I recently bought a new Vizio TV and was so excited to start streaming my favorite shows and movies. Unfortunately, I quickly ran into a major issue: AirPlay was not working. After doing a bit of research, I discovered that this is a common issue that many Vizio TV owners have experienced. In this blog post, I’m going to share what I found out while trying to fix the problem, as well as some tips and tricks that have helped other Vizio TV owners.
It’s possible that your device doesn’t have the necessary operating system installed. Besides, your TV might be an older model that doesn’t support Airplay.
If you’re streaming content, the mirroring device and the TV may not be on the same internet network. You should also check if the TV’s firmware needs to be updated.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Devices Incompatibility | Ensure both devices meet the compatibility requirements: iOS 12.4+ for iPhones/iPads, macOS Mojave 10.14.5+ for MacBooks, and compatible Vizio TV models. |
| Different Internet Connection | Make sure both your mirroring device and Vizio TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network when streaming content. |
| Outdated TV Firmware | Check for and install any available firmware updates on your Vizio TV. |
| Potential Fix | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Enable AirPlay on the TV | Press Home or V button on the Vizio TV remote, go to the Extras tab, choose Apple Airplay, and ensure the On option is selected. |
| Update the TV’s Firmware | Connect TV to the internet, press Home or V button on the remote, select Admin & Privacy or System, and choose Check for Updates. The TV will automatically download and install updates if available. |
| Perform a System Reboot | Restart your TV, mirroring device, and router/modem by unplugging and turning them off, waiting for 1-2 minutes, and then turning them back on. |
3 Reasons Why Vizio TV Airplay Isn’t Working
When Airplay doesn’t work on a Vizio TV, we usually look at three common issues:
- Devices Incompatibility
The first thing you should check is the compatibility of both devices. In other words, check to see if your mirroring device has the necessary operating system and if your Vizio TV supports Airplay.
To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of the basic compatibility requirements so you can review them:
- The iPhone or iPad’s operating system should be iOS 12.4 or higher
- The macOS version on the MacBook should be Mojave 10.14.5 or higher
- Only the following Vizio TV models can support Airplay:
- Vizio OLED (2020)
- Vizio P-Series Quantum X (2020, 2019)
- Vizio P-Series Quantum (2020, 2019 and 2018)
- Vizio P-Series (2018, 2017 and 2016)
- Vizio M-Series Quantum (2020, 2019)
- Vizio M-Series (2018, 2017 and 2016)
- Vizio E-Series (2018, 2017, and 2016 UHD models)
- Vizio V-Series (2020, 2019)
- Vizio D-Series (2019, 2018)
- Different Internet Connection
To be clear, Airplay is a wireless communication medium. This means you can share content from your device and display it on your TV without an internet connection.
However, when it comes to mirroring streaming content, this isn’t the case. You’ll need not only a Wi-Fi connection but both your device and the TV should be connected to that particular network.
For example, you can’t use mobile data on your phone while your TV is connected to your home Wi-Fi. Thus, if you’re attempting to stream content, that could be the culprit.
It’s super simple to ensure that the network connection on your Vizio TV matches the one on your phone. Simply press the remote’s Menu button and scroll down to Network.
- Outdated TV Firmware
Generally speaking, firmware updates are essential for all electronic devices. They offer the most recent features as well as improved performance. Most importantly, they include fixes for commonly encountered bugs or glitches in previous versions.
That’s why pending firmware updates on your TV can have a significant impact on Airplay functionality. We’ll give detailed instructions on how to install the required updates in just a moment!
3 Ways to Get Vizio TV Airplay to Work
If both devices are compatible and on to the same internet connection but still Airplay won’t work, it’s time to troubleshoot! Try the following three fixes to get Airplay to work on a Vizio TV:
- Enable Airplay
Before attempting any fixes, make sure that Airplay is enabled on the TV. Follow these steps to confirm that:
- Press the Home or V button on the Vizio TV remote
- Go to the Extras tab at the top of the screen
- Choose Apple Airplay
- Ensure that the On option is selected
- Update the TV’s Firmware
After you’ve confirmed that the Airplay feature is turned on, you can check for any pending firmware updates. Here’s how to check for and install any new firmware versions:
- Make sure your TV is connected to the internet
- Press the Home or V buttons on the Vizio TV remote
- Select Admin & Privacy or System, depending on the TV model
- Choose Check for Updates
The TV will take a few seconds to check for any pending updates. If there are any, it’ll begin downloading them automatically. This process will take a few minutes, so don’t turn off your TV while it’s running.
When the download is finished, the TV will restart itself. It may restart one more time before the firmware is established and the TV is ready to use.
- Perform a System Reboot
A simple reboot of the main devices involved in the mirroring process can be extremely beneficial. Most minor technical and network issues can be resolved by restarting your TV, mirroring device (iPhone, iPad, MacBook, etc.), and router/modem.
Unplug your TV and router/modem, as well as turn off your device. Wait for 1-2 minutes before turning them back on. Then, see if that helped to solve the problem.
Bottom Line
If you were frustrated by Vizio TV Airplay not working, we hope you’re no longer!
This is one of the relatively easy issues to identify and resolve. If none of the above fixes worked, try resetting your TV before contacting Apple support. However, you should be aware that by resetting your Vizio TV, you’ll lose all of your saved data.
