Guide

How to AirPlay from Mac to TV

Your Mac can already send its screen, or a video, to an Apple TV or AirPlay 2 smart TV. Here's how, step by step, and what to do when a file won't play.

Last updated October 2026
4 min read

AirPlay is built into every Mac, so you don’t need any extra software to get your screen or a video onto an Apple TV or an AirPlay 2 smart TV. There are two ways to do it: mirror your screen, or stream a video from the app that’s playing it.

What you need

An Apple TV, or a smart TV with AirPlay 2. Many recent Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio TVs have it; Apple links to a full list from its AirPlay page.
Your Mac and TV turned on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
On some smart TVs, AirPlay must be switched on first. See how to stream to a Samsung or LG TV.

Method 1: Mirror or extend your Mac screen

Use this to show anything on your Mac on the TV: a presentation, a website, photos, or a video playing in any app.

Open Control Center. Click the Control Center icon (two small switches) in the menu bar at the top right of your screen.
Click Screen Mirroring, then choose your TV from the list.
Enter the code if asked. If a four-digit code appears on the TV, type it on your Mac.
Choose what to share. Follow the onscreen prompt to share a single window, mirror your whole screen, or extend your desktop onto the TV. Select Set as Default to skip this choice next time.
Stop when you’re done. Click the Screen Mirroring icon again and click Stop.

Tip: keep Screen Mirroring in the menu bar

Choose Apple menu › System Settings › Menu Bar, find Screen Mirroring under Menu Bar Controls, and pick Always Show (or Show When Active). On macOS versions before 26, this setting lives under Control Center in System Settings.

Mirroring is flexible, but it captures your screen and re-encodes it in real time. Fast motion can look softer than when the TV plays the video itself, and when you mirror the whole screen, everything you do on the Mac shows on the TV.

Method 2: AirPlay a video from QuickTime, Safari or the TV app

For movies and clips, it’s better to send just the video. The TV then plays it full screen while your Mac stays free.

Start the video in QuickTime Player, the Apple TV app, or Safari (for web videos that support AirPlay).
Click the AirPlay icon (a screen with a triangle) in the playback controls. In QuickTime Player, move the pointer over the video to show the controls.
Choose your Apple TV or smart TV. The video moves to the TV; use the Mac’s controls to pause and skip.
To stop, click the AirPlay icon again and choose your Mac.

When the video won’t AirPlay

Method 2 only works with files the Mac app can open. Apple’s players are built around MP4, MOV and M4V files, and Apple TV’s published specs list video codecs such as H.264 and HEVC rather than containers like MKV or AVI. In practice, that means:

MKV, AVI, WebM, WMV and FLV files usually won’t open in QuickTime Player, so there’s no AirPlay button to press.
You can play them in a third-party Mac player and mirror the screen (Method 1), at the cost of mirroring quality.
You can convert the file to MP4 first, which takes time and disk space.
Or you can use an app that converts while streaming. That’s what CastPanda does (more below).

We cover each option in detail in how to play MKV files on Apple TV from a Mac. If your TV doesn’t show up at all, start with our AirPlay troubleshooting checklist.

Where CastPanda helps

CastPanda is our Mac app for the files AirPlay won’t take. Drop in an MKV, AVI, WebM or almost any other video, pick your Apple TV or AirPlay 2 TV, and it starts playing. If the TV can already play the video (H.264 in MP4 or MKV), CastPanda sends it untouched; otherwise a built-in converter prepares it as it plays on your Mac’s media engine, starting from wherever you skip to, so there’s no waiting for a conversion and seeking is instant.

Subtitles built into the video, or in a separate .srt, .ass, .vtt or other file, show on the TV, with adjustable size, timing and background. Files with several audio tracks let you pick one.
Drop several videos or a folder to play them as a playlist, and reopen a video to pick up where you stopped.
Pick a quality preset (Automatic, 4K, 1080p, 720p) to suit your Wi-Fi.
It also streams to Chromecast and TVs with Google Cast built in.
Your Mac stays awake while the movie plays, and your files never leave your home network.

What it doesn’t do: CastPanda streams video files; it doesn’t mirror your screen. For presentations and websites, Method 1 is the right tool.

Frequently asked questions

Can I AirPlay from a Mac without an Apple TV?

Yes, if your TV supports AirPlay 2. Many Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio smart TVs do; Apple keeps a list of AirPlay-enabled smart TVs on its AirPlay page. If your TV has neither AirPlay nor an Apple TV attached, look at a Chromecast instead and see how to Chromecast from a Mac.

Why does my TV show a code when I connect?

The first time you connect, the TV may show a four-digit code to confirm it’s really you. Type it on your Mac and you’re connected.

Do my Mac and TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi?

Yes. Apple’s instructions say both devices need Wi-Fi turned on and must be connected to the same network.

Can I keep using my Mac while AirPlaying?

Yes. When you stream a video from an app, or extend your display, the TV shows only that video or the extra desktop. When you mirror, the TV shows exactly what’s on your Mac screen, notifications included.

Why can't I AirPlay an MKV file?

AirPlay plays what the Mac app can play, and Apple’s own players are built around MP4, MOV and M4V files. Most MKV and AVI files won’t open in QuickTime Player, so there’s nothing to AirPlay. See how to play MKV files on Apple TV from a Mac for your options.

Sources

Competitor details were checked on each vendor’s own website or App Store page in October 2026. Prices and features change; check the vendor’s site before you buy.