Having trouble with iPhone screen mirroring not detecting my TV. Both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, but my TV doesn’t show up when I try to connect. Not sure what’s wrong. Need help troubleshooting and fixing this issue.
Alright, so you’ve got your iPhone all set, Wi-Fi’s humming along, you’re ready for some sweet screen mirroring action… and nothing. Just an empty list of devices. Classic.
Here’s the deal: first, double-check your TV. Is it truly AirPlay compatible? Like, CERTIFIED compatible? Not just “supports casting” or whatever vague nonsense. If it is and it’s still ghosting you, restart everything—your phone, your TV, even your router. Why? Because technology loves a reboot.
Still nada? Make sure AirPlay is on for your TV. Sometimes it’s buried in the settings under something sneaky like “Network” or “Settings > General.” Also, ensure there’s no software update lurking for your TV or iPhone. Updates are like needy toddlers—ignore them, and chaos ensues.
Also, proximity can be a killer. If your iPhone’s partying in one end of the house and the TV’s chilling at the other, they might not be vibing. Get closer. Like, awkwardly close.
Finally, if you’ve got a VPN running on your iPhone, it can mess with the magical AirPlay traffic. Turn it off temporarily. And if none of this works, well… maybe the universe just doesn’t want you watching your phone on the big screen tonight. Try again tomorrow. Trust issues between gadgets tend to fix themselves… sometimes.
If screen mirroring is still a no-show on your TV despite everything being on the same Wi-Fi, let’s poke holes into what else could be lurking here. First, @techchizkid covered some valid points, but let’s not always trust reboots to work like a magical IT wand—sometimes it’s deeper.
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Wi-Fi Band Split: Are your iPhone and TV on the same frequency band? Like, both rocking 5GHz or 2.4GHz? Devices can technically be on ‘the same Wi-Fi’ but on different bands, and AirPlay doesn’t jive with that. Check your router settings, and maybe assign both to the same band to be sure.
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Interference Parade: Got other smart devices hanging around? Smart speakers, Wi-Fi cameras, or even a microwave in use? It sounds ridiculous, but spilled signals can mess up connections. Kill unnecessary devices briefly—don’t worry, your smart toaster can live without Wi-Fi for a hot minute.
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TV’s Network Settings: Forget Wi-Fi for a second—maybe your TV’s network setup is feeling lazy or bungled. Check its IP and network diagnostics through its settings menu. If needed, disconnect and reconnect the TV to your Wi-Fi from scratch.
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Firewall Blocker: If you’ve got some aggressive router security settings, they might unintentionally block AirPlay traffic. Pop into your router admin page (your ISP should’ve handed you login details) and check for things like “UPnP” or “Multicast” being disabled. Enable them temporarily and retest.
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Kill the Ancient Protocols: If your TV boasts about DLNA or Miracast but doesn’t mention full AirPlay compatibility, STOP. These are deceivers, not the real deal for Apple’s tech. Sure, they claim they do similar stuff, but you’ll waste time making it work together.
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You’ve Been Bluetooth-ing While AirPlaying?: Bluetooth sometimes disrupts this whole Wi-Fi vibe. Try switching Bluetooth off before mirroring. Yeah, it’s counterintuitive, but hey, electronics don’t have great logic.
Lastly, a left-field suggestion—if you’ve been battling this issue for too long, maybe screen mirroring isn’t even the feature. Head over to the App Store and see if your TV has its own companion app (Samsung TVs, for example, use “Smart View”). These apps can sometimes bypass AirPlay drama entirely.