Our phones often entertain us with videos and images from social media websites. Other people are entertained by personal videos they have saved on their phones that remind them of special occasions in their lives.
Although manufacturers have strived to make phones with screens big enough to view content comfortably, there is always a need for a bigger screen. That is why there is a need for features like Casting and Airplay. These features allow users to share content from their phones to TVs, where more vibrant images can be displayed in greater detail.
Vizio TVs are a popular brand in many homes and offices because of the competitive prices offered by the manufacturer. The TVs have all the essential features of modern TVs and are relatively efficient. However, Airplay might fail to establish a connection between the TV and your phone for various reasons.
Below are some of the troubleshooting measures you can take to restore the normal functioning of Airplay on a Vizio TV.
Best Fixes
Check if your TV supports Airplay/Airplay 2.
Enable Airplay in your TV’s settings.
Check your network – both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi, preferably connected to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Reduce the distance between the TV, Access Point/router, and phone.
Reboot your TV. If that doesn’t work, reboot your router/modem and your phone.
Update your VIZIO TV.
Reset your VIZIO TV.
If the problem cannot be fixed, you could try using some streaming device that supports Airplay and connect it to your TV (like Roku or Apple TV).
Is Your Vizio TV Airplay-Compatible?
Although Airplay has been around for a while, it is possible to find some people with legacy devices that do not support AirPlay.
This is a list of Vizio TVs with Airplay support; you can check to see if your TV’s model is among those listed. You can also check the TV’s user manual to see if AirPlay is a supported feature. Your TV may also have a sticker that says “Works with Apple AirPlay”.
Additionally, not all iOS devices support Airplay. Devices with iOS 12.4 or higher are the only ones that can support Airplay. Therefore, ensure your phone has the latest firmware version before connecting via AirPlay.
How to Use AirPlay2 on Your VIZIO Smart TV
Ensure Airplay is Enabled
Vizio TVs have the AirPlay feature automatically enabled, but on rare occasions, you might find it turned off.
One way to know if it’s enabled is to observe if there is an Airplay icon on the screen next to the cast icon when you press the SmartCast Home button. If the AirPlay icon is at the top right end of the screen, next to the cast icon, then AirPlay is enabled.
If you cannot see the icon, press the SmartCast Home key on the remote and navigate to Extras using the left/right keys.
Then scroll to Apple AirPlay and press the OK key on the remote. Finally, click On/Off depending on the state of your AirPlay, then select ON and press OK.
How to Enable/Disable AirPlay2 on a VIZIO Smart TV
Check Your Network
AirPlay relies on your home wireless network to establish a connection between the TV and the iPhone.
Therefore, when two devices (phone and TV) are on different networks, AirPlay will not work. Double-check the wireless network the TV and phone are connected to, and ensure it is a 2.4GHz network if your router is a dual-band router.
Also, reduce the distance between the TV, Access Point/router, and phone.
You can also try using AirPlay with another device on a different network to confirm if the issue is caused by your home network.
If you suspect the home network is the culprit, contact your ISP and customer support.
The SmartCast App also relies on the wireless network to send signals to the TV. Although rarely, the App can sometimes interfere with other features between the TV and your phone.
Therefore, rely on the TV’s original remote if you can.
Power Cycle Your Devices
Vizio TVs can undergo a soft power cycle, or you can hard power cycle them depending on the severity of the problem.
Consider a soft power cycle before a hard one because a soft power cycle is easier and faster.
To soft power cycle your Vizio TV, navigate Menu > Admin & Privacy > Reboot TV and wait for the TV to restart.
If AirPlay still misbehaves, perform a hard power cycle following the procedure below.
- Power off the TV and unplug it from the power outlet.
- Press and hold the power button on the TV for twenty seconds while the TV is off.
- Also, restart your network devices, e.g., router/modem /access point.
- Power on the TV after powering on the network devices.
- Try using AirPlay after connecting the TV and your phone to the same wireless network. If AirPlay is still not working, move on to the next fix.
A hard power cycle ensures all the residual power in the TV’s circuits is discharged and, in turn, ensures any system bugs are also quashed during the restart.
How to Restart Your VIZIO Smart TV
Update Device Firmware
All programmable electronic devices must be on the latest software to ensure connections and different operations are safe from malicious attacks.
A software update also fixes previous problems with the operating systems and is, therefore, very important and should always be done on time.
You can check for firmware updates on a Vizio TV by navigating Menu > Admin & Privacy > Check for Updates.
If an update is available, the TV will ask you to confirm the update, and you can do it by pressing OK on the remote. If the system is updated, the notification The TV is up-to-date will appear on the screen.
How to Update Your VIZIO Smart TV
Also, ensure your iPhone and router have the latest firmware to minimize compatibility issues between your devices.
Factory Reset the TV
If the problem persists, you will be forced to reset your TV’s current settings to the factory settings. That will erase all settings and information modified by the user; therefore, note the important settings and passwords you might have trouble remembering.
Clearing all information that did not come with the TV will also help clear any software bugs within its system.
To reset the TV:
- Press Menu > Admin & Privacy > Reset to Factory Settings.
- Insert the system PIN if you have one. The default is 0000.
- The TV will require you to confirm the reset by asking, “Select Reset to restore all TV settings to factory defaults.”
- Navigate Reset > OK.
How to Reset Your VIZIO TV
You can reset newer models of Vizio TVs by pressing and holding the power button on the TV while the TV is on for twenty seconds. The video below shows how to reset legacy Vizio TVs manually.
How to Reset your VIZIO Smart TV
You can also reset your iOS device but consider this the last step to avoid losing a lot of useful data in case the issue is not the phone.
Use a Streaming Device
Another alternative is to get a streaming device like a Roku stick or an Apple TV. These devices have AirPlay incorporated into their system, meaning you will not have to rely on Vizio’s AirPlay feature.
The only downside is that streaming devices can be costly and will not solve your issue if the problem is from the phone, not the TV.
Conclusion
As you can see, getting your TV’s AirPlay working is easy. However, if these suggestions fail to work for your TV, contact Vizio’s customer support team for further assistance. You can also contact Apple if you believe the problem originates from your iPhone, not the TV.
Vizio TVs have a reputation for random features malfunctioning, but they are usually sorted out by the frequent system updates the company provides. Therefore, you can also consider TVs from better quality brands, which will require you to spend more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do I update my Airplay on my Vizio Smart TV?
Answer: There is no isolated way to update only the AirPlay feature on Vizio TVs. However, if there is an update, Vizio will provide it along with other system updates as it usually does.
You can check if system updates are available by navigating Menu > Admin & Privacy > Check for Updates.
Question: Why is AirPlay not connecting?
Answer: Some of the things that can prevent Airplay from working on your TV include
- Incompatible devices – not all Vizio TVs and iPhones have AirPlay.
- Outdated firmware can result in incompatibility issues between devices if one has the latest firmware and the other does not.
- If the devices are on different Wi-Fi networks or if the wireless network is too weak to form a stable connection between the phone and TV.
- Software bugs can also hinder Airplay connectivity. A bug can easily be overcome by restarting your devices or restoring factory settings.
