LG TV AirPlay Not Working (PROVEN Fix!)
It’s frustrating when AirPlay isn’t working on your LG TV as it should. The good news is, the problem is almost always temporary, and it’s typically network or software-related.
I’ll walk you through several proven fixes that worked for me when I experienced LG TV AirPlay not working. You’ll be back to using AirPlay with your LG TV shortly…
LG TV AirPlay Not Working
If AirPlay is not working on your LG TV, do the following: restart your LG TV, ensure Apple device and LG TV are on the same WiFi network, enable AirPlay, disable Firewall, update LG TV OS, use LG TV remote instead of the app, reboot your router, reset paired devices and finally, perform a factory reset.
It’s also possible that your LG TV and/or Apple device simply don’t support AirPlay on LG TV. This is usually only a concern with older versions and models. But more on that in a bit.
First, let’s review each fix in detail.
Restart Your LG TV
I know it sounds obvious, but unplugging your TV is the quickest way to get AirPlay working again.
The key here is to actually wait a FULL 60 seconds. Have a little bit of patience and make sure it’s been at least a minute before plugging your TV back in.
While the TV is unplugged, find and hold the power button for 30 seconds. Make sure you are holding the power button on your TV, and not your remote!
This will help to drain any residual power left in the TV and allows the TV to soft reset itself. This is different than simply switching the remote on and off!
Once you plug the TV back in after the 60 seconds, power the TV back on and Apple AirPlay should be working again.
Most of the time, restarting your LG TV will fix any software bugs that could be preventing AirPlay from not working correctly.
While you’re at it, I recommend restarting your Apple device too!
Make Sure Devices are on the Same Network
AirPlay only works when all the devices are connected to the same network.
Almost all routers now have what’s called “dual-band” radio signals. This gives you the ability to connect devices in your home to two different networks (either the 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz network).
Having two separate networks allows for faster speeds and flexibility. The dual-bands avoid connection issues and interferences and provides more stability overall.
However, this can cause issues with AirPlay on LG TV if your LG TV is connected to the 2.4 GHz network and your Apple device is connected to the 5.0 GHz network (for example).
It only takes a few seconds, so just check and confirm that your LG TV and your Apple device are on the exact same WiFi network!
To check your LG TV WiFi Network simply click on the gear icon on your remote and then scroll down to Network.
Double-Check that AirPlay is Enabled
In some cases, AirPlay on your LG TV may be disabled!
To check, simply click the HOME button on your LG TV remote and then on the menu at the bottom select “Home Dashboard”.
Click UP on your remote. Toggle over to AirPlay > AirPlay and HomeKit Settings.
Finally, make sure AirPlay is ON!
If you recently reset your TV to default settings it might have disabled AirPlay.
NOTE: if you don’t see the Apple and AirPlay option, you will likely need to do a software update on your LG TV or device…
Turn off Computer’s Firewall
The firewall of any operating system can cause connectivity problems with other devices.
In the case of Airplay, firewall protection of your MacBook (iOS) might be preventing your hosting device from connecting with your TV.
In such a scenario, you must adjust firewall settings to allow incoming connection requests from your TV. You can either turn off the firewall entirely, or disable incoming connection blocking.
To do so, go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy and click on Firewall.
You’ll find the option to turn off the firewall or find and uncheck the other option, which reads as Block All Incoming Connections.
Hopefully disabling the Firewall helped, but if not there are several additional fixes worth trying.
Update LG TV OS
Your LG TV can run into a lot of issues if the software isn’t up to date. To correct this problem, simply check for any new LG TV OS updates in the settings menu.
In most cases, as long as your LG TV is connected to the internet, it should check for and install new software updates automatically.
To check automatic updates:
- Press the Home/Start button on your remote
- Select Settings
- Choose All Settings
- Select General
- Go down to About this TV
- Ensure that Automatic updates is checked. You can also Check for updates here
Occasionally this automatic process gets interrupted and your TV gets stuck running outdated software.
To update your LG TV software manually:
- Find the applicable Product Support Page
- Go to the LG Support Home Page
- Type in and select your TV model number
- Download the file and unzip it (right click, Extract All)
- Put the file on the USB
- On the root of the USB drive, create a folder and name it “LG_DTV”
- Place the unzipped file into this folder (file type should be EPK)
- Insert USB into the back of your TV
- Follow the instructions on the screen
You’ll want to ensure you update your LG TV often to keep up with the newest software. Doing so ensures that the Apple AirPlay remains compatible with your TV.
It also can’t hurt to check for an update on your Apple device.
Don’t Use Your Phone as the Remote
Most LG TV devices will allow you to control them via an app on your phone.
Some people have noticed that AirPlay refuses to work if you’re controlling the TV with the LG ThinQ app on your phone at the same time.
The solution is to stop using the app as a remote, and instead, use the remote that came with your LG TV to change the settings.
Better yet, close the LG ThinQ app on your phone before trying to connect to AirPlay again.
Reboot Your Router
The problem could also be with your router.
I suggest quickly rebooting your router, it often fixes network issues, and it can improve your overall connection too.
Just unplug your router from the power outlet, wait for about 60 seconds, or so and then reconnect it. Every device on your network will automatically reconnect and hopefully, AirPlay will work.
You could also consider upgrading your router if it’s more than 5 years old.
While you’re at it, consider resetting your Apple device’s network connection as well. You can easily find the option ‘Reset Network Setting’s in your phone’s connectivity settings.
For iPhones, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Reset Paired Devices
Ok, now we’re going to try resetting paired devices.
To do this, simply click the HOME button on your LG TV remote, and then on the menu at the bottom select “Home Dashboard”.
Click UP on your remote. Toggle over to AirPlay > AirPlay and HomeKit Settings. Select the Require Code option and scroll down to Reset Paired Devices.
When you reset the devices, all the previously connected devices will be forgotten and you’ll have to reconnect them. It can sometimes help when you’re having issues with AirPlay.
Factory Reset Your LG TV
As a last resort, a factory reset of your TV can sometimes fix the issue. Factory resetting a LG TV will reset everything to factory settings, and you’ll need to install updates again.
I recommend trying the other solutions because it can be a hassle to download and re-sign in to all of your apps. But a factory reset can fix the AirPlay not working issue.
With the TV powered on click the Gear icon at the top of your remote.
Then go down to All Settings (Advanced Settings) > General > Reset to Initial Settings. Your TV will turn off and on again and then display the initial setup screen.
This will essentially restore your LG TV to the settings it had on the day you purchased the television. That means all account settings will be removed, and any installed apps will be deleted!
Factory Reset LG TV Without Remote
If for whatever reason you do not have access to your TV’s remote, you can still factory reset your LG TV.
To do this find the power button on your TV. Depending on the model you have this may be on the right hand side, left hand side, or very bottom of the device.
With the TV on, press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds.
If that doesn’t work, use the joystick panel control on the TV to navigate to Menu > All Settings > General > Reset to Initial Settings.
If you’re having trouble finding these buttons on your TV, or if you TV is mounted in a tight spot, there are other options.
First, consider plugging in a USB keyboard directly into the back of your LG TV.
You can then use the keyboard to navigate and reset your TV.
Another option is to grab a universal remote you have lying around and enter the appropriate LG code for the remote to get it working.
Your LG TV is Not Compatible with AirPlay
If your LG TV is a few years old, it simply might not have support for AirPlay, even with the latest LG TV OS updates. That said, AirPlay is available on most LG TVs.
The following LG TV’s support AirPlay:
- LG OLED (2018, 2019, 2020)
- LG SuperUHD SK 9, 8 series (2018)
- LG UHD UK 62 series or above, UK 7 series (2018)
- LG NanoCell NANO 9, 8 series (2020)
- LG UHD UN 8 series (2020)
- LG UHD UN 71 series or above (2020)
- LG NanoCell SM 9, 8 series (2019)
- LG UHD UM 7, 6 series (2019)
NOTE: You may need to update your TV’s software first! Also make sure your Apple Device IOS version is at least 12.3.
If you don’t see the option for AirPlay in your LG TV settings, it might be because your LG TV does not support AirPlay.
I would look up your TV’s model number on the LG TV website to see if AirPlay is a supported feature.
How to Setup AirPlay on a LG TV
It’s very easy to use AirPlay to control and cast media on your LG TV.
To start, make sure your LG TV is on the latest update and that both your TV, and your Apple device on on the same WiFi network.
To turn on AirPlay, simply click the HOME button on your LG TV remote, and then on the menu at the bottom select “Home Dashboard”.
Click UP on your remote. Toggle over to AirPlay > AirPlay and HomeKit Settings.
Toggle AirPlay ON and set the option you want for when you need to connect with a code, I recommend leaving it on First-Time Only.
On your Apple device, open the quick actions menu by swiping down the top bar, Tap on Screen Mirroring and your LG TV device should appear on the list.
Tap on the device you wish to connect and a code should appear on your TV, type that into your phone, it will immediately start screen mirroring if you successfully connected.
To use apps like YouTube, open a video, tap on the casting icon in the top right corner, and select your LG TV. The audio should also come from your TV and not your phone.
Conclusion
It’s frustrating when AirPlay is not working on your LG TV, but you can often get it working again by trying the following fixes:
- Restart your LG TV (unplug from power for 60 seconds)
- Make sure your LG TV and Apple device are on the same WiFi network
- Double-check if AirPlay is enabled on your LG TV
- Disable computer’s firewall
- Update LG TV OS
- Don’t use the LG ThinQ app on your phone, use the physical remote instead
- Reboot your router
- Reset paired AirPlay devices and reconnect
- Factory reset your LG TV
- Lookup your LG TV model to see if it’s compatible with AirPlay
The easiest way to get AirPlay working on your LG TV is to restart yourTV device by unplugging it from the power.
If you still don’t see the AirPlay option after all of these troubleshooting steps, chances are your LG TV is simply not compatible with AirPlay.
Were you able to get AirPlay working on your LG TV? If so, let us know how in the comments below!
