To use your Mac as an AirPlay receiver you’ll need to be running macOS 12 or later with an iPhone or iPad that uses iOS 14 or later. The following models can function as an AirPlay receiver:

• MacBook introduced in 2018 or later
• MacBook Pro introduced in 2018 or later
• MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
• Mac mini introduced in 2020 or later
• iMac introduced in 2019 or later
• iMac Pro
• Mac Pro introduced in 2019 or later
• Mac Studio

AirPlay Devices Must Be Close Enough to Work

Apple doesn’t state exactly how close to a receiver an AirPlay source device needs to be for the technology to work, but it’s worth keeping this in mind if you’re having trouble with wireless streaming (particularly dropouts).

You can test this by sitting down as close to your AirPlay device and trying to connect. If your problem isn’t solved, try one of the other solutions below. If you’re using your Apple TV or HomePod as a wireless AirPlay speaker, keep in mind that walking around the house with the source device (like your iPhone) in your pocket may cause the connection to drop.

Make Sure You’re Connecting to the Right Receiver

Are you sure you connected to the correct receiver? This is mostly a problem with the Apple TV since all Apple TV units are labeled “Apple TV” out of the box.

The easiest remedy for this is to rename your Apple TV under Settings > General > About > Name. You can do the same for your Mac under System Settings > General > About > Name, though you probably won’t have this issue since your Mac should have the same unique label from when it was first set up.

Check the Wi-Fi Networks Match Up

Both the AirPlay source device (like an iPad) and the receiver (your Apple TV, Mac, or smart TV) need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for AirPlay to work. Check this on your various devices if you’re having trouble getting things working.

On an iPhone or iPad, head to Settings > Wi-Fi. On a Mac, head to System Settings > Wi-Fi, and on an Apple TV this can be found under Settings > Network.

Change Your AirPlay Receiver Permissions

For an AirPlay receiver to function as a host, it must be set up accordingly. You’ll need to make sure that “AirPlay Receiver” is enabled on your Mac, Apple TV, smart TV, or other AirPlay receiver and that permissions are set accordingly.

On a Mac, head to System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff. On an Apple TV head to Settings > AirPlay and HomeKit. On a smart TV or another device, you’ll need to dig into your device settings.

For the best chance at success, change “Allow AirPlay for” (macOS), “Allow access to Apple TV” (Apple TV), or similar to “Everyone” rather than alternatives like “Current User” or “Anyone on the Same Network”. You can also set password requirements here which we’d recommend turning off until things are running smoothly.

Disconnect From VPN on Source and Receiver

Lastly, there’s three steps you NEED to check. These are tried and tested, and tend to work.

• Install pending updates
• Toggle Wi-Fi on/off
• Restart your device/s be it the receiver or the source.