How to Fix Vizio TV AirPlay Not Working (2022) – PC Webopaedia

Vizio smart TVs are known as one of the best streaming TVs in terms of affordability and picture quality. Among the features of Vizio TVs is AirPlay—it’s an important feature when you’re looking forward to sharing your photos, videos, and other media content from your Apple device to your smart TV.

However, there are situations where AirPlay is not working on your Vizio TV. The cause of this problem can be either from your Apple device or Vizio TV. In this guide, we’ll go through some reasons for this issue and how to fix it. Read this guide to know more.

Table of Contents

Common Reasons Why Vizio TV AirPlay is Not Working

Using AirPlay in your Vizio TV is an easier way to screencast content from an Apple device. But sometimes it doesn’t work due to various reasons. So, if you’re currently experiencing this problem, here are the most common reasons why Vizio TV AirPlay is not working:

• Accidently turned off – It seems obvious, but maybe check how to Turn On AirPlay on your Vizio TV before you get too technical.
• Outdated Firmware – AirPlay cannot work if the firmware of your Apple device is outdated. For instance, AirPlay only supports iOS devices that run iOS 12.4 or greater, Macs with macOS Catalina or with iTunes 12.8, and an iPad that’s sixth-generation or greater.

To manually check for updates on your Apple device, go to Settings > General > Software Update. If there’s a pending update, tap Install Now. Your device will be updated shortly.

• Slow Internet Connection – Both your Vizio TV and Apple device need to be connected on a strong wireless connection to enable AirPlay. Also, ensure that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi connection.
• Unsupported Vizio TV – If you’re using AirPlay for the first time in your Vizio TV, first check if it supports this feature and other SmartCast features. Overall, if your Vizio TV was bought in 2016 or later, it should have SmartCast and AirPlay support. If SmartCast is not available either, check out on guide on how to fix Vizio SmartCast if it is not working.

It is worth fixing Airplay – we show how to use it to get HBO Max on your Vizio TV.

How to Fix Vizio TV AirPlay Not Working

Below, we’ll show you all possible fixes when AirPlay fails to work on your Vizio TV. Make sure to follow every fix individually to see which one worked for you the best.

To start, we’ll first show you how you can properly set up AirPlay on your Vizio TV.

How to Set up AirPlay on Vizio TV

1. Turn on your Vizio SmartCast TV and ensure that AirPlay is turned on.
2. Make sure that both your Vizio SmartCast TV and Apple device are connected to the same wireless network.
3. On your Apple device, open the streaming application you want to use.
4. Next, tap on the AirPlay icon and wait for the device to search for nearby devices.
5. From the list, select your Vizio TV.
6. Your Vizio TV will now begin casting content from your Apple device.

Following the steps above properly can solve most AirPlay issues on your Vizio TV. If you’re still not connected, however, continue with the fixes below:

Fix #1: Power Cycle Both Devices

Power cycling or restarting a device re-initializes all of its internal components and reverts your device to a stable state. Restarting your Vizio TV can be quite different compared to restarting your iPhone or other Apple device.

Power Cycling your Vizio SmartCast TV

To power cycle your Vizio TV manually, follow these steps:

1. Turn off your Vizio SmartCast TV and unplug its power cord from the socket.
2. Press and hold the Power button on the side of your TV for three to five seconds. This is to drain all remaining power inside the smart TV’s components.
3. Plug the Vizio TV’s power cord back in and turn it on.

Power cycling the TV is also a fix for when your Vizio TV has sound but no picture. Alternatively, you can do a soft power cycle on your Vizio SmartCast TV. This closes all running applications on your smart TV.

To perform a soft power cycle on your Vizio TV, follow these steps:

1. Using the remote of your Vizio TV, press the Menu button and select System.
2. Next, go to Reset & Admin > Soft Power Cycle.
3. All running background apps will now be closed to clear out your smart TV’s RAM.

Power Cycling your Apple Device

Power cycling your iOS device is similar to doing a restart. Just press and hold the Power button on the side of your device until the power-off slider appears on the screen. Drag the slider to the right and wait for thirty seconds while the device is turned off.

Fix #2: Ensure that AirPlay is Turned On

If your Vizio SmartCast TV supports AirPlay, you’ll need to make sure that it’s turned on to avoid connection problems. It also enables your smart TV to be discoverable on your Apple device.

To turn on AirPlay on your Vizio TV, follow the steps below:

1. Open your Vizio smart TV and press the V button on the remote.
2. Select Extras and find AirPlay—make sure that it is enabled.
3. Try connecting your Vizio TV to the Apple device and see if it’s successful.

Also, check your Apple device if it automatically discovers and connects to nearby AirPlay-compatible devices. To do this, go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff. Next, select Automatically AirPlay to TVs and set it to Automatic.

Fix #3: Update your Vizio TV’s Firmware

Similar to your Apple device, your Vizio TV needs to have updated firmware to ensure that all of its features are working properly. If your Vizio TV is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network, it should be easy to update its firmware.

To update the firmware of your Vizio SmartCast TV to the latest version, follow these steps:

1. Turn your Vizio TV on and press the V button on the remote.
2. Go to System > Check for Updates.
3. The smart TV will now search for the latest firmware updates. If there’s an available update, it will automatically start to download it.
4. Next, wait for the update to be installed on your Vizio TV.
5. Once it’s done, try connecting your Vizio TV to an Apple device and see if there’s an issue.

Updating the firmware can also help if your Vizio TV keeps shutting off randomly.

If this article has been helpful, please also check out our guide on what to do if your Vizio TV Audio is out of sync.

Final Thoughts

If after trying all the above methods, Airplay still doesn’t work – there are other options. Check out our article on how to AirPlay to your Firestick which suggests alternatives to Airplay.

Apple is always known for its ease of use and accessibility when it comes to its devices and features. Once you attempt to cast content from your Apple device to Vizio TV, you’ll need to use AirPlay. It’s a straightforward way of screencasting content, assuming that both devices are connected to the same wireless network.

Hence, these fixes can hopefully guide you once AirPlay does not work on your Vizio SmartCast TV.