How to AirPlay Web Videos to a TV with CastBrowser

How to AirPlay from an iPhone or iPad

There are two kinds of AirPlay, and the difference matters:

• Screen mirroring: open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, and pick your TV to put your whole iPhone screen on the TV. Great for apps and photos, but it drains battery and shows notifications on screen.
• App AirPlay: some apps show an AirPlay icon on the video itself — tap it to send only that video, so the TV plays it at full quality while your phone becomes a remote.

Both require an AirPlay-compatible TV. For more on the mirroring side, see screen mirroring to TV and casting from iPhone to TV.

How CastBrowser AirPlays Web Videos from iPhone or iPad

Native AirPlay buttons only appear in some apps and websites. CastBrowser gives you a dedicated web-video casting path: it opens the website, detects compatible non-DRM video streams, and lets you send the video to an AirPlay receiver from the cast menu.

1. Install CastBrowser from the Apple App Store.
2. Connect your iPhone or iPad and your Apple TV or AirPlay 2 TV to the same Wi-Fi.
3. Open the website inside CastBrowser and press play so the video is detected.
4. Tap the cast icon and choose your AirPlay device.
5. The TV plays the video while your iPhone or iPad stays the remote.

This is useful when the website does not show its own AirPlay button, or when you want the same app to handle AirPlay, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA, and Web Receiver casting.

How to AirPlay from a Mac

1. Connect your Mac and the TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Click the Screen Mirroring (AirPlay) icon in the menu bar, or open Control Center.
3. Choose your AirPlay-compatible TV or Apple TV.
4. Pick whether to mirror your display or use the TV as a separate screen.

If the AirPlay icon never appears or your TV isn't listed, the TV likely doesn't support AirPlay — see the alternatives below.

Which TVs Actually Support AirPlay?

AirPlay 2 support is now common, but far from universal. As a rough guide:

• Usually yes: Apple TV, and most recent Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio Smart TVs.
• Sometimes: many newer Roku models include AirPlay 2, and a smaller number of Fire TV devices do too — but plenty of older or budget units don't.
• Usually no: Chromecast and basic streaming sticks, older Smart TVs, and entry-level sets.

The only reliable test is to check your TV's settings for an AirPlay or Apple AirPlay option. If it isn't there, no app or update will add it — you need a different path to the screen.

When the TV Does Not Support AirPlay

If your TV doesn't support AirPlay — or AirPlay is flaky on it — you don't need to buy an Apple TV just to get web video on the screen. CastBrowser can switch to the protocol that device supports:

1. Install CastBrowser from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
2. Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Open a compatible website in CastBrowser and start the video so it's detected.
4. Tap the cast icon and choose your TV — AirPlay, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, Samsung, LG, or DLNA.
5. The TV plays the stream while your phone stays the remote.

Unlike AirPlay screen mirroring, this sends only the video, so it plays at the TV's native quality without draining your battery or putting notifications on screen. See casting to Roku, casting to Fire Stick, and casting to Samsung TV.

Native AirPlay vs CastBrowser: When to Use Which

• Use native AirPlay when your TV supports it and you want to mirror your screen or send video from an app that already has its own AirPlay icon.
• Use CastBrowser when you want to cast web videos from iPhone or iPad, when a website does not expose an AirPlay button, or when you want one app that also reaches Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, DLNA, and Web Receiver targets.

Remember that detection of a stream is not a guarantee of playback: the receiving device still has to support the video's format, and DRM-protected content from major subscription services cannot be cast or AirPlayed freely.

Frequently Asked Questions