How to Turn On AirPlay on Vizio TV

Streaming content via AirPlay has become second nature to me. As much as I love the compact, lightweight design of my iPhone and MacBook, nothing beats a large high-definition TV screen.

In 2018, when Apple updated its wireless streaming protocol, AirPlay, to the aptly named AirPlay 2, I was really excited for two reasons. Firstly the backward compatible AirPlay 2 meant it would work with older models of Apple devices, which, let’s be honest, are an expensive investment. And second, it signaled Apple’s increased efforts to get a bigger chunk of the home entertainment market. Thanks to licensing agreements with a number of manufacturers, AirPlay 2 is now a part of many TV brands, like LG, Roku, Samsung, and TCL, as well as one of my new favorites, Vizio. If you haven’t been paying attention to this company, you should because they are making impressive TVs at affordable prices. 

Since 2018, Vizio has fitted all its HD TVs with SmartCast technology and AirPlay 2 compatibility. This means that you can connect your iPhone, iPad, iPod, and MacBook to your Vizio TV without any shady third-party app. Is that great?

Based on this, I convinced Michelle’s parents to buy a Vizio TV. It’s the perfect fit for them because it’s easy enough to use and right in their price range. As soon as we got it mounted and running, I sat them down and taught them how to set up AirPlay on Vizio.  

Knowing how to put AirPlay on Vizio TV sets, or really any TV set, is a basic life skill in my book. As my regular readers know, I have posted a couple of how-to guides about getting AirPlay working on LG TVs and Samsung TVs.  Now I come with a guide to help you set up AirPlay and get it working on your Vizio TV. So keep reading if you want to learn how to turn on AirPlay on Vizio TV sets.

How to Setup AirPlay on Vizio TVs

Before you can set up AirPlay on Vizio, you have to make sure your TV has the firmware to support it. Check the list given below for Vizio models that are compatible with AirPlay. You can find the model number of your TV by either checking the manual that came with it or the serial number that is printed on the back. 

AirPlay 2 compatible Vizio TV Sets are listed below:

• OLED (2020)
• D Series (2018, 2019)
• E Series UHD models (2016, 2017, 2018)
• M Series (2016, 2017, 2018)
• M Series Quantum (2019, 2020)
• P Series (2016, 2017, 2018)
• P Series Quantum (2018, 2019, 2020))
• P Series Quantum X (2019, 2020)
• V Series (2019, 2020)

If you see your Vizio TV model on the list above, congratulations! Your Vizio TV set is compatible with AirPlay.  Now it’s time to configure it. This is a simple process; just follow the steps given below.

1. Press the Home button located on the remote control of your Vizio to go to the home screen. Certain TV models come with a remote control that has a V instead of a home icon. So if you don’t see a home button, look for the one that has a V.
   
2. Using the arrow buttons to navigate the options in the menu bar that stretches across the top of the screen and select Extras – press the OK button in the center of the navigation arrows. This will open the additional settings for your Vizio TV.
   
3. Scroll down and select Apple AirPlay. This will open AirPlay setting options on your screen. The top one will read OFF. 

2. Using your right arrow button, highlight OFF and then select it by pressing OK. This will change the screen, which will now show OFF and ON with a checkmark next to off.
3. Using the down arrow button, highlight ON and select it. Press the OK button on your remote control. This will move the check mark down. 

4. You should see the AirPlay icon, as shown below, on the Home bar situated on top of the screen. 

That’s it. Now you know how to turn ON AirPlay on Vizio TV sets.

As you were following these instructions, I am sure you noticed the other option in the AirPlay settings that read One Time Only, which is for pairing your iPhone, iPad, iPod, or MacBook.

• One-time Only: When you connect your Apple device to Vizio, you will be asked to enter the passcode on the screen into your device’s prompt. This will only happen once; the next time you use AirPlay from the same Apple device, it will not ask for a passcode.

• Every Time: Every time any Apple device tries to connect to your Vizio TV, you will get a prompt to enter a passcode.

Ok, so now that we have covered how to set up AirPlay on Vizio TV sets, the next step is learning how to connect your Apple devices to these TVs via AirPlay.

How to Connect AirPlay to Vizio TV Sets

After enabling AirPlay on your Vizio TV, you must be dying to know, “how do I use AirPlay on my Vizio TV?” Well, you can use the AirPlay icon to cast content from your Apple device to your TV, and you can mirror the screen of your Apple device onto your Vizio TV.

The first thing you need to do is ensure your Vizio TV and Apple device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. I can’t stress this enough. My number one mistake when I can’t get AirPlay to work is forgetting to check which internet network my devices are connected to. 

Now, once you have got that sorted, you can either cast content from your Apple device or mirror its screen. Many people use these two words interchangeably, but casting and mirroring are not the same. 

Casting means only the content you are playing will show up on the screen. So if it is a movie, you will only see that video. The benefit of this is that you can cast your TV show or movie and then keep using your phone without disturbing the content.

Mirroring your screen, on the other hand, is when you put your device’s entire screen on the TV. What you see on your phone is on your screen. Sounds the same as casting, you say? Well, allow me to explain further. If you are mirroring a video and you get a message on your phone, it will show up on your TV, so it disrupts the video. Second, when you go to check this message on your phone, it will stop the video that is playing, and every action you do on your phone is right there on the TV. See the difference?

Note that casting and mirroring have one downfall: they will drain your device’s battery very fast. This can be a real problem if you are casting a movie or mirroring a presentation for work. The last thing you need is your device dying mid-movie. So make sure your device is 100% charged before you start and have a charging port nearby.

Casting Content

Now that you know how to turn on AirPlay on Vizio TV sets, casting content is a piece of cake. 

Launch the app you want to stream content from on your iPhone or iPad, like YouTube

1. Select the video you want to watch
2. Tap the AirPlay icon that appears either on the top or bottom of your screen
3. Select the Vizio TV from the list.
4. Enter the passcode displayed on your TV screen on your device. 

Your Vizio TV screen will go blank and start playing the selected content. In a similar fashion, you can also cast your own photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad onto your TV screen. 

1. Connect to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV
2. Open Photos 
3. Highlight the photos or videos you want to display
4. Swipe up and select the Share icon 
5. Tap the AirPlay icon
6. Select your Vizio from the list
7. Enter the passcode displayed on your TV screen on your device. 

Screen Mirroring 

You don’t need any third-party app to mirror your iPad or iPhone screen because it is already a feature built into the operating system it is running.

1. Connect to the same internet network as your TV
2. Open the Control Center on your device
3. Select AirPlay Mirroring
4. Select your TV from the list

You can even mirror your Mac screen to your Vizio by changing a couple of display settings.

1. Click on the Apple logo
2. Open System Preferences
3. Click on Displays
4. Open the drop-down menu next to AirPlay Display
5. Select Vizio TV

FAQs

Q1. How to get AirPlay on Vizio? 

Answer – TV sets from Vizio are now manufactured with the firmware to support Airplay 2. But if you have an older model, it’s possible that you don’t. In that case, to figure out how to get airplay on Vizio TV sets, you will have to do two things. First, check if your TV has the hardware to support AirPlay, and second, check the TV’s settings for any pending updates. 

If your TV is compatible, there may be an update that has not been installed. You can check the system settings by following the steps given below:

1. Turn on your Vizio TV. If there are any pending updates, you should see them install automatically.
2. If it does not, make sure it is connected to the internet via the Network options.
3. Go to the System settings, and there you will see an option to Check for Updates.

If there are any updates available, they will download and install. Your TV will restart automatically, and if everything is installed correctly, you should see the AirPlay options in your Extras menu.

Q2. How to Mirror an iPhone or iPad screen on an older Vizio TV?

Answer – For older Vizio TV sets that do not have AirPlay 2 firmware integrated into it, there is no way to wirelessly connect an Apple device. However, all hope is not lost!

You do have a wired option, where you can connect your iPhone or iPad to your TV using the Lightning Digital AV Adapter. This nifty little adaptor connects to the port of your Apple device from one end and your TV via an HDMI cable. 

With everything connected, you must switch the input to the corresponding HDMI channel on your Vizio TV. You can do this by following these steps:

1. On your Vizio TV remote control, press the input button on the top left-hand corner. This button should stay INPUT. On newer models, it may say SOURCE or just be an icon of a square with an arrow pointing inside. 
2. This will open a pop-up on the screen that lets you select which input you want to display on the screen. Scroll down and select the HDMI port the adaptor is connected to. 
3. Press OK

This will connect to the AV adaptor, and you should see your Apple device screen on the TV. An added benefit of using this wire connection is that your device will also charge while it is connected to the TV.

Q3. Airplay is not working on Vizio Tv. What should I do? 

Answer – If Airplay is not working on Vizio tv, usually it is the compatibility issue. Other significant reasons include outdated firmware, apple device and tv connected to different networks. Find detailed fixes for Airplay not working on Vizio tv here.