where is the airplay icon on mavericks?

Aiplay in your task bar is directly related to the 'mirroring options in preferences/display.

Check the box at the bottom 'show mirroring options in the menu bar when available'

Job done. Image attached.

I was having the same issue with a MacBook Pro Retina. I typically leave Wi-Fi off and use a hard wired network connection. Appears Wi-Fi must be on for AirPlay to work. Once I turned on Wi-Fi, the issue was resolved.

so if your imac is older than the mid 2011 model then the option just isnt available to you even if it can run mavericks? any actual reason behind this or just a sly dig and the people who havent upgraded to the latest hardware yet?

I just posted this elsewhere - may be of use to you too: This will no doubt go straight into the screaming obvious category for most (but er, not to me) - I just updated to Mavericks plus installed updates on my Apple TV2 (hadn't been used for ages) and was going thru the same where's the Airplay icon issue... eventually checked the settings on the Apple TV itself - towards the bottom (under Settings) is the Airplay option, clicked on that and discovered it was off (switched off after the update? who knows?), anyway as soon as I bunged that on the magic Airplay icon appeared on my MacBook menu bar.

Thing is iTunes was happily playing from the MacBook thru the Apple TV even before I switched Airplay on the Apple TV, so that was kind of confusing me even more.

Heads Talking, I think you are on to the problem... I think the AppleTV needed a software update to resolve the problem. I originally posted that when I turned on Wi-Fi on my Mac that the AirPlay option showed up on the Mac. But NOW after updating the AppleTV yesterday I see that the AirPlay option shows up when Wi-Fi is OFF on the Mac and I'm hardwired to the network. It never seemed practical to me that Wi-Fi needed to be on for AirPlay to work. Sounds like the AppleTV update resolved the problem.

I have the same problem... the apple tv is brand new the update is done, the air play mode is on, in fact there is screen message appering on my tv sugesting the use of it.., the wierd part is: if I open iTunes, voilá.. it works... the icon appears on the iTunes menu bar... I can see the movies that I have on the library....

but the airplay icon NEVER appears on the menu bar of the OS..... I selected the option on system preferences/monitors.. (off-course) "show mirroring options....." but no icon appears on the menu bar...

this is annoying because I payed for the last OS... and I change to this maverick one just because you announce it as the new great apple movment... but I can't go back to my paid OS... and I have troubles with Mail program as well.... so please @Sam-Apple or somebody else on mac can you help me????

First, let me say something that people might find useful. I go to display perferences, there is an "Airplay Display" drop down I can use to turn on mirroring. I have NO TROUBLE enabling airplay mirroring from there even though the icon is missing on my menu bar. It's a pain becuase it adds several steps, but it works.

Now, unto a complaint about this thread...

I am really annoyed by the people here re-iterating over and over again that this is due to people having old hardware. I read the requirements and my Macbook meets them. What people are missing is a shortcut that used to be in the menu bar that is now gone. It is missing for me was even though I can get Airplay mirroring to work. It appears when I turn mirrioring on, but goes away once I turn it off. I used to always be there.

Drop the constant reminders of hardware limits. The fact is, even if you meet the requirements, this is an issue. I am sure not everyone is experiecing it, but the icon is gone for me and it should be there.

I had this same problem, everything was working fine then one day the appletv icon stopped appearing on all my devices. I have all the latest software updates on my macbook pro and appletv and my devices. To solve I unplugged my apple wireless router and plugged it back in. I went to system preferences/displays and then I found the airplay display was an option again, I see that's its showing up on my devices again too. Apple really messed this one up! I hope this solution works for you!

My icon is only there when I change the preference to my Airport Express or Apple TV.

System Pref - Sound - Output...

It's a long way around, and as soon as I change it back to Internal Spkr using the icon, it disappears again, but at least I can play my music through my stereo 🙂

(My iMac is 2008/2009)

Just bought a new one today though 😀

I had the same problem, macbook pro, bought Nov 2012, airplay worked all the time before Mavericks, but the icon had disappeared after recent updates. mattlavinder, your post helped me. I went to System Prefs > Displays, and the tick box labelled 'Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available' was not ticked. Ticked that and all sorted now

I found out that the built in firewall interferes with AirPlay (which I know is weird).

Try turning the OS X firewall off using System Settings -> Security. If AirPlay now works, turn on the firewall and add "coreaudio" to the list of exceptions. This worked for me.

Coreaudio is the system driver for audio.

I have this problem too. I have a mid-2011 MacBook Air and Mavericks, but the AirPlay icon doesn't show anywhere, not in iTunes, not on the menubar, not in the Output Sound in Syst pref, and neither in the Display in the preferences. Any suggestions?

The AirPort express is working because I can stream the sound from my iPhone when using Spotify for example.

The locaiton of the menu icon apps is /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras

Run Displays.menu and the AirPlay menu icon will appear.

If you have anything compatible it will appear in the menu. Good luck!