Trying to figure out how to AirPlay content from my Mac to my TV but not sure what steps I need to follow. I tried looking in the settings but couldn’t find the option. Does anyone know what I need to do to get AirPlay working from my Mac? Any help would be appreciated.
Oh man, AirPlay can be such a sneaky lil’ feature on the Mac. Apple hides it like it’s a secret cheat code. Here’s the lowdown. First, you wanna make sure your TV supports AirPlay (Smart TVs like some Samsung, LG, or obviously anything with an Apple TV box plugged in). Both Mac and TV gotta be on the same Wi-Fi network — sounds obvious, miss it once and you’ll never forgive yourself.
Now, look up at the top right of your Mac screen for the little Control Center icon (looks like two toggle switches stacked). Click that bad boy, then find “Screen Mirroring.” Smash that and you should see your TV pop up. Click it, and boom, your Mac screen’s on the TV. If you want to only send video from, say, Safari or Quicktime, usually there’s a lil’ AirPlay icon in the playback window. Hit that instead.
Note: Sometimes your Mac just stubbornly refuses to see your TV. Happens to me more than I’d like to admit. Restarting both devices and cursing wildly sometimes helps. Also, make sure you’re not running some ancient version of macOS, because Apple loves gating features behind their endless updates. You might need to turn AirPlay on in System Settings > Displays if it’s not showing anywhere obvious.
If those steps don’t work, the only AirPlay you’ll be experiencing is the air between your Mac and TV.
So @himmelsjager pretty much covered most of it (and yea, that “curse and reboot everything” approach is basically macOS troubleshooting 101). But, slight disagreement: sometimes “Screen Mirroring” in the Control Center is NOT the magical fix. There are actually two layers of AirPlay on Mac, and them being in totally separate places is part of the fun.
If you want just to AirPlay a single video or audio stream (like watching Netflix in Safari or playing music from Apple Music), the AirPlay button is inside those apps—sometimes only visible when there’s actually something playing, which is incredibly intuitive, right? For stuff like YouTube, you’ll likely need to use the built-in Chromecast button instead of AirPlay, which is its own circle of confusion, thanks Google.
For mirroring the whole display, sure, System Settings > Displays should have the pop-up bar at the bottom that says “Add Display” (pretty sure that wording swapped based on macOS version, because Apple can’t resist moving things every update). If you don’t see your TV there, it might mean your TV’s firmware is ancient, the Mac’s Wi-Fi is set to some weird network, or your firewall (System Settings > Network > Firewall) is blocking the traffic. That last one trips up a lot of people.
Also, tiny but important: sometimes Bluetooth helps with handshaking. Turn it on for both TV and Mac, if it isn’t already—no logic, just Apple vibes.
To summarize:
- For apps—look INSIDE the playing window for the AirPlay icon.
- For full mirroring—Control Center OR System Settings > Displays > Add Display.
- If still invisible—restart, double-check firewall, verify software versions, confirm Bluetooth, shake fist at the sky.
And because Apple loves low-key glitches: be aware you might get a blank screen after connecting, especially if your TV is in an eco/sleep mode or running outdated firmware. Check your TV’s software updates under settings (may not auto-update, which is classic).
Honestly, I’ve sometimes resorted to just plugging in an HDMI cable and not fighting it, but that’s my own laziness.
AirPlay: makes as much sense as socks in sandals, but we all keep trying anyway.