The quickest way to stop "Join This Apple TV" prompts
The "Join This Apple TV" notification appears when someone nearby is using AirPlay to send content to an Apple TV, and your iPhone detects it. To turn it off, open Settings on your iPhone, tap AirPlay and Handoff, then toggle off AirPlay Receiver. This stops your phone from broadcasting that it can receive AirPlay streams and prevents the join prompt from showing up.
If you want to keep AirPlay Receiver on but just silence the notification itself, that option does not exist — the prompt is built into how AirPlay discovery works. Turning off the receiver is the only way to stop seeing it.
Key Takeaways
- The "Join This Apple TV" prompt appears because AirPlay Receiver is turned on in your iPhone settings.
- Disabling AirPlay Receiver in Settings > AirPlay and Handoff stops the notifications completely.
- Turning off AirPlay Receiver also means other devices cannot send content to your iPhone via AirPlay until you turn it back on.
- This setting applies only to your individual iPhone — it does not affect other devices on your network.
- You can still send content from your iPhone to an Apple TV even when AirPlay Receiver is off.
Where to find AirPlay Receiver in Settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap AirPlay and Handoff. You will see a toggle next to AirPlay Receiver — it is usually on by default. Tap the toggle to turn it off.
The location of this setting is the same on all current iPhone models running iOS 16 or later. If you are running an older version of iOS, the setting may be under Settings > General > AirPlay and Handoff instead, but the toggle works the same way.
Once you toggle it off, the change takes effect when ready. You do not need to restart your iPhone or close any apps.
What happens when you turn AirPlay Receiver off
When AirPlay Receiver is off, your iPhone will no longer appear as an available device when someone nearby tries to AirPlay content from an Apple TV, Mac, or another Apple device. The "Join This Apple TV" prompt will stop appearing on your lock screen and in notifications.
You can still use AirPlay to send content from your iPhone to an Apple TV or other device — turning off the receiver only stops your phone from receiving content. If you need to receive AirPlay again later, you can turn the toggle back on in the same settings menu.
Why the notification keeps appearing even after dismissing it
Dismissing the notification once does not turn off the feature. The prompt will appear again the next time someone nearby uses AirPlay to an Apple TV, as long as AirPlay Receiver remains on. This is by design — Apple treats the notification as a discovery tool rather than a one-time alert.
Some users expect a "do not show again" option, but Apple does not offer one. The only permanent solution is to disable AirPlay Receiver itself in settings. Each time the notification appears, it means AirPlay Receiver is still active and your phone is still discoverable to nearby devices.
Turning AirPlay Receiver back on when you need it
If you turn off AirPlay Receiver and later want to use it again, go back to Settings > AirPlay and Handoff and toggle AirPlay Receiver back on. Your iPhone will when ready become visible to nearby devices that want to send content to it via AirPlay.
There is no waiting period or restart required — the change takes effect as soon as you toggle it. You can turn it on and off as often as you need, depending on whether you want to receive AirPlay content at that moment.
Controlling AirPlay on other devices in your home
If the "Join This Apple TV" prompt is coming from a family member's Apple TV and you want to stop seeing it, you need to turn off AirPlay Receiver on your iPhone. Turning off settings on the Apple TV itself will not prevent your phone from receiving the prompt.
If multiple people in your household are seeing the same prompt, each person needs to disable AirPlay Receiver on their own device. There is no network-wide setting to turn off AirPlay discovery from a central location. Each iPhone, iPad, and Mac maintains its own AirPlay Receiver setting independently.
When you might want to keep AirPlay Receiver on
AirPlay Receiver is useful if you regularly want to display content from other devices on your iPhone's screen. For example, you might want to mirror a Mac's display to your iPhone, or receive photos and videos from another family member's device. If you use these features, keeping AirPlay Receiver on is necessary.
If you rarely or never use AirPlay to receive content, turning it off eliminates the notifications without any real loss of functionality. You can always turn it back on temporarily if you need to receive something from another device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off AirPlay Receiver affect my Apple TV or other devices?
No. Disabling AirPlay Receiver only affects your iPhone. Other devices on your network will continue to work normally, and people can still AirPlay to your Apple TV from their own devices.
Can I turn off just the notification without disabling AirPlay Receiver?
No. Apple does not offer a separate notification toggle for AirPlay discovery. The notification and the receiver are linked — to stop the prompt, you must turn off the receiver.
Why does my iPhone keep showing "Join This Apple TV" if I already dismissed it?
The notification reappears each time someone nearby uses AirPlay to an Apple TV. Dismissing it once does not prevent future prompts. You must disable AirPlay Receiver in settings to stop it permanently.
Can I turn off AirPlay Receiver for just one Apple TV in my home?
No. The AirPlay Receiver setting on your iPhone controls whether your phone can receive content from any AirPlay source. You cannot limit it to specific devices or specific Apple TVs.
Does turning off AirPlay Receiver use less battery?
The impact on battery life is minimal. AirPlay Receiver uses very little power when idle. If battery life is a concern, turning it off may help slightly, but the main reason to disable it is to stop the notifications.