photos, music, podcasts, games, and more on a bigger screen, with better sound and picture quality. AirPlay is compatible with Apple TV, AirPlay 2-enabled smart TVs, and Mac computers.

In this blog post, we will show you how to use AirPlay to stream or mirror content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your TV in 2023 and beyond. We will also cover some of the latest updates and features of AirPlay, such as SharePlay, automatic and suggested connections, and multi-room audio. We will also provide some tips and tricks to optimize your AirPlay experience and troubleshoot common issues.

What You Need to Use AirPlay

To use AirPlay, you need the following devices and requirements:

An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 15 or later, or a Mac with macOS Monterey or later.

An Apple TV 4K (2021) or Apple TV 4K (2022), an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV from brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, or Vizio, or a Mac that supports AirPlay mirroring. You can check the list of compatible devices here 1.

A Wi-Fi network that both your Apple device and your TV are connected to. If you don’t have a Wi-Fi network, you can use peer-to-peer AirPlay with an Apple TV 4K (2021) or Apple TV 4K (2022), which creates a direct wireless connection between your device and your TV without a router 2.

The latest software updates for your devices. You can check for updates on your iPhone or iPad by going to Settings > General > Software Update, on your Mac by going to System Preferences > Software Update, and on your Apple TV by going to Settings > System > Software Updates.

How to Stream Video or Audio from Your iPhone or iPad to Your TV

There are two ways to stream video or audio from your iPhone or iPad to your TV using AirPlay: manually or automatically.

Stream Video or Audio Manually from Your iPhone or iPad

To stream video or audio manually from your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:

Find the content that you want to stream on your device. It can be a video from YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, or any other app that supports AirPlay 3 , a photo from your Photos app, a song from Apple Music, Spotify, or any other music app that supports AirPlay 4 , a podcast from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast app that supports AirPlay 5 , a game from Apple Arcade or any other game app that supports AirPlay 6, and so on.

Tap the AirPlay button on the screen. It looks like a rectangle with an upward arrow at the bottom. In some apps, you might need to tap a different button first, such as the Share button in the Photos app, the Cast button in the YouTube app, or the More button in the Netflix app.

Choose your TV from the list of available devices. If you have more than one TV that supports AirPlay, you can choose which one you want to stream to by tapping the name of the TV.

Enjoy watching or listening to your content on your TV. You can control the playback from your device using the app’s controls, such as play/pause, skip forward/backward, volume up/down, etc. You can also use Siri to control the playback by saying commands like “Hey Siri, play/pause on [TV name]”, “Hey Siri, skip forward/backward on [TV name]”, “Hey Siri, turn up/down the volume on [TV name]”, etc.

To stop streaming, tap the AirPlay button again on your device and choose your device from the list. Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top right corner of your device’s screen to open Control Center and tap the AirPlay button there.

Stream Video or Audio Automatically from Your iPhone or iPad

Depending on your AirPlay & Handoff settings 7, your iPhone or iPad can suggest or automatically connect to devices that you regularly use with AirPlay. This can save you time and make it easier to stream content without having to manually choose a device every time.

To adjust your AirPlay & Handoff settings:

Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap General.
Tap AirPlay & Handoff.
Tap Automatically AirPlay.
Choose a setting:

Never: Manually choose a device for AirPlay every time.

Ask: Get suggested AirPlay connection notifications when you open an app that supports AirPlay. Tap the notification to make the connection, or dismiss or ignore it and manually choose a different device for AirPlay.

Automatic: Get suggested and automatic AirPlay connection notifications when you open an app that supports AirPlay. Dismiss or ignore the notification, then tap play in the app to use the connection, or tap the undo button to quickly disconnect and manually choose a different device for AirPlay.

To use automatic or suggested AirPlay connections, make sure that your iPhone or iPad and your TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. To get automatic and suggested AirPlay connections to your Apple TV or HomePod, make sure that they are logged in to the same iCloud account as your iPhone or iPad.

How to Mirror Your iPhone or iPad Screen to Your TV

If you want to mirror your iPhone or iPad screen to your TV, meaning that you want to display exactly what’s on your device’s screen on your TV, you can use AirPlay mirroring. This can be useful for showing presentations, slideshows, websites, messages, and more on a larger screen.

To mirror your iPhone or iPad screen to your TV using AirPlay, follow these steps:

Connect your iPhone or iPad to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV.
Swipe down from the top right corner of your device’s screen to open Control Center.
Tap the Screen Mirroring button. It looks like two overlapping rectangles.

Select your TV from the list of available devices. If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter it on your device.

Enjoy mirroring your device’s screen on your TV. You can rotate your device to change the orientation of the screen on your TV, and use gestures and touch controls on your device as usual.

To stop mirroring, open Control Center again and tap the Screen Mirroring button. Then, tap Stop Mirroring. Or, press the Menu button on your Apple TV remote.

How to Stream Video or Audio from Your Mac to Your TV

You can also use AirPlay to stream video or audio from your Mac to your TV, as long as they are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. You can stream content from apps like iTunes, QuickTime Player, Safari, Photos, Music, Podcasts, and more 8, or mirror your entire Mac screen to your TV.

Stream Video or Audio from Your Mac

To stream video or audio from your Mac, follow these steps:

Find the content that you want to stream on your Mac. It can be a video from iTunes, QuickTime Player, Safari, or any other app that supports AirPlay 9, a photo from Photos, a song from Music, a podcast from Podcasts, and so on.

Click the AirPlay button on the screen. It looks like a rectangle with an upward arrow at the bottom. In some apps, you might need to click a different button first, such as the Share button in Photos, the Cast button in Chrome, or the More button in Netflix.

Choose your TV from the list of available devices. If you have more than one TV that supports AirPlay, you can choose which one you want to stream to by clicking the name of the TV.

Enjoy watching or listening to your content on your TV. You can control the playback from your Mac using the app’s controls, such as play/pause, skip forward/backward, volume up/down, etc. You can also use Siri to control the playback by saying commands like “Hey Siri, play/pause on [TV name]”, “Hey Siri, skip forward/backward on [TV name]”, “Hey Siri, turn up/down the volume on [TV name]”, etc.

To stop streaming, click the AirPlay button again on your Mac and choose Turn Off AirPlay.

Mirror Your Mac Screen to Your TV

If you want to mirror your Mac screen to your TV, meaning that you want to display exactly what’s on your Mac’s screen on your TV, you can use AirPlay mirroring. This can be useful for showing presentations, slideshows, websites, messages, and more on a larger screen.

To mirror your Mac screen to your TV using AirPlay, follow these steps:

Connect your Mac to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV.

Click the AirPlay icon in the menu bar at the top right corner of your Mac’s screen. It looks like a rectangle with an upward arrow at the bottom.

Select your TV from the list of available devices. If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter it on your Mac.

Enjoy mirroring your Mac’s screen on your TV. You can change the resolution and scaling of the screen by clicking the AirPlay icon again and choosing Preferences.

To stop mirroring, click the AirPlay icon again and choose Turn Off AirPlay.

What’s New with AirPlay in 2023 and Beyond

AirPlay is constantly evolving and improving with new features and updates that

Conclusion:

AirPlay is a great way to enjoy your favorite content from your Apple devices on your TV. Whether you want to watch videos, photos, music, podcasts, games, or more, you can easily stream or mirror them using AirPlay. You can also take advantage of the latest updates and features of AirPlay, such as SharePlay, which lets you watch or listen to content with your friends over FaceTime, automatic and suggested connections, which make it easier to connect to your TV without opening an app, and multi-room audio, which lets you play music on multiple speakers throughout your home. With AirPlay, you can turn your TV into a smart and versatile entertainment hub.

Sources

Apple AirPlay website: https://www.apple.com/airplay/

What is AirPlay and how does it work?: https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/what-is-airplay

How to use AirPlay with your iPhone, iPad, or Mac: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204289

What's new with AirPlay in 2023 and beyond: https://www.idropnews.com/news/its-2023-and-spotify-still-cant-say-when-airplay-2-support-will-arrive/193258/

List of AirPlay 2-compatible devices: https://www.bingegauge.com/supported-devices-apple-airplay-2/

Search This Blog

tech tips and trends your ultimate guide to gadgets