Airplay stops when iPhone sleeps

When I tried to use AirPlay from an iPhone 3GS to my Apple TV, all was working well until the iPhone screen locked ( slept ) then the video would pause on the Apple TV.
This is annoying.

Is there anyway to prevent this without having to adjust the screen lock timeout on the iPhone?

iPhone 3GS, iOS 4, 2nd Gen Apple TV

Posted on Dec 5, 2010 2:15 PM

Reply
49 replies

Jan 1, 2012 12:24 PM in response to Stephen Finlay

I have experimented a little further with my issue and I'm beginning to suspect my issue is app-specific. So far I can tell that my YouTube app that comes standard with my iPhone 4 doesn't have a problem AirPlaying video to my Apple TV2. The same goes for my BBC iPlayer app. I've tried it a few times now, and even after the iPhone autolocks, both apps continue to AirPlay to my Apple TV2. It does not, however, with my VEVO app. Of course that's the only one I care about, Apple TV2 already has YouTube and the BBC iPlayer doesn't have much unless you subscribe. I haven't tested my issue with other apps, only because the other ones (i.e. CityTV, GlobalTV) only AirPlay audio. So I think my problem is solved, or at least I only have a problem with the VEVO app. Hopefully there's an update on VEVO soon that will fix the AirPlay time-out issue. For those of you who have been having a similar issue, I urge you try different apps and seeing if you're only having a problem on certain apps, if you haven't tried that already. Because if you're getting the same result as me, it's not an iOS 5 issue like many of us having been suggesting on here. 😉

Jan 11, 2012 10:33 PM in response to cmasongrant

I think you hit this issue on the head. That's exactly the issue i'm experiencing too. It's not iOS based but app based. Airplay works great on apps like BBC iPlayer, and many others but stops playing when iOS device goes to sleep on my TennisTV app. This I guess means that it's just the way the app is written to take advantage of AirPlay. Bottom line the apps that don't work need to be updated to work - so contact the app developers and let them know that issue in hopes they'll roll out a fix in their next update release.

Jan 23, 2012 8:12 PM in response to Stephen Finlay

I've been dealing with this too. Very frustrating. It seems to be an iOS5 issue, in that the default is to shut off stream, which some apps had the foresight to disable. That said, the FIX for me: plug in. With the ipad plugged in, it seems that the default is to continue stream (makes sense: shut off stream on battery, continue on ac). To me, plugging in is a lot better solution than changing settings every time and leaving screen on. I just keep a charger in the same room as the apple TV.

May 5, 2015 4:06 PM in response to Stephen Finlay

My solution:

I was having this problem with the youtube app... while using air play to watch a video, the stream dropped each time my iPad went to sleep.

I closed the youtube app, re-opened it and now it is working fine (as it used to). Now, the audio/video stream continues after the iPad goes to sleep.


Note: by closing the youtube app I mean to double press the iPad button, scroll to the youtube app then swipe up to close the app.

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Airplay stops when iPhone sleeps

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