MacBook AirPlay: no devices discovered - what to do?

With AirPlay you can stream movies and more. In this practical tip, however, we will tell you what you can do if no devices are discovered under AirPlay on the MacBook.

AirPlay has not discovered any devices on the MacBook - you can do that

If you can't find AirPlay devices on your MacBook, there are a number of reasons why. Here's what you can do about it:

• Make sure that the MacBook is on the same WiFi network as the device you want to stream to (e.g. Apple TV).
• On the Apple TV you can see the name of the WLAN network in the "Settings" under "General"> "Network". If no connection has been established, establish this now.
• If that didn't help, you can try unplugging the router for about ten seconds. This will reset and correct any connection problems.
• Then you have to reconnect the devices to the WLAN. Then try whether they are recognized by AirPlay.
• Try to fix the problem by restarting the MacBook. This can often solve many problems.

Other solutions: No devices on the MacBook under AirPlay

If the previously mentioned help has not solved the problem, we recommend that you check the following solutions:

• Do you have the latest software version installed on all devices? An open update should normally announce itself automatically.
• The devices must be switched on for them to be recognized. It is also possible that the device is not sufficiently charged (e.g. on the iPhone) so that it is not recognized.
• If you have installed a firewall on the MacBook, you should briefly deactivate it for testing.
• If you want to connect via iTunes, make sure you have the latest version installed.
• A known bug: The computer name is not recognized correctly. To do this, go to "System Settings"> "Sharing" and change the computer name here.

This practical tip is based on Mac OS X. Read the next guide on how to set up AirPlay on iPhone.