In this article, I am explaining what to do when AirPlay is not working properly and how to fix common AirPlay problems in iOS.
AirPlay lets users wirelessly stream or mirror content (music, videos, screens or photos) between AirPlay-enabled devices (iPhone, Apple TV, etc.). It also allows you to stream music to any compatible speakers.
Yesterday, I was trying to AirPlay a video (a Netflix movie) to our Apple TV. But it did not work. I kept seeing “Looking for Apple TV”. After completing a few basic troubleshooting techniques, I was able to fix the problem.
You may be also experiencing similar problems.
- You do not see AirPlay buttons/icons.
- You do not see your list of devices.
- You see video but you do not hear the audio or you hear the audio but you do not see the video.
- Your video quality is very low.
- You are unable to turn off mirroring.
- Your content is interrupted and you have significant lag.
- Performance problems with AirPlay and AirPlay Mirroring.
AirPlay (formerly called AirTunes) is a wireless transmission technology. Apple developed this technology. An essential requirement is that sending and receiving (including AirPort Express) devices need to be compatible with AirPlay.
This problem is important. A lot of Apple users stream content from one Apple device to another. I often use AirPlay to watch Netflix, YouTube, etc.
Fix Your AirPlay and AirPlay Mirroring Problems
Try these troubleshooting steps in order. Please after each step, test if your problem is fixed:
iOS and Apple TV
- Make sure that your Apple TV is awake.
- Make sure that iOS software is up to date. Here is how you can update:
- You can update your iPhone 18 Pro wirelessly by going to Settings > General > Software Update. If there is an update available, update your device by following the on-screen instructions.
- Update your Apple TV. Here is how you can update the tvOS software on your Apple TV:
- Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD: Go to Settings > System > Software Updates and select Update Software.
- Other Apple TV models: Go to Settings > General > Software Updates. If there is an update, follow the instructions to update your Apple TV.
- Note that you may want to turn on Automatic Updates so that your Apple TV updates are done automatically by going to Settings > System > Software Updates then enable Automatically Update.
- Restart your iPhone 18 Pro.
- Press and hold the side and volume up (or down) buttons together until you see the power off slider. Then drag the slider. Wait until your device turns off. Then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
- Press and hold the side and volume up (or down) buttons together until you see the power off slider. Then drag the slider. Wait until your device turns off. Then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
- Restart your Apple TV. You can do so by disconnecting your Apple TV from the power source and wait 10 seconds and then reconnect.
- Restart your Router/modem. Also, you may want to update your router’s firmware (see your router’s manufacturer manual to do this). To restart, disconnect it from the power outlet and wait 10 seconds and then reconnect.
- Make sure that your Apple TV is connected to the Internet.
- Make sure your device and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. If not, connect to the same Wi-Fi network. Also, please note that AirPlay is completely dependent on Wi-Fi. Ensure that there are no Wi-Fi problems.
- If you do not hear the audio, make sure that your TV or iPhone 18 Pro is not muted.
- Make sure that your iPhone is not set to Silent. Press and hold the Action button to turn Silent mode on. Press and hold the Action button again to turn Silent mode off. If your Action button isn’t set to Silent mode, go to the Settings app on your iPhone, tap Sounds & Haptics, then turn Silent mode on or off.
- On your iPhone 18 Pro, enable Airplane Mode and wait a few seconds, and then disable.
