The Basic Steps to Mirror Your MacBook

To cast your MacBook to Apple TV, open Control Center on your Mac, click the Screen Mirroring icon, and select your Apple TV from the list. Your MacBook screen will then appear on your television. The whole process takes about 10 seconds once your Mac and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.

Before you start, make sure your MacBook and Apple TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If they are not on the same network, they cannot find each other. You will also need to be within reasonable range of your Wi-Fi router — typically the same room or an adjacent room.

The first time you cast to a particular Apple TV, your Mac may ask you to enter a four-digit code that appears on your television screen. This is a security step to prevent unauthorized casting. Type the code on your Mac keyboard and press Enter. After that, your Mac will remember this Apple TV and you will not need to enter the code again.

Key Takeaways

  • Your MacBook and Apple TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network before casting will work.
  • Open Control Center on your Mac, click Screen Mirroring, and select your Apple TV from the dropdown list.
  • On first use, you will need to enter a four-digit code shown on your TV screen to confirm the connection.
  • Once connected, your entire MacBook display appears on the television, including the menu bar and dock.
  • To stop casting, open Control Center again, click Screen Mirroring, and select "Stop Mirroring".

Finding the Screen Mirroring Icon in Control Center

Control Center is the quickest way to cast. On newer Macs running macOS Monterey or later, click the Control Center icon in the top-right corner of your menu bar — it looks like a rectangle with several small squares inside. This opens a panel with quick-access buttons.

Look for the Screen Mirroring icon, which shows a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom. Click it once. A dropdown menu will appear showing all available Apple TVs on your network. If you do not see your Apple TV listed, check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and that your Apple TV is powered on.

On older Macs running macOS Big Sur or earlier, the process is slightly different. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, then look for an AirPlay icon near the bottom of that menu. Click it and select your Apple TV. The result is the same — your screen will mirror to the television.

What Happens When Your MacBook Is Mirrored

When casting is active, everything on your MacBook screen appears on your Apple TV in real time. This includes your desktop, open windows, the menu bar, and the dock. If you move your mouse or type on your keyboard, those actions show up on the television when ready with no delay.

Your MacBook continues to work normally while casting. You can open new applications, switch between windows, or adjust volume and brightness on your Mac, and all of those changes will be visible on the TV. This makes it useful for presentations, watching videos with others, or troubleshooting something on your computer with someone else in the room.

The resolution of the mirrored image depends on your Apple TV model and your Mac's display settings. Most modern Apple TVs will display your MacBook at a clear, readable resolution. If the text on your TV looks too small, you can increase the text size in System Preferences on your Mac, and that change will appear on the TV as well.

Stopping the Cast and Disconnecting

To stop casting, open Control Center again by clicking the icon in the top-right corner of your menu bar. Click the Screen Mirroring icon and select "Stop Mirroring" from the dropdown. Your MacBook screen will no longer appear on the television, though your Mac and Apple TV will remain connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

If you want to completely disconnect from the Apple TV so it does not appear in your Screen Mirroring list in the future, you can forget the device. Go to System Preferences on your Mac, click Network, select Wi-Fi, and click Advanced. Find your Apple TV in the list of known networks and click the minus button to remove it. The next time you want to cast, you will need to enter the four-digit code again.

Troubleshooting When Your Apple TV Does Not Appear

If your Apple TV is not showing up in the Screen Mirroring list, the most common cause is that your MacBook and Apple TV are on different Wi-Fi networks. Check that both devices are connected to the same network name. On your Mac, click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and confirm the network. On your Apple TV, go to Settings, then Network, and check the Wi-Fi network listed there.

If both devices are on the same network and your Apple TV still does not appear, restart both devices. Turn off your Apple TV by unplugging it for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Restart your MacBook by clicking the Apple menu, selecting Restart, and waiting for it to boot back up. Once both devices are running again, try opening Control Center and looking for your Apple TV in the Screen Mirroring list.

If your Apple TV is very old — more than five or six years old — it may not support casting from a MacBook. Older Apple TV models (3rd generation and earlier) use a different technology called AirPlay that works differently. Check your Apple TV model by going to Settings on the TV and looking at the About section. If you have a 4th generation Apple TV or newer, standard casting should work.

Using Extended Display Instead of Mirroring

If you want your Apple TV to show a different image than your MacBook screen, you can use extended display mode instead of mirroring. This treats your Apple TV as a second monitor. Open Control Center, click Screen Mirroring, and hold down the Option key on your keyboard while clicking your Apple TV. Select "Extend Display" instead of "Mirror Display".

In extended display mode, you can drag windows from your MacBook screen to the Apple TV screen, or move your mouse between the two displays. This is useful if you want to show a presentation on the TV while keeping notes or a web browser visible only on your MacBook. The extended display will show your desktop and any windows you drag to it, but your MacBook screen remains independent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to cast?

Yes. Your MacBook and Apple TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If they are on different networks, they cannot find each other. Check your network settings on both devices to confirm they are using the same network name.

Can I cast audio only without showing my screen?

No. Screen mirroring always shows your entire MacBook display on the TV. If you want to play audio through your Apple TV without mirroring, you can use AirPlay audio instead. Open the volume control on your Mac, click the volume icon, and select your Apple TV from the audio output list.

What if I forget the four-digit code that appears on my TV?

You cannot retrieve a forgotten code, but you do not need to. straightforward disconnect from the Apple TV and try casting again. Your Mac will display a new four-digit code on the TV screen. Type the new code into your Mac keyboard.

Will casting drain my MacBook battery faster?

Yes, casting uses more power than normal operation because your Mac is constantly sending video to the Apple TV over Wi-Fi. If you are using your MacBook on battery power, expect the battery to drain somewhat faster than usual. Plugging your MacBook into power is recommended for longer casting sessions.

Can I cast from multiple MacBooks to the same Apple TV?

Only one MacBook can cast to an Apple TV at a time. If a second MacBook tries to cast while another is already connected, the first connection will be interrupted. You will need to stop mirroring on the first MacBook before the second one can connect.