How to mirror a Mac screen to a TV with AirPlay

2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Click Control Centre in the menu bar, click Screen Mirroring and choose your Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible smart TV. Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

AirPlay shows your Mac's screen on a television without a cable. It works with Apple TV boxes and with many recent smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and others that are marked as AirPlay-compatible.

Step by step

  1. Connect both to the same Wi-Fi

    The Mac and the TV, or Apple TV, need to be on the same network.

  2. Click Control Centre, then Screen Mirroring

    Control Centre is the icon with two switches at the right of the menu bar.

  3. Choose the TV

    If a four-digit code appears on the TV, type it on the Mac.

  4. Choose mirror or extend

    Click Screen Mirroring again. Mirror shows the same picture on both. "Use as Separate Display" turns the TV into a second screen you can drag windows onto.

  5. Stop mirroring

    Open Screen Mirroring again and click the TV's name to disconnect.

Good to know

To send only a video, click the AirPlay icon in the video player instead. The Mac screen stays free and the picture is smoother.

If the TV is not listed, check that AirPlay is switched on in the TV's settings and that a VPN on the Mac is off.

Wi-Fi mirroring has a slight delay, so it suits presentations and video, not fast games. An HDMI cable or adapter has no delay.

In short: Control Centre, Screen Mirroring, choose the TV.

Sources
  • Apple Support: Use AirPlay to stream video or mirror your device's screen

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