Having issues getting AirPlay to work? If so, you are not alone! Quite a few of our readers report Airplay issues with MacBook and other Macs!
Several users tell us that they are able to use Airplay on their iPhones but face challenges when it comes to using this feature on their MacBooks, Macs, and iMacs.
You can see the AirPlay icon on your Mac but do not have the Airplay option to choose in order to connect to your Apple TV or other Apple devices. Others cannot locate the Airplay icon on their MacBooks and Macs.
More often than not, verifying your Mac settings related to firewall preferences and Display Settings can help solve this problem.
On your Mac, open the app that you want to stream video from
Click the AirPlay icon from the video playback controls
Choose your Apple TV
If you don’t see your Apple TV, make sure that your Mac is connected to the same WiFi network as your Apple TV
To stop streaming video, tap the AirPlay icon in the video playback controls, and choose to Turn Off AirPlay.
Fix Your Airplay Issues with MacBook and Macs
Confirm that your Mac supports AirPlay
Go to the Apple menu and choose System Preferences
Select Displays
Look for a drop-down for AirPlay Display and a checkbox for “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available”
If this option isn’t there, it’s likely your Mac does not support AirPlay
First, make sure your Apple TV is not in Sleep Mode. If so, wake up your Apple TV with the remote or on an iDevice using the Apple TV Remote App
Make sure that your Apple TV or AirPlay device is near your Mac. Try moving closer
Update iTunes to the latest version or reinstall iTunes
Turn Bluetooth On for your Mac and Apple TV (or other AirPlay device, if possible)
Check for any software updates for your Mac or your Apple TV/AirPlay device
AirPlay devices MUST connect to the same WiFi network as your Mac
Try connecting your Apple TV directly to your router with an Ethernet cable instead of using WiFi
On your Mac, turn off WiFi, wait 30 seconds, and then turn it back on
Quit any apps on your Mac that you aren’t using or that normally require a lot of RAM
Tap on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar and under the option Match Desktop Size To, choose your Apple TV
AirPlay connections get lost or interrupted normally in the following situations:
Lock your device, put it to sleep, or switch to a different app
Restart your Apple TV and/or your Mac
Restart or Update your Route
Look at Your Mac’s Firewall Settings
Step – 1 Click on Apple Menu > System Preferences and choose Security and Privacy
If needed, tap the lock icon and enter an administrator’s name and password to unlock these settings
Step – 2 On the next screen, Click on the FireWall Tab and Choose Firewall Options. Enter your System Credentials if needed
Step – 3 On the next Screen, untick Block All Incoming Connections
Set the setting to allow incoming connections
Checkmark “Automatically allow downloaded signed software to receive incoming connections”
Step- 4 Please make sure that you have enabled the right setting on your Display settings to show the Airplay icon on your Mac.
Click on Apple Menu > System Preferences > Displays > and choose to show the Mirroring option as shown in the image below.
Once you have set it up, the Airplay icon shows up on the top of your Mac when available and you can toggle between the available options as shown below
AirPlay Behavior Options
There are a few options available for customizing the way AirPlay Mirroring behaves
You can find them in the Displays section of the System Preferences app (or by clicking “Open Displays Preferences…” from the menubar icon)
When you have enabled the AIRPLAY set-up with your Apple TV, you can choose the additional display Options as shown in the image below
Please do remember that if you are having issues with Airplay and Apple TV using your Mac, both the devices need to be connected to the same network.
Select the AirPlay icon on the right side of your Mac’s menubar
Choose one of these AirPlay options
Use Mirror Built-In Display to mirror your Mac’s native resolution on your TV
Try Mirror Apple TV to resize your Mac’s screen resolution to match the screen resolution of your TV
Select Use as Separate Display to extend your Mac’s desktop and use your TV as an additional display
If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter the passcode on your Mac
To stop mirroring or using your TV as a separate display, click the AirPlay icon in the menu bar
Select Turn AirPlay Off
Reader Tips
Finally tried rebooting the Modem and Router and that fixed my Airplay problems for me
On an iPad, iPhone or iPod, open Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language and change to a different language. Once the language is changed, see if AirPlay works. If so, switch back to your normal language
On your Apple TV make sure there aren’t any restrictions set-up. If so, turn them off and try again
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
Hi, I have a 2011 and 2015 macbook pro. The 2015 shows and mirrors fine with my roku streambar airplay, also with my dad’s apple tv, and even with my LED Samsung tv, but the 2011 only shows the Apple Tv device when trying to mirror. Could you help me please
AirPlay does not work between an iPad and a Mac. What does work is Sidecar, if your iPad and your Mac support that feature.
Another way to see your iPad’s screen on your Mac is to connect them via the cable and open QuickTime, the choose new movie recording and select your iPad as the input device.
Apple’s AirPlay lets you share content from Macs, iPads, iPhones, and iPods to an Apple TV, AirPlay speakers, and some AirPlay supported smart TVs.
not sure if this was helpful to me because the problem with my mac is that the airplay display option is always off and it doesn’t show the ‘On’ option, so i can never turn on airplay.
How do i fix this issue?
Under AirPlay, you won’t see an On option. Instead, you see Off and then a list of all your AirPlay devices that are currently available. Choose the device you want to AirPlay with–you may need to enter a code that you see on your AirPlay device’s screen to confirm the connection.
Click the AirPlay icon in either System Preferences > Displays or in the top menu bar on your Mac, then choose your Apple TV or other AirPlay device. When you connect to that AirPlay item, the AirPlay icon turns blue.
If you don’t see the AirPlay status icon in the menu bar, check that your Apple TV is set up correctly.
Hi! I have exactly the same issue as described before – there is no possibility to change Airplay Display status from Off. I did evth as advised here and in general what I found online but still it’s the same and it won’t show my new LG TV -which is airplay2 compatible. I don’t have this problem with any other apple device.. I run on Mojave 10.14 and have no intention of changing to Catalina. Please help
Airplay becoming a real bind — the symbol appears for 2 secs if I am lucky, then vanishes. If I get something mirrored to tv, airplay drops out after 2 secs.
your Step – 3 “On the next Screen, Set the setting to allow incoming connections.” yet the picture shows the “Block all Incoming Connections” box is CHECKED !?
Hi, I have a 2011 and 2015 macbook pro. The 2015 shows and mirrors fine with my roku streambar airplay, also with my dad’s apple tv, and even with my LED Samsung tv, but the 2011 only shows the Apple Tv device when trying to mirror. Could you help me please
Hi, the instructions were detailed, however, they did not assist in my issue.
I have my 2016 laptop and my iPad connected to the same network and connected via Bluetooth and wired.
The airplay icon does not recognize my iPad (3rd generation).
Not sure what to do here.
I disconnected the wire to see if Airplay would recognize it and it does not.
So not sure how to get my iPad to show as an option in Airplay.
Any suggestions?
Hi Hanna,
AirPlay does not work between an iPad and a Mac. What does work is Sidecar, if your iPad and your Mac support that feature.
Another way to see your iPad’s screen on your Mac is to connect them via the cable and open QuickTime, the choose new movie recording and select your iPad as the input device.
Apple’s AirPlay lets you share content from Macs, iPads, iPhones, and iPods to an Apple TV, AirPlay speakers, and some AirPlay supported smart TVs.
not sure if this was helpful to me because the problem with my mac is that the airplay display option is always off and it doesn’t show the ‘On’ option, so i can never turn on airplay.
How do i fix this issue?
HI Joshua,
Under AirPlay, you won’t see an On option. Instead, you see Off and then a list of all your AirPlay devices that are currently available. Choose the device you want to AirPlay with–you may need to enter a code that you see on your AirPlay device’s screen to confirm the connection.
Click the AirPlay icon in either System Preferences > Displays or in the top menu bar on your Mac, then choose your Apple TV or other AirPlay device. When you connect to that AirPlay item, the AirPlay icon turns blue.
If you don’t see the AirPlay status icon in the menu bar, check that your Apple TV is set up correctly.
Hi! I have exactly the same issue as described before – there is no possibility to change Airplay Display status from Off. I did evth as advised here and in general what I found online but still it’s the same and it won’t show my new LG TV -which is airplay2 compatible. I don’t have this problem with any other apple device.. I run on Mojave 10.14 and have no intention of changing to Catalina. Please help
Hi Denia,
I have the same issue. always off and doesnt show my Sony TV which has airplay enabled. Have you got reply from them or any solutions please?
Thanks
“Best for AirPlay” does NOT appear on my MacBook.
Airplay becoming a real bind — the symbol appears for 2 secs if I am lucky, then vanishes. If I get something mirrored to tv, airplay drops out after 2 secs.
your Step – 3 “On the next Screen, Set the setting to allow incoming connections.” yet the picture shows the “Block all Incoming Connections” box is CHECKED !?