iPad 2 – Airplay can't see Apple TV

I have an iPad 2 running iOS 8.1 and an Apple TV 3 with the latest software and I can't use Airplay to send content to my Apple TV. I know there is no issue with the Apple TV since I can use Airplay to send content to my Apple TV using my iPhone 6, and Macbook, but not using my iPad. Oddly, Airplay will work on my iPad when I connect to my airport express, but not to my Apple TV - Apple TV doesn't appear in the drop down menu yet my airport express does! I have gone through all the usual fixes (restarting, restoring, etc. etc.) - to no avail, my iPad simply can not find my Apple TV for some reason. Any help would be greatly appreciated! cheers, d

iPad 2, iOS 8.1

Posted on Oct 25, 2014 3:10 PM

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17 replies

Oct 25, 2014 3:31 PM in response to db67

You have an interesting issue! You described it very well, thank you.


One possible cause is that you are using your iPhone in a peer-to-peer AirPlay mode. See the Peer-to-Peer AirPlay section here:

Use AirPlay to wirelessly stream content from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch


The iPhone supports peer-to-peer AirPlay while the iPad is too old to support it.


To make a long story short, please check that the iPhone, iPad, AirPort Express and Apple TV are all on the same WiFi network. Peer-to-peer AirPlay would explain your symptoms above if not all four devices were on the same network.

Oct 25, 2014 4:00 PM in response to sberman

Thanks so much for the quick reply. All of the devices are on the same WiFi network, so I'm afraid this is likely not the issue. Incidentally, my son and daughter can both access the Apple TV using AirPlay with their respective iPhones - so clearly the issue must be with the iPad for some strange reason.

Oct 25, 2014 4:29 PM in response to sberman

Well - it's clearly a mystery. I read in another post dealing with a separate issue I'm having (Home Sharing not working - grrrr – after 20 some odd years of Apple products seamlessly working my Apple experience of late is becoming a rather large headache) that if you disable sync over WiFi on all iOS devices that this somehow may resole issues with both Home Sharing and AirPlay - not sure why or how, but it's worth a shot. I'll post if results are positive.

Nov 21, 2014 7:24 PM in response to db67

Hi db67


It seems to me that there has been some unannounced changes to the way AirPlay works on the iPad, while apparently nothing has changed in that

regard with iPhones.

A few minutes ago I realized I had the same problem you describe above, and after going through all the setup checks and resets, etc., I accidentally

stumbled into the solution in a very simple way!

From the home page on iPad, or from any page for that matter, you can slide up from the bottom to launch the Control Center,

then touch the AirPlay button at the bottom and voila! there is your AppleTV/iPad toggle.

Unfortunately, I find that the AppleTV can only be turned on from there and not from within Apps. You can however switch back to

playing/displaying your content on the iPad from within Apps, but once you switch back to the iPad, the only way to get back on the AppleTV

again is to go through the above process.


'Hope this helps for now. Please let me know if you find any other solutions.

Nov 24, 2014 1:27 AM in response to newtonet

Thanks for the reply, but sadly this does not solve the issue for me. I am aware of how to access AppleTV via Control Center - the issue I have is AppleTV doesn't appear as an option accessible with AirPlay - simply stated it's just not there. I do see other options via AirPlay and Control Center (such as my AirPort Express networked speakers etc.) just no Apple TV.

Nov 24, 2014 11:30 AM in response to db67

I Think they changed the way the list is displayed on the iPad. Now only 2 options are in the window view, try scrolling down in the list (there is no visual indicator that more options follow/the list is lnger than the two you see). Note all users in this thread with this problem also are running an AirPort as the WiFi network, which adds one entry to the AirPlay options and unfortunately displaces the AppleTV to #3 in the list.

Nov 24, 2014 2:08 PM in response to Dbconlin

Thank you Dbconlin for sharing your insight. This resolves the 'missing AppleTv' dilemma. I don't use AirPort, yet have the same issue you described.

My AirPlay dialog box displays a blank line at the top followed by an only visible line, iPad, unless as you clarified I scroll down to reveal AppleTv.

I'm curious though as to why none of my iPhones have had any issues with this.


Thank you again,

Dec 15, 2014 8:11 AM in response to db67

Hello, I was wondering if you had any update on your issue, because I have the same than you.


It's not in a home environment though, it's at my workplace.


We have a laboratory using approximatively 30 iPad 2 and an Apple TV 3rd Gen and last month our Apple TV glitched and we had to restore it to factory default.


We set it exactly as it was before, everything was working then (iPad 2 were detecting the Apple TV and could mirror, etc.


Now, the iPad 2 (all of them) can't see the Apple TV in the AirPlay menu, but they do detect all the other Airplay-enabled devices on our network.


My personal iPhone 5S see the Apple TV via P2P Airplay, my colleague's iPhone 6 see it too and the Apple TV is definitely working by itself, it access internet and such, so it's not a connectivity issue.


The only thing I can't confirm is whether the Airplay feature is broken for all non P2P-capable devices or just for the iPad 2, because we don't have other models available.

Dec 15, 2014 2:27 PM in response to Community User

Hi Ellan - I don't think this will be very helpful to you, but nonetheless it started working a few days ago for me finally. Again as I stated above the solution was not to "scroll down" and select the apple tv listed after other devices - since as I mentioned when I scrolled down I saw the other devices just not the apple tv. It simply wasn't there. So after updating to 8.1.2 I removed all other devices on the network (airport express etc.) except the apple tv – and voila it's there (listed as the only device). I honestly don't know if this has anything to do with the update or if by removing all other devices it somehow helped. I plan on adding the other devices back tomorrow so hopefully it won't make the apple tv disappear again.

Dec 16, 2014 6:37 AM in response to db67

Oh, I'm glad it worked for you!


I figure it would be harder for us to go and disable all the other listed device because we are quite a big business and there are many laptops listed on the iPads' control panel and 2 other apple TV (which is strange because this building only have one haha.)


Keep me informed whether your Apple TV disappeared upon re-enabling your other device.


Thanks!

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iPad 2 – Airplay can't see Apple TV

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