AirPlay Not Working on Roku Tv? Find Nifty Fixes Here!

I love my Apple products. One of my favorite things about them is the AirPlay feature. With just a tap of an icon, I can connect my iPhone, iPad, or Macbook to everything from speakers to TVs. And the best part is there is no third-party app required. It’s genius!  

Of course, I didn’t fully appreciate it until I started connecting my Apple devices to my Roku TV – it was a game changer! As much as I love my ultra-sleek iPhone, I don’t love squinting over it when I am trying to read pdfs or work on PowerPoint presentations. But when I mirror my screen on my Roku TV, boom, I have a large screen that magnifies my content nicely and clearly.

This feature has been a real hit at parties and get-togethers with family and friends. Michelle and I love to use it when we want to play home videos or share photos from our travels. No one likes crowding around a tiny smartphone or taking the risk of passing their phone around a group. What if someone swipes in the wrong direction?

So one day when I was casting content to Roku tv, Airplay suddenly stopped working. Can you imagine AirPlay not working on Roku? Yep! that’s true; 2 of my most favorite brands couldn’t work together. But in the past as I have resolved AirPlay issues on LG and Samsung, I was determined to do it this time as well.  

After some research and experimentation, I was able to resolve the issue and hence this article on Roku Airplay not working.

Check if Your TV is AirPlay Compatible

Before taking a deep dive into your TV and Apple device’s settings, first, check if your TV is even AirPlay compatible. Certain Roku TV models don’t have the firmware to support AirPlay, so no matter what you do, AirPlay won’t connect to Roku. 

TV sets that are compatible with AirPlay are listed below, along with the Roku operating system (OS) that should be running:

• Roku TV model 7xxxx, Axxxx, Cxxx, or CxxGB must have OS 9.4 or higher.
• Roku TV model 8xxxx or Dxxxx must have OS 10.0 or higher.
• For other Roku devices, check the complete list available on Roku support.

To know your TV’s model number, check its manual or look at the back cover of your TV where the manufacturing information is printed. As for the OS version, go to the Roku setting by pressing the Home button on your Roku remote and navigating to Settings > System > About. 

If you have an older OS version and there is no update available or if your device model isn’t compatible, well, I’m sorry to say there isn’t much else you can do. AirPlay won’t connect to Roku TV sets that aren’t compatible, so it might be time to invest in a newer Roku TV. 

Check Airplay Settings on Roku

Is AirPlay not working on Roku TV, even though it’s compatible? Make sure you have configured AirPlay correctly on your Roku TV as given in the steps below:

1. Select Settings from the Roku Home screen
2. Scroll down to Apple AirPlay and HomeKit 
3. Toggle the AirPlay option On

The Required Code option can be switched between First Time Only and Every Time, depending on whether you want to enter a passcode just once or any time you connect via AirPlay. Now you should be able to screen mirror or cast content from your Apple device.

To Mirror your iPhone or iPad’s screen, all you need to do is:

1. Open the Control Center
2. Tap Screen Mirroring
3. Select your Roku TV from the list of available devices
4. Enter the passcode that is displayed on your Roku TV

You should see your Apple device’s screen on your TV. Tap Stop Mirroring on your iPad or iPhone whenever you are done mirroring. 

To stream content from another app like YouTube you just have to open the app on your device and play the content. You will see a cast icon that looks like a rectangle with a triangle on the video. Tap that and then select your Roku TV. 

Check Updates on Your Roku 

If you find that your Roku is running an OS version older than 9.4, then check for any available system updates. These updates are usually installed automatically, but issues like irregular network connectivity can prevent them.

To check for updates, go to the Settings menu on the Home screen and navigate to System > System Update and select Check Now. If there is an update, it will be listed on the screen, and you can follow the onscreen instructions to download and install it.

Check the Wi-Fi Network 

Make sure your iOS device and Roku TV are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This one might seem like a given, but there is no harm in double checking. There have been so many times this has been the reason I’ve had to deal with AirPlay not working. 

On Roku TV sets, you can check the network it is connected to from the settings. Go to the Home screen and navigate to Settings > Network > Check Connection. If your TV and Apple device are using different Wi-Fi networks, you’ve found the problem. 

Check the Network Connection

AirPlay works best with a stable Wi-Fi network, so take a second to check your internet speed and connectivity. If you find it is unusually slow or keeps disconnecting, that could be the reason why you keep getting the error: AirPlay unable to connect to Roku TV. 

Try rebooting your network by turning your router off and then back on. Do the same for your Apple device and Roku TV by disconnecting and reconnecting to the Wi-Fi network. If you find the issue persists, then contact your internet service provider. There are settings that they can fix on their end, which could be affecting your internet speed and stability.

Try Restarting Your Roku TV

I probably sound like a broken record at this point with this one, but what can I say? Restarting your Roku TV really can solve a host of problems. All these smart TVs and Roku devices store data onboard, so sometimes errors cause bugs that disrupt their processing. 

So if you’re dealing with your Roku not showing up on AirPlay in the device listing, try turning your TV off for two minutes and then back on.  

Try Disabling the Roku App

Roku has an app available in the App store that lets you turn your iPhone or iPad into a virtual Roku Remote. While this is handy when you can’t find the actual remote (in-fact in the past I have mentioned this as one of the fixes to turn on your Roku tv without a remote), users have reported problems with it. 

On the iPhone, the app causes some kind of interference, so keep it disabled. Or better yet, uninstall it altogether for troubleshooting purposes. Then you will know for sure if it is the culprit.

FAQs

Q1. Why Is the Name of Roku not showing up on screen mirroring?

Answer – iPhone settings are pretty straightforward. If you don’t see your Roku’s name, that means it is not available. You can try to Enable Fast TV start on your TV, which can help increase your TV’s visibility so that even if your TV is off, AirPlay can still connect to it. Go to Settings > System> Power and enable Fast TV start. 

There is one other thing you can try if you find the name of your Roku not showing up on screen mirroring. iPhone and iPad users have noticed that screen mirroring doesn’t work properly if the Roku Remote App is open. So try disabling it or uninstalling it all together.

Q2. Why can’t I hear the AirPlay video streaming on Roku?

Answer – If you have successfully connected your Apple device to your Roku TV but can’t hear any sound check the volume on your Apple device. If the volume is low or muted, then you will not be able to hear anything on the TV no matter how high you crank it up. Also check if your iPhone is on silent mode as that automatically mutes all sounds as well. 

Q3. How to fix Roku AirPlay video not working?

Answer – If you’re in a situation where your Roku Airplay video is not working even though your Roku TV is connected to your Apple device, check your internet. Slow internet speeds or bad Wi-Fi signals stop AirPlay from transmitting data properly, and that affects the video that is being cast to your Roku TV. 

Try rebooting your router to refresh its settings. If the quality of your internet doesn’t improve and the video keeps buffering or lagging, contact your internet service provider and ask them to check your network for any issues. 

Q4. TCL Roku TV – AirPlay not working – What can I do?

Answer – If you have a TCL Roku TV, you need to know if it is compatible with AirPlay, as not all are, so cross-check with this list available on TCL’s support page, which basically states:

• A TCL TV that is 8-Series, 6-Series, 5-Series, or 4-Series needs a Roku operating system of 9.4.0 build 4190 or higher. 
• If it is a 3-series, it has to have a Roku OS of 10.0 

If your TCL Roku TV is compatible, make sure it has Fast TV start enabled. You can do this by opening the settings from the Home screen and navigating to Settings > System> Power.

Q5. Hisense Roku TV – AirPlay not working – What can I do?

Answer – First things first, check if your Hisense Roku TV is compatible with AirPlay. Only the ones in the H4, R6, and R8 series work, provided they have a Roku OS of 9.4.0 or higher. If you have one of these TVs but the OS is outdated, check for updates via Settings > System > System Update. Install any available updates and try again.  

Check the Wi-Fi network your TV is connected to and make sure it is the same as the Apple device. If you think everything is in order, then try restarting your TV.

Q6. ONN Roku TV – AirPlay not working – What can I do?

Answer – If your ONN Roku TV is nowhere to be seen on your AirPlay list, check if it is compatible. You can check the Roku settings, and if you don’t see the AirPlay menu, that probably means your TV doesn’t have the hardware to support it. 

However, before giving up hope, also check if you have any uninstalled updates. Go to Settings > System > System Update and check if you can update your TV to Roku operating system 9.4.0.

If you have the right software and the Airplay menu is available, make sure AirPlay mirroring is enabled, your internet is working, and the TV and Apple device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.