AirPlay enables you to stream content from your compatible device to an AirPlay receiver. If you have a Mac, this guide focuses on how to AirPlay from a Mac to an AirPlay receiver available on your network. Read on to learn more.
Screen Mirroring & AirPlay Tips
Screen Mirroring Tips & Apps
With AirPlay 2 available on select 2018, 2019, and 2020 Samsung TV models, you'll be able to stream shows, movies, and music, and cast images from all your Apple devices directly to your TV. AirPlay 2 compatible Samsung TVs. Get the full picture on Apple TV 4K. More than a remarkable way to use AirPlay, Apple TV 4K is the. AirServer® is the most advanced screen mirroring receiver for Mac. AirServer allows you to receive AirPlay and Google Cast streams, similar to an Apple TV or a Chromecast device, so you can stream content, cast or mirror your display from an iOS device, macOS, Windows, Android, Chromebook or any other AirPlay and Google Cast compatible device.
iPhone/Android Mirroring
Airplay Tips
AirPlay is one of the really useful features offered by Apple. It allows Apple users to mirror content from one device to another – all without needing any cables at all. The technology works over a wireless network and lets you mirror one device's screen to another as long as they are both compatible.
In the following guide, you are going to learn more about this wonderful feature offered by Apple, how to enable and disable the feature on your Mac, and how to actually use it on your Mac. At the end, you will also learn to fix some of the common issues you could encounter while using the feature on your devices.
What is AirPlay and How to Turn on/off AirPlay on Mac
First of all, let us learn exactly what AirPlay is and how it works.
AirPlay is a feature embedded on your Apple devices including Mac and iOS devices that lets you mirror your device's screen to another device. For example, you can mirror the screen of your iPhone to a compatible Apple TV, and so on.
This gives you a chance to view the contents of your iPhone or iPad on a large screen of your Mac or Apple TV. Since all the Apple devices come enabled with the option, there really is not anything you need to buy or download on your devices.
Enable and Disable AirPlay on Mac
Turning AirPlay on and off on Apple devices is pretty easy and it can be enabled as the following on your Mac.
Step 1. Click on the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences.
Step 2. On the following screen, click on the option that says Displays. That is where the option we are looking for is located.
Airplay For Mac To Tv Screen
Step 3. Turn the AirPlay Display option to the ON position.
Enable the AirPlay feature on Mac
The feature should now be enabled and you will see its icon in the menu bar of your Mac. Clicking on the icon will let you see all available AirPlay receivers.
To turn the feature off, simply head into the same settings panel and disable the AirPlay Display option. You will be all set.
How to AirPlay from Mac to Apple TV
Now that you know how AirPlay works and how to enable it, let us check out how to use AirPlay on a Mac with an Apple TV.
All Apple TVs come equipped with the AirPlay feature and you can mirror your Mac's screen to any of those TVs as long as the minimum requirements meet. In order to mirror screen from your Mac, both your Mac and your Apple TV should be connected to the same WiFi network.
Once that is done, follow the following steps on how to AirPlay from Mac to Apple TV to do the actual task of screen mirroring.
Step 1. Click on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar of your Mac to open the feature options.
Step 2. You will see a list of available AirPlay receivers. Click on your Apple TV in the list and your Mac will connect to it.
Soon as a connection has been established, you will be able to see the screen of your Mac on your Apple TV. This is usually instant in most cases and you have successfully made an AirPlay connection between your compatible devices.
How to AirPlay from Mac to Samsung TV
Not everyone owns an Apple TV and there are Samsung and other TV users as well who would like to use the AirPlay features on their TVs. If you are one of them, this section will help you out.
In order to do screen mirroring from Mac to the Samsung TV, you need to install an app on your Mac. It is because the Samsung TVs are not compatible with Apple's AirPlay feature and so you need to use a third-party app to bridge the compatibility gap.
The following shows what you need and how to perform the procedure on your Mac machine:
Step 1. Download and install the ‘Mirror for Samsung TV' app on your Mac machine.
Step 2. Ensure that both your TV and your Mac are on the same WiFi network. Launch the app on your Mac and let it scan the available receivers.
Step 3. Click on your Samsung TV in the list and the app will start mirroring your Mac to your TV.
AirPlay from a Mac to Samsung TV
The app also gives you the option to transfer audio from your Mac to your TV if you would like to do it.
How to Fix AirPlay Not Showing up on Mac
There may be times when you will not see the AirPlay icon in the menu bar of your Mac. This makes users wonder as to where the feature is gone.
Fortunately, there are a few fixes to apply to get the option back in your menu bar.
Fix 1. Turn On AirPlay
Make sure the AirPlay receivers on your network are turned on and that specifically the AirPlay option is also enabled.
If your Mac does not find any AirPlay receivers on the network, it removes the AirPlay icon from the menu bar.
Fix 2. Enable the AirPlay Option
If you have not already enabled the AirPlay option on your Mac, you will not see the icon in your menu bar.
Head into System Preferences followed by Displays. Ensure the AirPlay option is turned on.
Fix 3. Reboot Your Devices
Reboot all of the devices you are trying to connect and it should likely fix the issue for you.
These are some of the things you can do when AirPlay does not show up on Mac.
The Bottom Line
If you have a Mac and you wish to use the AirPlay feature, the above should teach you how to AirPlay from a Mac machine. There are various ways to use the feature and you can go for the one that is convenient for you.
More Related Articles
Product-related questions? Contact Our Support Team to Get Quick Solution >
Say Hello to AirPlay + Google Cast
AirServer is the most advanced screen mirroring receiver for Mac and PC. It allows you to receive AirPlay and Google Cast streams, similar to an Apple TV or a Chromecast device.
AirServer turns your Mac into a universal mirroring receiver, with the exception of Miracast, allowing you to mirror your device's display using the built-in AirPlay or Google Cast based screen projection functionality; one by one or simultaneously to AirServer.
Users can mirror or cast their screen from any AirPlay or Google Cast compatible device such as an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android or Chromebook. Windows and Linux platforms are also supported using the screen casting sender built into the Google Chrome browser.
Bring Your Own Device
AirServer introduced the world's first BYOD solution by implementing all the major mirroring technologies giving everyone the freedom of choice for the device they wish to use.
Ultra-high quality recording
AirServer helps you create professional videos of your mirroring sessions in stunning quality. Showcase your iOS apps and games or archive your classroom collaboration in the best quality possible.
AirPlay + Google Cast
AirServer for Mac builds upon its existing AirPlay receiver functionality, including iOS 12 compatibility, and adds Google Cast receiving capabilities.
AirPlay from the YouTube app
AirServer for Mac once again supports this feature. Besides Apple TV, AirServer was the first application to provide this feature.
Chromebook Compatible
AirServer supports both tab casting and desktop casting which is built into all Chromebooks and all desktop platforms with Google Chrome browser.
Android Compatible
Works with all Google Cast enabled Android devices. Devices that do not have the cast functionality can enable this by downloading the Google Cast app.
Live streaming to YouTube
YouTube Live certified, AirServer will enable you live stream your iOS gameplay with unique picture-in-picture webcam support. Teachers can also use this powerful technology to live stream their lectures.
Retina quality mirroring
Airplay Ipad To Mac
AirServer provides drastically improved picture quality during mirroring. Starting with iPhone 6 Plus, iOS devices can now mirror at full 1080 x 1920 resolution, which is over 3x the previous pixel count.
Enable the AirPlay feature on Mac
The feature should now be enabled and you will see its icon in the menu bar of your Mac. Clicking on the icon will let you see all available AirPlay receivers.
To turn the feature off, simply head into the same settings panel and disable the AirPlay Display option. You will be all set.
How to AirPlay from Mac to Apple TV
Now that you know how AirPlay works and how to enable it, let us check out how to use AirPlay on a Mac with an Apple TV.
All Apple TVs come equipped with the AirPlay feature and you can mirror your Mac's screen to any of those TVs as long as the minimum requirements meet. In order to mirror screen from your Mac, both your Mac and your Apple TV should be connected to the same WiFi network.
Once that is done, follow the following steps on how to AirPlay from Mac to Apple TV to do the actual task of screen mirroring.
Step 1. Click on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar of your Mac to open the feature options.
Step 2. You will see a list of available AirPlay receivers. Click on your Apple TV in the list and your Mac will connect to it.
Soon as a connection has been established, you will be able to see the screen of your Mac on your Apple TV. This is usually instant in most cases and you have successfully made an AirPlay connection between your compatible devices.
How to AirPlay from Mac to Samsung TV
Not everyone owns an Apple TV and there are Samsung and other TV users as well who would like to use the AirPlay features on their TVs. If you are one of them, this section will help you out.
In order to do screen mirroring from Mac to the Samsung TV, you need to install an app on your Mac. It is because the Samsung TVs are not compatible with Apple's AirPlay feature and so you need to use a third-party app to bridge the compatibility gap.
The following shows what you need and how to perform the procedure on your Mac machine:
Step 1. Download and install the ‘Mirror for Samsung TV' app on your Mac machine.
Step 2. Ensure that both your TV and your Mac are on the same WiFi network. Launch the app on your Mac and let it scan the available receivers.
Step 3. Click on your Samsung TV in the list and the app will start mirroring your Mac to your TV.
AirPlay from a Mac to Samsung TV
The app also gives you the option to transfer audio from your Mac to your TV if you would like to do it.
How to Fix AirPlay Not Showing up on Mac
There may be times when you will not see the AirPlay icon in the menu bar of your Mac. This makes users wonder as to where the feature is gone.
Fortunately, there are a few fixes to apply to get the option back in your menu bar.
Fix 1. Turn On AirPlay
Make sure the AirPlay receivers on your network are turned on and that specifically the AirPlay option is also enabled.
If your Mac does not find any AirPlay receivers on the network, it removes the AirPlay icon from the menu bar.
Fix 2. Enable the AirPlay Option
If you have not already enabled the AirPlay option on your Mac, you will not see the icon in your menu bar.
Head into System Preferences followed by Displays. Ensure the AirPlay option is turned on.
Fix 3. Reboot Your Devices
Reboot all of the devices you are trying to connect and it should likely fix the issue for you.
These are some of the things you can do when AirPlay does not show up on Mac.
The Bottom Line
If you have a Mac and you wish to use the AirPlay feature, the above should teach you how to AirPlay from a Mac machine. There are various ways to use the feature and you can go for the one that is convenient for you.
More Related Articles
Product-related questions? Contact Our Support Team to Get Quick Solution >
Say Hello to AirPlay + Google Cast
AirServer is the most advanced screen mirroring receiver for Mac and PC. It allows you to receive AirPlay and Google Cast streams, similar to an Apple TV or a Chromecast device.
AirServer turns your Mac into a universal mirroring receiver, with the exception of Miracast, allowing you to mirror your device's display using the built-in AirPlay or Google Cast based screen projection functionality; one by one or simultaneously to AirServer.
Users can mirror or cast their screen from any AirPlay or Google Cast compatible device such as an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android or Chromebook. Windows and Linux platforms are also supported using the screen casting sender built into the Google Chrome browser.
Bring Your Own Device
AirServer introduced the world's first BYOD solution by implementing all the major mirroring technologies giving everyone the freedom of choice for the device they wish to use.
Ultra-high quality recording
AirServer helps you create professional videos of your mirroring sessions in stunning quality. Showcase your iOS apps and games or archive your classroom collaboration in the best quality possible.
AirPlay + Google Cast
AirServer for Mac builds upon its existing AirPlay receiver functionality, including iOS 12 compatibility, and adds Google Cast receiving capabilities.
AirPlay from the YouTube app
AirServer for Mac once again supports this feature. Besides Apple TV, AirServer was the first application to provide this feature.
Chromebook Compatible
AirServer supports both tab casting and desktop casting which is built into all Chromebooks and all desktop platforms with Google Chrome browser.
Android Compatible
Works with all Google Cast enabled Android devices. Devices that do not have the cast functionality can enable this by downloading the Google Cast app.
Live streaming to YouTube
YouTube Live certified, AirServer will enable you live stream your iOS gameplay with unique picture-in-picture webcam support. Teachers can also use this powerful technology to live stream their lectures.
Retina quality mirroring
Airplay Ipad To Mac
AirServer provides drastically improved picture quality during mirroring. Starting with iPhone 6 Plus, iOS devices can now mirror at full 1080 x 1920 resolution, which is over 3x the previous pixel count.
Encrypted AirPlay
AirServer protects your personal photos and videos as they are transmitted over the network. This important security feature is only offered by AirServer and the Apple TV.
iOS 12 Compatible
AirServer has maintained AirPlay compatibility since iOS 4.2.1 and has pushed out free compatibility updates with every major version of iOS since 2011.
Mirroring Mac To Tv
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'Faculty and students also utilize AirServer which enables the display and sharing of iPad content in the classroom.'
'AirServer turns your Mac into a AirPlay receiver, letting you stream audio, photos, and even videos to your computer, right over the air.'
'AirServer is clearly a more complete solution for all kinds of AirPlay streams with dedicated features for audio, video, and Mirroring.'
'Great for demoing iOS apps, and a more professional feature set than...'
'AirServer for Mac, one of our favourite AirPlay receivers, features long-awaited HD recording with post processing filters.'
'What could be better than sending Temple Run or Angry Birds in Space to a large screen, competing side by side with a friend?'
'AirServer app clearly blows away all the competition.'
'With AirServer you can take advantage of the better audio and visuals of your Mac by using the app to transform it into a Apple TV type of device that can be used to stream audio and video.'
'AirServer is so easy to use, we wonder why Apple didn't implement it themselves.'
'With AirServer running, you'll see your Mac show up in your iPad's AirPlay menu, and you can just select it to play back video, movies or games on the big screen. It even supports mirroring so you can use it with apps that don;t yet support AirPlay properly.'
