Mirroring your Mac to Apple TV uses AirPlay, Apple's wireless connection system

To mirror your Mac to Apple TV, you use a feature called AirPlay, which sends your screen wirelessly from your computer to your TV. Your Mac and Apple TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network, and your Apple TV must be running tvOS 12.4 or later. The process takes about 30 seconds once everything is set up correctly.

Mirroring is different from streaming a single app — it shows your entire Mac desktop on the TV, including everything you're doing: web browsing, documents, presentations, or video calls. This is useful for presentations, showing photos to a group, or troubleshooting something on a larger screen.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Mac and Apple TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network before mirroring will work.
  • You start mirroring by clicking the Control Center icon in the top-right corner of your Mac and selecting Screen Mirroring.
  • Your Apple TV will appear in the list only if it is powered on and on the same network as your Mac.
  • You can stop mirroring at any time by opening Control Center again and clicking Stop Mirroring.

Check your Mac model and software version first

Mirroring works on most modern Macs, but the exact steps depend on which version of macOS you're running. If your Mac is running macOS Big Sur (11.0) or later, you'll use Control Center. If you have an older Mac running Mojave or Catalina, the process is slightly different and uses the menu bar instead.

To find your macOS version, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select "About This Mac." Look for the line that says "System Version" — that's your macOS version number. If you see 11.0 or higher, follow the Control Center method below. If you see 10.14 or 10.15, skip to the older Mac section.

Mirror from a Mac running Big Sur or later using Control Center

Open Control Center by clicking the icon in the top-right corner of your menu bar — it looks like a grid of small squares. If you don't see it, go to System Preferences (or System Settings on newer Macs), click Control Center, and make sure "Screen Mirroring" is turned on.

In the Control Center menu that opens, look for "Screen Mirroring" and click it. A list of available Apple TVs will appear. Click the name of your Apple TV. If your Apple TV doesn't appear in the list, make sure it's powered on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac — then wait a few seconds and try again.

Once you click your Apple TV's name, your Mac screen will appear on your TV within a few seconds. You'll see a blue bar at the top of your Mac screen showing that mirroring is active. Your Mac's audio will also play through your TV speakers by default.

Mirror from a Mac running Mojave or Catalina

If your Mac is running macOS Mojave (10.14) or Catalina (10.15), the mirroring option is in the menu bar instead of Control Center. Look at the top-right corner of your screen and find the AirPlay icon — it looks like a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom. Click it.

A dropdown menu will appear showing available Apple TVs. Click the name of your Apple TV. Your Mac screen will begin mirroring to your TV within a few seconds. You'll see a blue bar at the top of your screen confirming the connection is active.

Troubleshoot when your Apple TV doesn't appear

If your Apple TV isn't showing up in the mirroring list, the most common cause is that your Mac and Apple TV are on different Wi-Fi networks. Check that both devices are connected to the same network — you can see your Mac's network in the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, and your Apple TV's network in Settings on the TV itself.

If they're on the same network, restart your Apple TV by unplugging it for 10 seconds, then plugging it back in. While it's restarting, restart your Mac's Wi-Fi by clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, selecting "Turn Wi-Fi Off," waiting 5 seconds, then selecting "Turn Wi-Fi On" again. Once both devices have restarted, try mirroring again.

If your Apple TV is still not appearing, check that it's running tvOS 12.4 or later. On your Apple TV, go to Settings, then System, then Software Updates. If an update is available, install it and try mirroring again.

Stop mirroring and disconnect your Mac from Apple TV

To stop mirroring, open Control Center (or click the AirPlay icon if you're on Mojave or Catalina) and select "Stop Mirroring." Your Mac screen will no longer appear on the TV, though your Mac and Apple TV will remain connected to the same network.

If you want to completely disconnect, you can do that too — just stop mirroring. There's no separate "disconnect" step needed. The next time you want to mirror, you'll follow the same process and select your Apple TV again.

Adjust audio and resolution while mirroring

By default, your Mac's audio plays through your TV speakers while mirroring. If you want to hear audio from your Mac's speakers instead, open System Preferences (or System Settings), click Sound, then select your Mac's internal speaker as the output device.

Your Mac will automatically adjust the resolution to match your Apple TV's capabilities, so you don't need to change display settings manually. If text looks too small on your TV, you can increase the text size in System Preferences under Accessibility, then Display, then increase the text size slider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mirror my Mac to Apple TV if I'm on a different Wi-Fi network?

No. Your Mac and Apple TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network for AirPlay to work. If you're on a guest network and your Apple TV is on your main network, they won't see each other. Connect both devices to the same network first.

Will mirroring slow down my Mac or use a lot of battery?

Mirroring uses some processing power and battery, but not dramatically. If you're using your Mac on battery power, you may notice the battery drains slightly faster than normal. Plugging in your Mac while mirroring is a good idea if you plan to mirror for more than an hour.

Can I mirror just one app instead of my whole screen?

No, AirPlay mirroring shows your entire Mac screen. However, some apps like Keynote, Zoom, and Netflix have their own casting or presentation features that send only that app to your TV — check the app's menu for an option like "Present" or "Cast."

What if my Mac keeps disconnecting from Apple TV while mirroring?

Disconnections usually mean Wi-Fi interference or a weak signal. Move your Mac closer to your Apple TV or router, or switch to a less crowded Wi-Fi channel in your router settings. If the problem continues, restart both devices and try again.

Do I need an Apple TV 4K, or will any Apple TV work?

Any Apple TV model running tvOS 12.4 or later will work, including the standard Apple TV HD. You don't need the 4K model. Check your Apple TV's software version in Settings to confirm it's up to date.