AirPlay lets you send video, audio, or your entire Mac screen to an Apple TV wirelessly

AirPlay is Apple's built-in wireless streaming system. When your Mac and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network, you can mirror your Mac's display to the TV, stream video from apps like Apple TV or web browsers, or send just audio to AirPlay-compatible speakers. You don't need cables, extra software, or a separate account — it's built into macOS and tvOS.

The simplest way to start is through the Control Center on your Mac. Look for the screen mirroring icon (it looks like a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom), click it, and select your Apple TV from the list. Your Mac screen appears on the TV within a few seconds. To stop, open Control Center again and click "Stop Mirroring".

Key Takeaways

  • Your Mac and Apple TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network before AirPlay will work.
  • Screen mirroring copies everything on your Mac display to the TV, including notifications and open windows.
  • You can stream video from apps like Apple TV, Safari, or YouTube without mirroring your entire screen.
  • AirPlay works on Macs running macOS 10.5 or newer and Apple TV models from 2nd generation onward.
  • If your Mac doesn't find the Apple TV, restart both devices and check that they're on the same network.

Check your Mac and Apple TV compatibility

Not every Mac works with every Apple TV model, but most modern setups do. Your Mac needs macOS 10.5 (Leopard) or newer — if you're using a Mac from the last ten years, you have it. Your Apple TV needs to be a 2nd generation model or later; the original Apple TV from 2007 does not support AirPlay.

To find your macOS version, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "About This Mac". Look for the version number next to "macOS". To check your Apple TV model, go to Settings > System > About on the TV itself.

Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network

AirPlay only works when your Mac and Apple TV are on the same network. This is the most common reason AirPlay doesn't appear as an option. Check your Mac's Wi-Fi menu (the icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar) and note which network you're connected to. Then on your Apple TV, go to Settings > Network and confirm it's on the same network.

If you have a 5GHz and 2.4GHz network with the same name (a setup called "band steering"), your Mac and Apple TV may connect to different bands and not see each other. If AirPlay isn't working, try connecting your Mac to the 2.4GHz band manually by holding Option while clicking the Wi-Fi menu, then selecting the network name with "2.4" or "802.11n" in the details.

Mirror your Mac screen to Apple TV

Screen mirroring shows everything on your Mac — your desktop, open windows, notifications, and cursor — on the TV in real time. This is useful for presentations, showing photos, or troubleshooting with someone else in the room.

On your Mac, click the Control Center icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar (it looks like a rectangle with sliders). Click "Screen Mirroring" and select your Apple TV from the list. Your Mac screen appears on the TV within a few seconds. The menu bar on your Mac will show a blue bar with "Mirroring to [Apple TV name]" to confirm it's active.

To stop mirroring, open Control Center again, click "Screen Mirroring", and select "Stop Mirroring". Your Mac display returns to normal.

Stream video from apps without mirroring your entire screen

If you want to watch a video on the TV but keep your Mac free to do other things, use AirPlay from within the app instead of mirroring the whole screen. This works with Apple TV, YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, and most other streaming apps.

Open the app and start playing video. Look for the AirPlay icon — it's a triangle inside a rectangle, usually in the video player controls or in the app's menu. Click it and select your Apple TV. The video plays on the TV while your Mac stays available for email, browsing, or other work. The app will show a small AirPlay icon to indicate the video is streaming to the TV.

Not all apps support AirPlay from Mac. If you don't see the AirPlay icon, the app may not have that feature, or it may only work on iPhone or iPad.

Send audio to AirPlay speakers

You can also use AirPlay to send audio from your Mac to AirPlay-compatible speakers, HomePods, or your Apple TV. This is useful for playing music throughout your home without turning on the TV screen.

Open Control Center on your Mac and click the volume icon. At the bottom of the volume slider, you'll see "Audio Output" with a list of available devices. Select your Apple TV, HomePod, or AirPlay speaker. Audio from your Mac — music, podcasts, system sounds — now plays through that device. To switch back to your Mac's speakers, open the same menu and select "Mac Speakers" or your Mac's name.

Troubleshoot when AirPlay doesn't appear or connect

If you don't see your Apple TV in the AirPlay menu, or if it appears but won't connect, start by restarting both devices. Unplug your Apple TV for 10 seconds, plug it back in, and wait for it to fully boot. Restart your Mac by clicking the Apple menu and selecting "Restart".

After both devices restart, check Wi-Fi again. Open your Mac's Wi-Fi menu and confirm you're on the same network as your Apple TV. If you're on a guest network or a different band, switch to the main network. If your router has both 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands with the same name, try connecting your Mac to the 2.4GHz band by holding Option while clicking Wi-Fi and selecting the network details.

If AirPlay still doesn't work, check that both devices are up to date. On your Mac, go to System Settings > General > Software Update. On your Apple TV, go to Settings > System > Software Updates. Install any available updates and restart both devices.

If you're still having trouble, try "forgetting" the Wi-Fi network on your Mac and reconnecting. Click the Wi-Fi icon, select "Wi-Fi Settings", find your network, click the info icon next to it, and select "Forget This Network". Then reconnect by selecting the network again and entering the password.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use AirPlay if my Mac and Apple TV are on different Wi-Fi networks?

No. AirPlay requires both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network. If your Mac is on a guest network and your Apple TV is on the main network, they won't see each other. Connect both to the same network and try again.

Does mirroring slow down my Mac?

Screen mirroring uses some processor power and Wi-Fi bandwidth, so your Mac may feel slightly slower during mirroring, especially on older machines. If you're doing heavy work like video editing, close mirroring first. Streaming video from an app (rather than mirroring) uses less of your Mac's resources.

Can I mirror my Mac to an Apple TV that's not at home?

Not directly over the internet. AirPlay only works on the same local Wi-Fi network. If you want to stream to an Apple TV in another location, you would need to be on that network — for example, by connecting to a VPN or being physically present.

What if my Mac has an older version of macOS?

AirPlay works on macOS 10.5 and newer, but older versions may have limited features. If you're on an older Mac, check System Settings > General > Software Update to see if a newer macOS version is available for your hardware. Some very old Macs cannot run current macOS versions.

Can I use AirPlay with a Mac and Apple TV on a 5GHz network?

Yes, but if your router broadcasts both 5GHz and 2.4GHz with the same network name, your Mac and Apple TV might connect to different bands and not find each other. Try connecting your Mac to the 2.4GHz band by holding Option while clicking Wi-Fi and selecting the network details, or disable band steering in your router settings.