With AirPlay, streaming content from iPhone to AirPlay TV or speaker is as seamless as it can ever get. Once you have set up your iDevice with the supported TV or smart speaker, you can stream video/audio with ease and also control each aspect of the play with the desired convenience. But that is not to suggest that AirPlay hasn’t had its fair share of issues. To prevent the common pain points from destroying your playtime, I have talked about the 10 best tips to fix AirPlay not working issues on iPhone, iPad, Mac, HomePod, and Apple TV.

When it comes to troubleshooting AirPlay issues, you need to take a number of things into account. For instance, you have to keep in mind the system requirements (right off the bat), sluggish Wi-Fi network, and even ensure that the settings are ideally customized.

  • Ensure That Your Devices Meet AirPlay 2 System Requirements
  • AirPlay 1 System Requirements
  • Pre-Requisites for AirPlay
  • Make Sure Your Devices are Connected to the Same Wi-Fi Network
  • Ensure That You Haven’t Restricted Your Apple TV
  • Allow iPhone to Discover and Connect to Nearby AirPlay TV Automatically
  • Restart Your Devices
  • Update Software on Your Devices
  • If You Can See Video But Can’t Hear Audio, Try This Quick Fix
  • Does Your Music Automatically Stop? Here is the Fix
  • If Your Network is Too Slow, Try These Fixes

Ensure That Your Devices Meet AirPlay 2 System Requirements

If you want to take advantage of AirPlay 2 to enjoy multi-room audio and the exciting stereo pairing on the HomePod, be sure your devices meet the requirements.

  • iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 11.4 or later
  • Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD with tvOS 11.4 or later
  • Mac with either iTunes 12.8 or later or macOS Catalina
  • PC with iTunes 12.8 or later
  • HomePod with iOS 11.4 or later

Following Devices Allow You to Stream Video

AirPlay Allows You to Stream to the Following Devices 

AirPlay 1 System Requirements

The following devices support streaming with AirPlay (first-generation).

These Devices Allow You to Stream Content to

  • HomePod, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, and Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation), Speakers connected to the Audio Out port on AirPort Express, Speakers with ‘Works with Apple AirPlay’ label

Pre-Requisites for AirPlay

  • Keep in mind that you are allowed to stream only audio from Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD using AirPlay.
  • If you want to use Siri to play and control video on a smart TV, make sure you have an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV that supports HomeKit.
  • Do note that HomeKit isn’t supported on Samsung smart TVs.
  • You might need to update the firmware of some third-party speakers to use AirPlay 2 streaming.
  • Ensure that your AirPlay-compatible devices are turned on.
  • If your Apple TV is in Sleep mode and uses Ethernet, you can wake it with the remote.
  • Be sure your AirPlay-supported device is near the device you want to stream content from.
  • If you are unable to connect to an AirPlay device, try moving closer to it and try again.
  • If you want to stream audio to multiple speakers with AirPlay 2, ensure that your speakers are compatible with AirPlay 2.

Make Sure Your Devices are Connected to the Same Wi-Fi Network

Another essential thing you should do is to ensure that your devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. As it’s a must, be sure to always tick it off.

HomePod: For seamless connectivity, HomePod uses the same Wi-Fi network as the iOS device which you used to set up the smart speaker.

For a fully personalized experience, tvOS lets you control who can AirPlay on your Apple TV. So, make sure the restriction is not coming in the way of screen mirroring.

  • Everyone: It allows everyone to stream content to Apple TV.
  • Anyone on the Same Network: It allows anyone connected to the home Wi-Fi network to stream content to Apple TV.
  • Only People Sharing This Home: It allows only the invited people to stream content to Apple TV.
  • Require Password: This option makes it compulsory for everyone to enter a password before allowing them to stream content to Apple TV.

Now, if you want to go for unrestricted play, choose the first option (Everyone).

For a seamless experience, iOS automatically discovers and connects to nearby AirPlay TVs you use frequently when playing content from your favorite apps. If you don’t want to go for this automatic option, you can make iOS ask you before connecting to a nearby AirPlay TV.

Restart Your Devices

If you are still unable to stream content to your AirPlay devices, restart all of them. Many a time, a simple reboot tends to do wonders, especially when dealing with common issues like this. So, do give it a chance as well.

To restart iPad with Touch ID: Press and hold the power button and then drag the power off slider to shut down your tablet. After that, hold down the power button again to turn on your tablet.

Next, disconnect Apple TV from the power source and then wait for five seconds. After that, reconnect Apple TV to the power source. Then, open Settings on Apple TV and then head over to System. After that, select Restart.

If none of the above solutions has worked in fixing AirPlay issues on your iOS device, Mac or Apple TV, I guess the problem could be due to outdated software or a bug. The good thing is you can resolve this by simply updating your iDevice to the latest software version.

Note: To update your smart TV, you can take the help of the user manual or go to the company’s website to learn the process.

Just in case you can see video but can’t hear audio when streaming video from your Mac or iOS device to your Apple TV, ensure that the volume is not muted on both devices.

If the music app stops playing automatically, the Home app might be using your HomePod, Apple TV, or AirPlay-supported speaker as the main audio source for streaming content – even if you aren’t currently playing music on HomePod or Apple TV. In this case, if you try to use Siri or perform any task, the playback will immediately stop. You can instead choose to use your iOS device or computer with iTunes as an audio source to stream music manually.

If your Wi-Fi is rather slow or you are facing interference from a nearby device like a baby monitor and microwave, try out the following fixes:

  • Either turn off or move any other devices that may be causing interference.
  • If you want to AirPlay to Apple TV, connect your Apple TV directly to your router with an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi.
  • AirPlay connection tends to get interrupted if you lock your device,  switch to a different app, or put it to sleep.
  • Ensure that you are using the recommended settings for your Wi-Fi router. For instance, make sure to use a name that’s unique to your network and also disable the hidden network.
  • Besides, try turning off/on Wi-Fi on your iOS device (Settings -> Wi) to fix the slow connection. If that doesn’t help, go to Settings app -> General -> Reset. Then, tap on Reset Network Settings. Now, connect to the Wi-Fi network again.

Solved! Tips to Troubleshoot AirPlay Issues on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

That’s it! Hopefully, AirPlay has returned to its best on your devices and you have started to enjoy streaming video/audio content in all its glory. But before you go on for a long streaming spree, do not forget to let me know the trick that has enabled you to fix AirPlay issues on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.