How To Turn On Airplay On Vizio Tv

Have you ever wanted to easily stream movies, shows, music, and photos from your iPhone, iPad or Mac right to your Vizio TV? Well, thanks to AirPlay, you can wirelessly mirror content from Apple devices to compatible smart TVs like Vizio models in just a few minutes.

AirPlay is an Apple feature that lets you send videos, audio, photos, presentations and more from your iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac to receivers like speakers, Apple TV and select third party TVs. Once enabled on your Vizio television, AirPlay transforms your big screen into an oversized wireless monitor, streaming all your personal media from the small screen seamlessly.

Below you’ll find a simple, step-by-step guide walking through exactly how to turn on AirPlay on current Vizio smart TV models. Soon you’ll be wirelessly streaming your favorite apps and media like a pro without ever needing cables or dongles.

What Is AirPlay and How Does It Work?

AirPlay is Apple’s proprietary streaming technology that mirrors your device’s display, plays media and streams content to external receivers.

It works by tapping into your home WiFi network. AirPlay sends images, sound and video signals directly from your iPhone, iPad or Mac over the air via WiFi instead of needing wires or connectors.

As long as your Vizio television and Apple device are connected to the same wireless network, you can use AirPlay to “throw” photos, videos, music, websites and more directly onto the big screen. It essentially turns your TV into a giant wireless monitor.

Compare it to casting with Google Chromecast – AirPlay serves the same function of wirelessly mirroring and playing media from one device (like your phone) to another device (like your TV).

AirPlay has a few key advantages over Chromecast however:

• Works seamlessly with Apple devices without separate apps
• Higher quality video streaming
• Lower latency so content displays faster
• Mirrors entire iPhone/iPad/Mac screen
• Streams full system audio
• Supports streaming a wider variety of media types

The downside is AirPlay only works with Apple devices and select third party receivers like SmartCast Vizio TVs. But it delivers a convenient cord-free streaming solution for the Apple faithful owners of iPhones, iPads and Mac laptops.

AirPlay Compatible Devices

AirPlay can stream media and mirror screens from the following Apple devices running latest iOS or MacOS software:

• iPhone
• iPad
• iPod Touch
• Apple TV
• MacBook, iMac

You can beam the AirPlay content from those devices to compatible receivers, smart TVs and speakers including:

• Vizio SmartCast TVs (select models)
• Apple TV set top box
• Apple HomePod and HomePod Mini speakers
• Other AirPlay 2 certified speakers, smart TVs and receivers

Now that you understand exactly what AirPlay is, let’s go over prerequisites before setup followed by step-by-step instructions to enable AirPlay on your Vizio television.

What You’ll Need Before You Begin

Before following the steps to turn on streaming from your Apple device to Vizio TV using AirPlay, ensure you have the following:

• A compatible Vizio TV – Most SmartCast TVs from 2016 or later support AirPlay. Refer to Vizio’s list of AirPlay compatible models before proceeding.

• HDMI cable – You’ll need to connect your Vizio set to power and internet via HDMI initially.

• WiFi internet connection – Both your Apple device and Vizio TV must be on the same wireless network.
• Apple Device – AirPlay streams content from an iPhone, iPad or Mac running latest software.

As long as your iPhone/iPad/Mac and Vizio television meet those requirements, you’re ready to begin setup.

Step-By-Step Guide to Turning On AirPlay on Vizio TV

Follow these steps to wirelessly stream content from your Apple device to Vizio TV using convenient AirPlay technology:

Step 1: Set Up Your Vizio Smart TV

If your Vizio TV is brand new in the box, you’ll first need to complete initial setup:

1. Unbox your Vizio television and connect it to a power source.
2. Turn on your TV using the power button or remote control.
3. Use an HDMI cable to connect your Vizio set to your home internet router or modem for WiFi. Alternatively, you can use an Ethernet cable for wired connectivity.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your new Vizio Smart TV to your wireless network and login to apps and services like Vizio, Google, Alexa and your preferred streaming platforms.

If your Vizio television is already connected to your home WiFi network and user accounts, skip ahead to the next step.

Step 2: Enable AirPlay

With your Smart TV powered on and connected, you simple need to turn on the built-in AirPlay functionality:

1. Using the Vizio remote that came with your TV, select the Menu button and navigate to the Settings option.
2. Scroll down and select System followed by AirPlay.
3. In some older models, you may see AirPlay listed as SmartCast instead.
4. Toggle the AirPlay or SmartCast option to On to enable streaming from Apple devices.

And that’s it! You can now wirelessly stream content to your Vizio TV from iPhones, iPads and Macs over AirPlay.

Step 3: Connect Your Apple Device

With AirPlay now switched on, to begin casting media:

1. Ensure your iPhone, iPad or Mac laptop is connected to the exact same WiFi network as your Vizio Smart TV. They must be on the same network to discover one another.
2. Next unlock your Apple device and open the Control Center.
3. Select the Screen Mirroring icon or AirPlay icon depending on your device.
4. A list of available receivers will appear. Choose your Vizio television from the menu.

Your iPhone/iPad/Mac screen will now be mirrored directly on your TV. Play a video on your device and it displays full screen on the Vizio set!

Step 4: Stream Your Favorite Apps and Media!

Once wirelessly connected over AirPlay, you can stream movies, TV shows, music, presentations, photos and more to the big screen.

Tap on any compatible media file or app icon and it plays directly from your iPhone, iPad or Mac on your Vizio TV via AirPlay.

Simply use your Apple device like normal and everything displays on your television without any need for uncomfortable cables stretching across the room.

Some ideas of media and apps you can AirPlay from Apple devices to Vizio TV:

• The latest viral YouTube video
• Disney+ show on your iPad
• Apple Fitness+ workout on iPhone paired with AirPods
• Apple Music album
• Keynote or PowerPoint presentation
• Safari webpages
• Camera Roll photos and home videos

If for some reason your AirPlay stream buffers, stops or has connectivity issues, try basic troubleshooting steps like:

• Moving devices closer together
• Disabling VPN connections
• Resetting network settings
• Turning Airplane mode on/off to refresh WiFi
• Rebooting your Vizio TV and Apple device

Outside of timeouts or distance issues, AirPlay provides a convenient wireless streaming solution for media-loving Apple users.

Enjoy Effortless Streaming with AirPlay

In summary, with just a few menu tweaks your Vizio television transforms into a giant wireless display, effortlessly mirroring content from your iPhone, iPad and Mac laptops thanks to Apple AirPlay technology.

So grab your iPad, pull up your favorite movies on Netflix and start streaming to the big screen! Your Vizio TV now delivers easy media streaming sans cables. No extra equipment, dongles or confusing setup needed either.