For as wonderful as AirPlay is when it comes to sending audio and video to your iPhone or to HomePod speakers, there has been one glaring omission. Despite being released in 2018 as AirPlay 2, you still have not been able to go from your iPhone to your Mac with AirPlay.
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Instead, you have been stuck going the opposite direction, which is fine most of the time. But we can think of more than a few occasions where we find ourselves wanting to AirPlay content to the Mac. Thanks to iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, this is now possible!
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How to AirPlay from iPhone to Mac using Apple Music
When it comes to using AirPlay, the most obvious choice for many will be to move from your iPhone to your Mac when listening to music. And since Apple Music has exploded in popularity, while also being included with the Apple One subscription, this has left many users making the switch.
Here’s how to AirPlay from iPhone to Mac when using Apple Music:
- Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone.
- Select a song to play from a playlist or album.
- Tap the name of the song playing at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the icon in the middle of the screen at the bottom.
- Under Speakers & TVs, select the name of your Mac.
- Wait for a moment until the music starts playing.
There’s always a one to two second delay before the music picks up where it left off. This is normal, and shouldnt’ be of any concern. The only time that you should be concerned is in the event that the music does not start playing.
How to AirPlay Spotify from iPhone to Mac
Additionally, this feature is also available for other select streaming apps and services on your iPhone or iPad. For example, you can follow similar steps if you prefer using Spotify instead of Apple Music. But before getting started, you’ll want to make sure that the Spotify app is open on your Mac.
- Open the Spotify app on your iPhone and Mac.
- Find a song or playlist to listen to music from.
- Select the song, or tap the Shuffle button to begin listening to an album or playlist.
- Tap the name of the song playing at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the devices icon in the bottom left corner.
- Under Select a device, tap AirPlay or Bluetooth.
- Under Speakers & TVs, select the name of your Mac.
- Wait for a moment until the music starts playing.
And that’s it! There are other apps that are also compatible with AirPlay 2. Being able to go from listening on your iPhone to listening on your Mac is extremely painless. And now, you can do so right from your iPhone without having to open everything up on your Mac.
How to AirPlay from iPhone to Mac using video applications
AirPlay from iPhone to Mac doesn’t just work with music and audio applications or services. Thanks to iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, you can also use AirPlay to throw movies, YouTube videos, and other forms of content on your Mac. In this example, we’re going to use the YouTube app.
- Open the YouTube app on your iPhone.
- Find a video that you want to watch.
- Tap on the video to start playing it on from your iPhone.
- In the top right corner, tap the streaming icon.
- Select AirPlay & Bluetooth devices from the pop-up menu at the bottom.
- Under Speakers & TVs, select the name of your Mac.
- Wait for a moment until the video starts playing.
When it comes to video content, AirPlay from iPhone to Mac is a bit strange. The video completely takes over your Mac’s display, only leaving you with playback controls. So if you wanted to AirPlay a video and have it on in the background of your Mac, you wouldn’t be able to do that. Instead, you would need to have a second monitor connected and put the video on that specific display.
How to Use Screen Mirroring from iPhone to Mac
Not only can you AirPlay content from your iPhone to your Mac, but you can also use the improved Screen Mirroring functionality. With iOS 15, there’s even a new icon that has been added, as Apple is likely trying to differentiate the new feature from the old one. If you find yourself needing or wanting to use Screen Mirroring from iPhone to Mac, here’s how you can do it:
- Unlock your iPhone.
- Swipe down from the top right to open Control Center.
- Tap the Screen Mirroring icon next to Rotation Lock.
- Tap the name of your Mac.
After you select your Mac from the list, whatever is on your iPhone’s screen will now appear on your Mac. You can tap outside of the Screen Mirroring window on your iPhone to go back to Control Center. Then swipe back up to get rid of Control Center.
When you’re done using Screen Mirroring, there are two ways to stop. The first of which is to just press the Escape key on the keyboard connected to your Mac. And here’s the second method:
- Swipe down from the top right to open Control Center.
- Tap the Screen Mirroring icon next to Rotation Lock.
- Tap the Stop Mirroring button.
And with that, you can put your iPhone’s display on the big screen for any reason that you need. It may not be the most useful feature for everyone, but if you find yourself needing it, iOS 15 and macOS Monterey have you covered.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.
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