Show your Mac screen on a TV or Apple TV

Why it happens

Screen Mirroring uses AirPlay to send your Mac's picture and sound over Wi-Fi. It works with an Apple TV and with many recent smart TVs that support AirPlay. The Mac only lists TVs it can find on your own network, so a TV on a different or guest network won't appear.

How to fix it

1. Turn the TV on and make sure it's on the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac.

2. Click Control Center in the menu bar (the icon with two small switches, near the clock), then click Screen Mirroring.

   Menu bar›Control Center›Screen Mirroring

3. Click your TV or Apple TV in the list. If a code appears on the TV, type it on your Mac.

4. To use the TV as a second screen instead of a copy of yours, open Displays, select the TV and change Use as. Mirror shows the same picture, Extended display gives you extra space.

   Displays›Use as

5. Sound usually goes to the TV while you mirror. To change it, choose an output in Sound settings.

   Sound›Output

6. When you're done, open Screen Mirroring again and click the TV to stop.

Still not fixed?

1. If the TV doesn't appear, check it's switched on, updated and has AirPlay turned on in its own settings. Then restart the TV and your Mac and look in Screen Mirroring again.

2. Check your Mac's network name in Wi-Fi settings and make sure the TV uses exactly the same one, not a guest network or a separate extender network.

   Wi-Fi

3. If you get sound but no picture, or the picture stutters, move the Mac closer to the router and close apps that use a lot of network, such as big downloads.

4. TVs that don't support AirPlay never show up in the list. Connect with an HDMI cable instead, using an adapter if your Mac only has USB-C ports.

5. If mirroring to an Apple TV still fails after restarts, contact Apple Support. For another brand of TV, the TV maker's support can check its AirPlay settings.