Some apps on iPhone, iPad, and Mac have built-in AirPlay support that lets you send audio or video directly to an AirPlay receiver, without mirroring your whole screen. This is known as AirPlay media streaming.
Examples of AirPlay-enabled apps include:
- Apple Music
- Apple TV
- Apple Podcasts
- Photos
- Many third-party apps such as YouTube, VLC, Spotify, and Twitch
How to stream from an AirPlay-enabled app
- Open the app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Start playing the content you want to stream.
- Look for the AirPlay icon (a rectangle with an upward-pointing triangle). It usually appears near the playback controls or in the app's share menu.
- Tap or click the icon and select your AirServer device from the list.
The exact location of the AirPlay button varies by app.
What's the difference from screen mirroring?
AirPlay media streaming sends only the selected content to the receiver, while your device is free to be used for other things. Screen mirroring sends everything on your device's screen. See Screen mirroring vs casting for a full comparison.
Streaming services with DRM restrictions
Some streaming services (Netflix, Apple TV+/, and others) use DRM protection that can block their content from playing on third-party receivers, even when the app has an AirPlay button. If a specific app fails to stream to AirServer, DRM is often the cause.