AirPlay Not Working On Vizio: How To Fix In Minutes

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I mostly use my Vizio TV to watch Netflix or Prime Video, but occasionally I play content on it via my iPhone using AirPlay.

It used to make for a seamless experience, but recently I noticed that my TV’s AirPlay was not working.

Sometimes the Vizio AirPlay was not showing up on my phone, and when it did show up, the AirPlay screen got stuck in an infinite loading loop.

After unsuccessfully tinkering with TV settings for an hour, I eventually gave up and turned to Google for a solution.

I went through scores of user threads and troubleshooting guides before landing on an effective fix for connecting my Vizio TV and iPhone via AirPlay.

If Vizio AirPlay is not working, power cycle your Wi-Fi router and TV. To power cycle a device, disconnect it from the power source and wait 60 seconds before reconnecting it. Once done, ensure the iOS device and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi band.

Power Cycle Your Vizio TV and Wi-Fi Router

Your Vizio TV and Wi-Fi router can accumulate excessive static charge and temporary memory files if kept running for an extended period.

This, in turn, can cause various performance issues, including but not limited to your wireless connections.

One of these problems can be AirPlay or screen mirroring iPhone to Vizio TV not working.

However, you can quickly resolve all such problems by power cycling your TV and router.

To do that, disconnect them from their power source and wait 60 seconds before replugging them.

This method will also help if your Vizio TV is stuck on the AirPlay screen.

I would also suggest restarting your iOS device.

Turn off your iPhone or iPad by holding down the ‘Power’ and one of the ‘Volume’ buttons or just the ‘Power’ button (depending on the model), and swipe the ‘Power slider’.

Wait 30-40 seconds before holding the ‘Power’ button to switch it back on.

Your Vizio TV and iOS Device Must Be on the Same Wi-Fi Band

AirPlay relies on your Wi-Fi network to play music, video, and other types of media on a compatible device.

That’s why your Vizio TV and iOS device must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network and frequency band to communicate effectively.

These days, most Wi-Fi routers are equipped with at least two frequency bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

If you have a dual-band or tri-band Wi-Fi router, connect your Apple device and Vizio TV to the same band.

I recommend using the 2.4GHz band as it provides a strong connection even at a greater distance from the router.

Reset AirPlay on Your Vizio TV

If the AirPlay option or code is not showing up on your Vizio TV while trying to set it up with your iOS device, you should try resetting the AirPlay settings of the TV.

Doing so will remove the previous AirPlay connections and eliminate any wireless connection discrepancies.

Follow these steps to do so:

1. Press the Home or V button on your Vizio TV remote.
2. Find Extras in the menu.
3. Click on Apple Airplay.
4. Tap on Require Code.
5. Select Reset Paired Devices and confirm your choice.

These steps are also helpful if the Vizio AirPlay icon disappears from your TV screen.

Update Your iOS Device

Several people have reported AirPlay not working with their Vizio TV when their iPhone was running on iOS 16.2.

This update has been around for quite some time, and if your device has this software version, you should update to the latest patch (iOS 16.4 as of April 2023).

AirPlay receives frequent updates, and if you can’t AirPlay to your Vizio TV, the latest patch should fix your problem.

To update your iPhone:

1. Make sure the phone has enough battery and connect it to your Wi-Fi network.
2. Navigate to Settings.
3. Open General.
4. Select Software Update.
5. Check the iOS version.
6. If an update is available, click on Update Now.

While you are at it, you should also check for updates on your Vizio TV:

1. Press the V or Home button on the TV remote.
2. Click on System.
3. Select Check for updates. Make sure the TV has an active Internet connection.
4. If the TV finds an update, it will be downloaded automatically.
5. The TV will restart a few times during the installation process.

How to Turn on AirPlay on a Vizio TV

If your Vizio TV doesn’t show up in the AirPlay menu on your iOS device after following all these methods, or you accidentally turned off AirPlay on the Vizio TV, you need to switch it on.

Follow these steps to set up or enable AirPlay on a Vizio TV:

1. Press the V or Home button on your TV remote.
2. Use the keypad to find Extras at the top of the screen and open it.
3. Move down and click on Apple AirPlay.
4. Set AirPlay to On. Doing so will pop up the AirPlay icon at the top of your TV screen.
5. Also, make sure to set Require Code to First Time Only.

Once done, play an audio or video on your iOS device, click on the ‘AirPlay’ icon, and enter the Vizio AirPlay code as displayed on the screen.

Note: If you can’t see these options on your Vizio TV, click on Extras > Smart Home Settings > Apple Airplay & Homekit Settings.

Not Every Vizio TV is AirPlay Compatible

In 2010, Apple unveiled AirPlay along with the release of iOS 4.2.

However, it was confined to the Apple ecosystem with limited support for a few third-party speakers.

Finally, in June 2018, Apple launched AirPlay 2, which made it possible to stream content from an iOS device to a non-iOS device.

Since then, Vizio has been producing AirPlay-2 compatible TVs.

But not all their TVs come with this feature; only the ones with SmartCast do.

And if you don’t own such a TV, you can’t AirPlay or screen mirror to it using an iOS device.

In such cases, you will have to use Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter or buy an Apple TV.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Vizio TV has screen mirroring?

If your Vizio TV has SmartCast, the TV supports screen mirroring. SmartCast is a set of mirroring features that include Miracast and AirPlay.

Is AirPlay an app?

AirPlay is not a dedicated app but a baked-in feature on most Apple devices that lets you mirror a display on a compatible device. You don’t need to install anything to make use of this feature.

How to AirDrop to a Vizio TV?

AirDrop only works between Apple devices, so you can’t use this feature to send files to a Vizio TV.