One of the advantages to having all Apple devices is that Apple makes sure all of their devices, be they a phones, tablets, watches, or TVs, work seamlessly together for a great experience. This all runs smooth when the internet is working. Even today, with multiple powerful internet providers, our service cuts out or is slow more frequently than we would like. So what happens when you want to use Airplay but the Wi-Fi is out? Can you use your Apple TV without Wi-Fi at all?
You can use Airplay over Wi-Fi as long as you have an Apple TV and an Apple Device like an iPhone or iPad. In addition to Peer-to-Peer Airplay, you can also connect a non-Apple device to your Apple TV directly to mimic the effects of Airplay.
In this article, we will discuss how to use Peer-to-Peer Airplay between your Apple device and Apple TV without needing Wi-Fi. We’ll look at the ins and outs of this, as well as a few more tips to get the most of of Airplay with your Apple TV. Let’s get started!
You Can Use Apple TV Without Wi-Fi
Although having a wireless internet connection seems like a necessity for using Airplay with your Apple devices, you can actually use your Apple TV without having access to wireless internet. There are a few steps that you have to take, but it is a pretty simple process as long as you follow along carefully. This is called “peer-to-peer” discovery, which Apple explains on it’s site here, but, of course, we have the gist of it for you below!
- Forget all Wi-Fi networks on your device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc) (this is done in the settings menu, under the Wi-Fi settings, for each individual Wi-Fi network that’s been trusted before).
- Forget all Wi-Fi networks on your Apple TV.
- On both your device and your Apple TV, make sure that the toggle for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are in the “ON” position (more on what to avoid when using WiFi and Bluetooth in our tutorial).
- Restart both your device and your Apple TV.
- As your device and your Apple TV turn back on, they will discover each other as devices that can connect together.
- To initiate Peer-to-Peer Airplay, click on the Airplay icon on your device and choose your Apple TV as the option for connection. Select the option and wait for it to connect.
Your Apple TV may display a code for you to enter on your device the first time you set up Peer-to-Peer Airplay without the use of wireless internet.
Just enter the code on your device and you will be paired with your Apple TV and ready to stream to your heart’s content. Now that you know how to set it up, let’s talk about how all of this actually works.
How Peer-to-Peer Airplay Works on Apple TVs
If you’re new to the term ‘Peer-to-Peer Airplay’, let me introduce you to this nifty feature. Essentially, it empowers any Apple device user to stream content directly to an Apple TV, bypassing the need for a common Wi-Fi network. The best part? It’s a breeze to set up. According to Apple’s official guide, it hardly takes a few seconds to get started.
For example, if you have a few people over for the evening, individuals with iPhones or iPads can connect to your Apple TV, share photos or videos, or even stream music for everyone to listen to. This makes your gathering more interactive and fun for everyone. Airplay is an interesting feature, but how does it work?
Typically, when your internet access is available, Airplay works by basically “piggybacking” on your wireless network. Both devices connect to the same wireless network so that they can send data or streaming information easily back and forth.
In order for this connection to be made, you need to have Apple devices, like a Mac, iPhone, iPad, and an Apple TV 4K (on Amazon), or Apple TV HD with tvOS 11.4 or later. If you already have an Apple TV and you’re not sure of the operating system, check out the official Apple support page on how to figure out your device’s operating system version.
If you aren’t sure about your operating systems, you can always check by going to the “general settings” and then “about.”
Moreover, you can look up your specific model online. With all this in mind, you might be wondering what you should do if you don’t already own an Apple device of some kind, but you still want to get your content on the Apple TV without Wi-Fi.
What If My AirPlay Isn’t Working? (Troubleshooting)
If you’re trying to make the connection but it just isn’t working, then take a deep breath: we’ve been there before, and I can tell you the first step is always to turn it all off and on again, and then consider the cables. Make sure that your Apple TV is plugged in, and that your modem/router is. (Even if the internet is out, we want the device to be able to find the Wi-Fi signal and use it when it is.)
Pro Tip: Apple recommends connecting your Apple TV through ethernet if available, rather than relying on the Wi-Fi network. You don’t have to do this, but it will increase your speed and reliability…when you do have internet anyways!
If everything’s connected properly, than you may simply be trying to broadcast content that’s too large. If you’re trying to stream a movie from your iPad, that will likely take a few moments to get started, and it may glitch out at some points and need a restart.
If you can’t get anything streamin at all, then you may be in a position of waiting out the internet outage, or, if you’re reading this, trying to connect your Apple TV back up to internet through your phone’s personal hotspot!
We’ve looked into that in a separate article, and while it’s possible, it’s probably going to cost you more data than you expect. Usable in a pinch, but probably not THE tool to use if the internet is out for days.
What If I Don’t Have an Apple Device?
If you have an Apple TV, but do not have an Apple device like an iPhone or the iPad then unfortunately using the Airplay feature is not possible for you. But you’re not totally out of luck. If you find yourself in this situation, you can still connect your phone to your television without the use of wireless internet.
If you have an Android smartphone, you can connect your phone to your television directly using a USB-C to HDMI adapter like this one (on Amazon). And if you’re really going to use it this way, do yourself a favor and pick up an HDMI extender like this 10ft one from Zeskit (on Amazon)…you probably want to be able to control the screen from your couch, and this will allow the cord from your phone to reach all the way to the TV!
These are sold in all different types, so be careful to buy the exact one that you need. One end of the cord needs to be for an HDMI port while the other needs to fit into the charging port on your smartphone. Typically, this will be a USB-C to HDMI cable.
While it’s unfortunate that this method isn’t completely wireless, it doesn’t require Wi-Fi internet access to connect your phone to your television, which means it’s going to work just fine when everything is said and done. As it was just mentioned, just be careful to purchase the right adaptor.
Wrapping It All Up
We hope this comprehensive guide has provided you with a deeper understanding of how to use Airplay on your Apple TV without Wi-Fi. From setting up your Apple TV to bypass Wi-Fi, to diving into the mechanics of Peer-to-Peer Airplay, we’ve covered the essentials to ensure a seamless streaming experience, even when your internet service goes down!