There can be several causes for when you receive an "Unable to connect to xxxx" error message when trying to mirror from your iPhone or iPad.


First, we recommend running through the support articles related to discovery issues before attempting further troubleshooting. The most common issues are handled in the articles below:


If that does not work, try the following steps in order.


  • Restart the iPhone or iPad with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fully turned off.
    Go to Settings and turn off both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Do not use Control Center for this, because the toggles in Control Center only pause the connections temporarily and don't fully turn the radios off. Restart the device, then turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth back on and try mirroring again.


  • Force a refresh of the Screen Mirroring list.
    Enable AirPlane Mode on your iPhone or iPad (make sure Wi-Fi is also disabled) and open the Screen Mirroring list. Wait about 10 seconds for the list to clear itself, then close it. Disable AirPlane Mode and try looking for AirServer again.


  • Disable any VPN connection.
    If you are using any kind of VPN connection on your iPhone or iPad, try disabling that connection and test again.


  • Reset the network settings on your iPhone or iPad.
    This is a more disruptive step because it also removes your saved Wi-Fi networks, passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings. Only try this if the previous steps haven't helped.
    To reset network settings:
    • On iOS 15 or later: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings.
    • On iOS 14 or earlier: Settings → General → Reset → Reset Network Settings.