Apple is a monumental technology company that is big enough to stand by itself vis-a-vis its ecosystem. All its devices work seamlessly with each other, and Apple seems to cover everything its users need. So much so that some Apple users are not aware that they can pair Apple devices to devices of different brands since Apple is known for keeping everything within its ecosystem all this while.
Did you know that some non-Apple devices like Samsung TV have AirPlay feature? It is the result of market and new trends in technology, where interconnectivity is the fundamental drive in the new device development. In this post, we will guide you on how to connect AirPlay to Samsung TV.
What is Apple’s AirPlay?
AirPlay is Apple’s wireless communication protocol that provides a media streaming facility from Apple devices to devices made by other manufacturers like speakers and TVs. Previously known as AirTunes (audio streaming only), AirPlay was launched in 2010.
Although Apple started opening up its devices to connect to other brands a couple of years into its introduction, AirPlay’s capability to cross-pair with non-Apple devices became more accessible after the launch of AirPlay 2 (AirPlay’s second generation) in 2018. Since then, you can find many other brands with AirPlay built into their devices. Samsung TVs are no exception.
Introduction to AirPlay
Connecting AirPlay to Samsung TV
Let’s waste no more time and get started with the steps to connect Apple’s Airplay to your Samsung TV that has been manufactured in the last few years. It’s a simple process and let’s jump into it.
From your iPhone or iPad
- Get hold of your Samsung remote.
- Look for the Settings button at the top of the remote and press it once.
- You are going to see a screen with the All Settings icon at the bottom-left.
- Next, highlight the All Settings icon and press the center navigational button.
- The following page shows a menu on the left. Select Connection.
- The Connection menu will have the Apple AirPlay Settings at the bottom. Press the button.
- You will see four items in the Apple AirPlay Settings menu:
- AirPlay – On. If it shows Off, press again to set it on.
- Require Code – you will have a few options:
- First Time Only – as it says, you will only set it once. The next time you want to connect, you don’t have to provide the code anymore.
- Every Time – you’re going to enter the code every time you want to connect.
- Use Password Instead – you will set up a password instead of entering the code.
- Subtitles and Captioning – lets you turn the subtitles on or off. You can change its appearance, like the color, font, and size, when you choose to display the subtitles.
- About AirPlay – lets you discover AirPlay like the software and version on your Samsung TV.
- Go back to Network and choose Open Network Settings. Don’t forget you need to be on the same wireless network as the Apple device. Otherwise, the devices won’t ‘talk’ to each other.
- Next, you have two options – Wireless and Wired. In this instance, select Wireless.
- The Wireless Connection page will display a list of adjacent Wireless networks, including your desired network. Click on your network SSID (network name.)
- Now, on your iPhone or iPad, tap on a video and tap the casting icon (the rectangle with the network bar at the bottom.)
- Then, tap the AirPlay & Bluetooth devices.
- You will see a list of devices. Please scroll down to find your Samsung TV name and tap it.
- Your iPhone or iPad will ask for the code that you have set up earlier.
- The code will appear on your Samsung TV. Enter that code on your iPhone or iPad.
- It’s going to bring up the video that you’re watching on your iPhone/iPad on your Samsung TV screen.
- That’s it – you have connected your iPhone or iPad to your Samsung TV using AirPlay.
How to Connect iPhone/iPad to a Samsung TV Using AirPlay
From your Mac
Here’s how you can use your Samsung TV as a second monitor for your Apple computer (iMac and MacBook):
- Follow the setup mentioned in the last section above on your Samsung TV.
- On your MacBook or iMac, click on the Screen Mirroring button at the top of the screen.
- The following screen will display the AirPlay compatible devices.
- Select your Samsung TV.
- A code will appear on the TV.
- Enter the code on your iMac or MacBook, and your computer screen will display on the bigger Samsung TV screen.
How to AirPlay from Your Mac to Your Samsung TV
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Do all Apple devices have AirPlay?
Answer: No. AirPlay was created in 2010. Some older Apple devices cannot get AirPlay capability. If you are still using old Apple devices, you probably need to set up a wired connection to display the screen to the TV.
Question: Why can’t I mirror my Apple devices to TV?
Answer: You probably forgot to turn on AirPlay on either device. Check if AirPlay is active on your Apple device. Also, ensure you have activated the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well. If your TV does not have AirPlay capability, you can still connect using Apple’s HDMI adapter. To check whether your TV supports AirPlay, look for the “Work with Apple AirPlay” sticker on your TV or in your TV’s manual.
Question: AirPlay is not working. What should I do?
Answer: Your Wi-Fi network could be the culprit. For starters, both devices must stay on one Wi-Fi network. You may have your iPhone still on the cellular network, so change it to your home Wi-Fi, where you normally connect your TV. If both are on the same network, but you still cannot connect to AirPlay, check your Wi-Fi. Disconnect and reconnect your Wi-Fi and if the problem continues, try rebooting your Wi-Fi router.
Question: I can connect AirPlay to the TV, but the movie has no sound. What should I do?
Answer: It’s pretty common – you may have accidentally tapped or selected the MUTE button. Press the MUTE button once again if it was activated on any one device.
Question: I can connect AirPlay to the TV, but I can only listen to the sound. There’s no picture. What should I do?
Answer: When that happens, the most probable cause is you are only streaming the audio from your Apple device. Try toggling the AirPlay off and press it on again to see if it works with both the picture and sound cast on the TV.
Conclusion
AirPlay allows for sharing media content from your Apple devices like your iPhone, iPad, and Mac to your Apple TV, favorite speakers, and popular smart TVs. If you’ve come to this part, you should already know how to connect an Apple device using AirPlay to Samsung TV.
We wouldn’t be surprised if some of you have only just realized you can do that, i.e., you can actually connect Apple’s AirPlay to other non-Apple devices like the Samsung TV. Today, many devices outside the Apple ecosystem support AirPlay, and the number is getting bigger every day.
