How To Fix AirPlay Not Working On IPhone, Mac, And Apple TV - Setapp

Key Takeaways

• AirPlay issues usually come down to Wi-Fi and device compatibility. Make sure both devices support AirPlay, are on the same Wi-Fi network, powered on, awake, and updated to the latest iOS, macOS, or tvOS version.
• Quick troubleshooting steps can fix most AirPlay errors. Restart your devices and router, toggle Wi-Fi on and off, check your firewall settings, and limit AirPlay to one active stream at a time. Disabling VPNs or iCloud Private Relay can also help.
• Specialized tools help when Wi-Fi strength is the problem. Apps like NetSpot and WiFi Explorer visualize and improve your signal, fix interference, and boost connectivity to make AirPlay more stable.
• Alternative apps can bypass AirPlay entirely. If AirPlay still won’t connect, useJustStreamto mirror or stream from Mac to any TV or Chromecast in 4K/HD, or Transloader to send downloads remotely when on different networks. All included in Setapp’s app collection. Try Setapp free for 7 days.

Normally, the AirPlay icon shows up on your iPhone or Mac once it’s on the same WiFi as the Apple TV you’re trying to stream to. Unfortunately, there are also times when the “Apple AirPlay not working” issue appears with AirPlay unable to connect, Apple TV not working, or AirPlay not showing up on Mac.

Quick tips to fix the “AirPlay not working” issue

I'll start with the brief instructions. If you feel that they are not precise enough, scroll down to see more detailed descriptions, screenshots, and examples.

Problem	Things to check and troubleshooting steps
General AirPlay issues	• Verify AirPlay support on both devices. • Power on, close, awake (plug in). • Same Wi-Fi • One stream at a time • Toggle Wi-Fi • Restart devices + router • Update iOS/macOS/tvOS
Unable to connect	• Forget/rejoin Wi-Fi • Mac: Disable Firewall or unblock incoming • Move/restart router • Alternative: Transloader (remote via iCloud)
Icon missing on MacBook (sender)	• Wake receiving device • Apple TV: Settings → AirPlay → ON • Add to menu bar (Control Center)
Mac not discoverable (receiver)	• Check model compatibility • Enable: System Settings → General → AirDrop & Handoff → AirPlay Receiver • Allow “Anyone” or “Current User”
Apple TV not found	• Toggle AirPlay OFF/ON in Settings • Wake with remote
Screen mirroring fails/freezes	• Use NetSpot (signal map, interference) • Use WiFi Explorer (channel/coverage graphs)
AirPlay issues on MacBook	• Same Wi-Fi/proximity • Allow in Firewall • Loosen Receiver restrictions • Reboot (for Apple Silicon Mac) • Reset NVRAM (⌥⌘PR at boot for Intel Mac) • Audio: Boom 3D for volume/surround
iPhone/iPad issues	• Confirm via Control Center icon • Toggle Wi-Fi • Restart
Apple TV bypass	• JustStream: Direct stream to TV/Chromecast (4K/HD) • One Switch: Quick macOS toggles

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How to fix the “AirPlay not working” issue: Detailed explanations

The first thing you want to get out of the way when trying to fix AirPlay connectivity is to check that both of your devices (the one you want to send your content from and the one that’s meant to play it) support AirPlay. (You can find the list of supported devices on Apple’s website.)

Once you’re certain that your devices are good to go with AirPlay, there are easy things you can try to see if you can get your Apple AirPlay not working issue resolved quickly:

• Check that your devices are powered on, close to each other, and awake (to prevent your iPhone or iPad from going into sleep mode, keep them plugged into a power source)
• Reconnect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network
• Make sure there is only one device using AirPlay to stream at a time
• Turn Wi-Fi off and then on again on both devices
• Restart iPhone, TV, and all the participating devices — including your Wi-Fi router
• Update to the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS

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How to fix AirPlay is unable to connect

If you’re stuck with AirPlay unable to connect your Mac to Apple TV or your iPhone to Mac, in most cases the reasons for AirPlay not working will have to do with the quality of your Wi-Fi connection or firewall settings on Mac.

To troubleshoot Wi-Fi connection:

• Refresh your Wi-Fi: forget the Wi-Fi network in Wi-Fi settings and join again

  

• Check Firewall settings on your Mac (System Settings ➙ Network ➙ Firewall: turn the Firewall off or uncheck “Block all incoming connections” in Firewall Options).
• Move the router closer to devices attempting to AirPlay or restart it.
• Disable any VPNs on your devices. VPN tunnels can sometimes block multicast traffic, which AirPlay relies on to connect devices.
• Check if you're using corporate profiles or managed devices. If you’re using a managed network or a company-issued device, AirPlay might be restricted by internal policies. In that case, the only solution is to contact your IT team for support.
• Temporarily disable iCloud Private Relay. If you have an iCloud+ subscription, you have access to iCloud Private Relay — a feature that helps protect your privacy when browsing in Safari. Normally, iCloud Private Relay shouldn’t interfere with local AirPlay connections, but it’s worth testing. Try disabling it temporarily: On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings menu → [your name] → iCloud → Private Relay, and turn it off for a short time.
• Check other devices if needed. Learn how to fix the Apple TV remote not working properly.

For the times when you can’t be on the same Wi-Fi with your Mac but would still like to download content to it remotely, try Transloader.

Transloader uses its iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions and your iCloud to remotely download links to your Mac. You drop a download link to Transloader on one of your Apple devices, choose which Mac you want the link to download to (you can even download to multiple Macs) — and the download starts automatically. You can use this tool to download apps to Mac from your iPhone, send web links you’d like to check out on a bigger screen, and many more.

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How to fix AirPlay not showing up on Mac

AirPlay is a native feature on any Apple device and is supposed to show up automatically once both of your devices are turned on and are connected to the same WiFi network. So if you don’t see the AirPlay icon in your Mac’s top menu bar, try the following:

• Make sure that the receiving AirPlay device (such as your Apple TV) is on and awake.
• Check if AirPlay is enabled on your Apple TV (Apple TV Settings app ➙ AirPlay & HomeKit ➙ AirPlay).
• Add the AirPlay icon to the menu bar of your Mac (you can easily access an AirPlay option on a Mac running Ventura in the Control Center).

Note: The situation is a little different with AirPlay not showing up on Mac, when you’re trying to AirPlay content to it. Not all Macs you can AirPlay from are capable of receiving AirPlay (check your Mac’s model in the Apple Continuity system requirement list). Even if your Mac’s eligible for receiving AirPlay, you need to first set it up to become an AirPlay Receiver (Apple menu ➙ System Settings ➙ General ➙ AirDrop & Handoff ➙ AirPlay Receiver).