I have been using AirPlay to stream content on my Smart TV via an iPad for a few years.
Last night, after a busy week at work, I decided to lay back and watch Pachinko, an Apple TV+ family drama.
I AirPlayed the show from my iPad and realized that while the video played fine, there was no sound.
I relaunched the Apple TV app and replayed the video, but the problem persisted.
Annoyed but determined to fix the sound, I started Googling and browsing through help guides and Apple forums.
With patience and luck, I spent a few hours troubleshooting and found an efficient working solution that fixed the sound for me.
No sound with AirPlay can be fixed by ensuring the iOS device and TV are not on silent mode and power cycling the TV and Wi-Fi router. To power cycle your devices, disconnect them from the power source and wait 60 seconds before reconnecting them.
Why is there No Audio Output With AirPlay?
In the Apple ecosystem, AirPlay uses your home Wi-Fi network to discover and connect with AirPlay-compatible devices.
This should work flawlessly, but sometimes sound and audio codec issues with your iOS device or TV can cause no audio output.
While the cause of the problem could be anything from a change in settings to firmware issues, I have covered all possible scenarios and steps to fix it.
Here are some of the most common causes of no sound (or audio loss) with AirPlay:
- iPhone on silent mode
- Devices not connected to the same Wi-Fi network
- Audio output settings
- Firewall disruption
- Pending Firmware Updates
Make Sure Your iOS Device is Not on Silent Mode
A simple yet often-overlooked reason for no sound with AirPlay is that the iOS device is in silent mode.
Check your device’s left side (near the volume buttons) and ensure the alert slider is not set to mute.
If your alert slider is in the orange position, switch it to ring mode.
You can also disable the silent mode via the Control Center.
Change Sound Output Settings
If you experience no sound or audio loss when you try to AirPlay something from your Mac, it could be misconfigured audio settings.
You can quickly resolve this by changing the audio output device to your TV or speakers.
Follow these steps to change the settings:
- Click on the Apple icon on your Mac screen.
- Select the System Preferences/Settings option.
- Choose the Sound option.
- Click on Output.
- Set the output to your TV or Speakers (according to your sound output device).
- Save your Changes and exit the menu.
Power Cycle Your TV and Wi-Fi Router
The good old method of power cycling your TV (and Wi-Fi router) is the simplest way to resolve the no-sound problem with AirPlay.
This helps eliminate software glitches and bugs obstructing the audio output.
To power cycle your TV or Wi-Fi router, turn off the device, unplug it from the power outlet for at least 60 seconds, and plug it back in.
While you are at it, you should also reboot your iOS device.
You can switch off your iOS device by holding the “Power” and one of the “Volume” buttons or just the “Power” button (depending on your device model) and dragging the “Power slider”.
Wait 30-60 seconds before long pressing the “Power” button to switch it back on.
I highly recommend power cycling your TV because this exact solution helped me when my LG TV had no sound.
Make Sure Your iOS Device and TV Are Connected to the Same Wi-Fi Band
For AirPlay to work seamlessly, it requires you to connect your TV and iOS device to the same Wi-Fi network band.
There is a possibility that you might have connected one of your devices to the 2.4 GHz band and the other one to the 5 GHz band.
Try connecting all your devices to the 2.4 GHz band and check if AirPlay works fine.
Ensure that Your iOS Device Has the Latest Software
Outdated iOS software can cause various issues with the device hardware and general user experience, including audio loss with AirPlay.
Make sure to check and verify that all your devices have the latest software updates.
To update your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings → General → Software Update.
If you are using a Mac, from the “Apple” menu in the corner of your screen, navigate to System Settings → General → Software Update.
Click the “Update Now” or “Upgrade Now” button to install software updates.
Check Firewall Settings
For a Mac, there are times when its firewall can mess with other functions, AirPlay being one of them.
Check the firewall settings on your Mac to ensure that the firewall is not preventing AirPlay from functioning as intended.
To change firewall settings, navigate to “System Preferences” and ensure that the “Automatically Allow Built-in Software to Receive Incoming Connections” option is enabled.
Also, make sure that the “Block Incoming Connections” one is disabled.
Update Your Router Firmware
Most people never update their Wi-Fi router’s firmware, deeming it unnecessary or complicated.
But this can cause several problems for your wireless connections, especially AirPlay’s no sound problem.
Check your Wi-Fi router to see if it’s running the latest firmware.
If not, update the firmware.
Most modern routers have mobile apps that allow you to configure and update them.
You can also log into the web console to update your router to the latest build.
To log into your router’s web console, type in “192.168.0.1” or “192.168.1.1” in your browser’s address bar.
You will be asked for a username and password.
Here is a list of router usernames and passwords for various router brands (if you have not changed yours).
Reset Your Wi-Fi Router
A buggy or faulty Wi-Fi router can also cause the no-sound problem with AirPlay.
Factory resetting your router to default settings will help you resolve this problem.
To factory reset your router, access the web console by typing “192.168.0.1” or “192.168.1.1” in your web browser.
Once there, input your username and password, navigate to “System” or “System Tools” and click on “Restore” or “Reset”.
Technical Issues are Annoying
After a long day at work, when you choose to relax and watch your favorite content, issues that negatively impact your experience are annoying.
AirPlay’s no-sound problem was one such sour experience for me.
If you encounter no sound (audio loss) with AirPlay, your first step should be to ensure that your iOS device is not set to silent mode.
Once done, restart all your devices (iOS device, TV, and Wi-Fi router) to fix the problem.
If you are on a Mac, make sure to change the audio output to your TV or speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all iOS devices have the AirPlay feature?
Any iPhone or iPad operating on iOS 4.2 or newer has the AirPlay feature built-in.
How can I reset my TV or speakers?
You can soft reset your TV or speakers by unplugging them from the wall socket and waiting for at least one minute before plugging them back.
How do I reset my Wi-Fi router?
You can restart your Wi-Fi router via its mobile app or by logging into your router’s web console.
Alternatively, you can unplug the router from the power source and reconnect it after a couple of minutes.
