Technology AirPlay from Apple allows you to wirelessly broadcast video, music and device screens to compatible receivers - from Apple TV to smart ones speakers HomePod and TVs with support AirPlay 2. But what if you have Android smartphone, and not iPhone? It turns out that there are several ways to get around this limitation - from official applications to clever technical solutions.

In this article we will look at all current methods for enabling AirPlay on Android in 2026including configuration through third-party apps, using routers with support mDNS and even emulation iOS-devices. You'll learn which apps work reliably and which may cause latency or broadcast quality issues. Let us separately dwell on the nuances for different versions Android (from Android 10 to Android 15) and TV models (Samsung QLED, LG OLED, Sony Bravia).

Important: not all methods are equally reliable. For example, streaming video via DLNA instead of AirPlay may result in loss of audio synchronization, and some applications require root access or ADBcommands. We have marked such points with warnings so that you can choose the best option without risk to the device.

📊 What type of device do you want to connect to AirPlay?
Apple TV
Smart speaker (HomePod, Sonos)
TV (Samsung, LG, Sony)
Another AirPlay receiver

1. What is AirPlay and why is it not available on Android out of the box?

AirPlay is a proprietary protocol from Apple, designed for wireless media transfer between ecosystem devices. It works on the basis of Wi-Fi, Bonjour (mDNS) i HTTP streamingtechnologies, providing low latency and high quality broadcasting. Main versions:

  • 📺 AirPlay 1 (2010) - support for audio and video, but without multi-room synchronization.
  • 🔊 AirPlay 2 (2018) - added synchronization between multiple speakers, improved buffering.
  • 🖥️ AirPlay Mirroring - screen broadcasting (requires Apple TV or a compatible TV).

The problem is that Apple does not license AirPlay for Android —unlike Google Cast (used in Chromecast), which is available on iPhone. However, there are workarounds:

  1. Emulator applications (for example, AirScreen or ApowerMirror).
  2. Flashing alternative OS to the receiver (for example, Android TV with support for AirPlay).
  3. Using an intermediate server (router with Avahi or PC with iTunes).

⚠️ Attention: Some methods may violate the terms of use Apple (for example, emulation iOSdevices). This does not entail legal liability for the end user, but may lead to blocking of certain functions when updating the receiver firmware.

2. Method 1: Applications for emulating AirPlay on Android

The easiest way is to install a specialized application that converts the signal Android into a format compatible with AirPlay. The best options in 2026:

App AirPlay 2 support Screen casting Free version Root required
AirScreen ✅ Yes ✅ Yes (with delay) ❌ No (3-day trial) ❌ No
ApowerMirror ❌ No (AirPlay 1 only) ✅ Yes ✅ Yes (with watermark) ❌ No
LocalCast ❌ No (DLNA only) ❌ No ✅ Yes ❌ No
Roku (for TVs) ✅ Yes (on some models) ❌ No ✅ Yes ❌ No

📌 Step-by-step guide for AirScreen:

  1. Download AirScreen from Google Play (or from the official website if your device is not supported).
  2. Connect Android and the receiver (for example, Apple TV) to the same network Wi-Fi.
  3. Launch the application and select the mode AirPlay Receiver.
  4. On the receiver (Apple TV, TV) select the signal source - it should appear the name of your smartphone.
  5. On Android click Start Now and confirm the broadcast.

⚠️ Attention: When broadcasting video via AirScreen there may be a sound delay of up to 2 seconds. For games or watching movies, this is critical - use alternative methods (see section 4).

Install the app on Android|Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network|Enable AirPlay Receiver mode in the settings|Check receiver compatibility (Apple TV 4K, TVs with AirPlay 2)|Disable VPN on smartphone -->

3. Method 2: Using DLNA/UPnP as an alternative to AirPlay

If your TV or speaker supports DLNA (for example, Samsung Smart TV, LG WebOS, Sonos), you can stream content without AirPlay, but with some restrictions:

  • 🎵 Audio: Most applications (for example, VLC or BubbleUPnP) support music streaming.
  • 🎬 Video: There may be problems with formats (.mkv, DTS sound).
  • 🖥️ Screen: Display broadcast not supported.

📌 How to set up DLNA on Android:

  1. Install BubbleUPnP from Google Play.
  2. Enable DLNA on the receiver (in the network settings of the TV or speaker).
  3. In BubbleUPnP select the file to broadcast and specify target device.
  4. For video, use VLC with the option Play on device.

🔍 Comparison of DLNA and AirPlay:

Option DLNA AirPlay
Audio delay 0.5–1.5 sec 0.1–0.3 sec
4K HDR support ❌ Partially ✅ Yes
Screen broadcast ❌ No ✅ Yes
Multi-room sound ❌ No ✅ Yes (AirPlay 2)

⚠️ Attention: Some TVs (for example Sony Bravia 2020–2022) block DLNA for third-party applications. In this case, resetting the network settings or updating the firmware will help.

💡

If the broadcast via DLNA is interrupted, try reducing the video bitrate in the application settings or transcoding the file to MP4 (H.264) using HandBrake.

4. Method 3: Setting up AirPlay through a router that supports Bonjour

If your router supports the protocol mDNS/Bonjour (for example, Asus RT-AX88U, Netgear Nighthawk), you can set up broadcasting without additional applications. This method works for:

  • 📡 Audio: Speakers HomePod, Sonos, Denon HEOS.
  • 📺 Video: Apple TV, TVs LG (with webOS 5.0+).

📌 Instructions:

  1. Check whether the router supports Avahi (in the menu LAN → DHCP Server or Administration).
  2. Activate the option Enable Bonjour Service (or Multicast DNS).
  3. Connect Android and the receiver to the router via Wi-Fi (or Ethernet for TV).
  4. Use the application LocalCast or VLC to send content to the device.

🔧 If the router does not support Bonjour:

  1. Install alternative firmware (DD-WRT, OpenWRT).
  2. Connect to the network Raspberry Pi with the server running Avahi-daemon.

⚠️ Attention: Settings mDNS on the router may conflict with other network services (for example, Google Castif after activation Bonjour stopped working Chromecast, return the default settings and use another method.

How to check Bonjour support on the router

Go to the router web interface (usually 192.168.1.1), find section LAN or Advanced. Look for options with names Multicast, IGMP, Bonjour or mDNS. If they are not there, the router does not support the protocol.

5. Method 4: Emulate an iOS device (for advanced users)

This method involves “deceiving” the receiver AirPlay, making it think that it is connecting iPhone or iPad. To do this you will need:

  • 📱 Android with root access (or an unlocked bootloader).
  • 💻 PC with ADB (for sending commands).
  • 🔧 Application AirPlay Enabler (outdated, but working).

📌 Step-by-step guide:

  1. Activate Developer mode on Android (press 7 times by build number in Settings → About phone).
  2. Connect your smartphone to the PC and run the command: 
    adb shell settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0
  3. Install AirPlay Enabler (APK available on XDA Developers).
  4. Enable in the application option Spoof iOS Device and reboot your smartphone.
  5. Now the receiver AirPlay should see your Android as iPhone.

⚠️ Attention: This method can lead to:

  • 🚫 Blocking of some functions Google Play Services (due to changes in device identifiers).
  • 🔄 Unstable operation Wi-Fi (due to conflicts mDNS).
  • 📵 Loss of warranty (if bootloader unlocking is required).

🔍 An alternative without root: The application AirParrot 3 (paid, ~$10) allows you to emulate a iOSdevice without deep changes in the system, but requires Windows/Mac for intermediate signal processing.

💡

Emulating an iOS device is the most risky method, but the only one that allows you to broadcast the screen Android to Apple TV with a minimum delay (about 0.5 seconds).

6. Method 5: Using an intermediate server (PC or Mac)

If you have a computer with macOS or Windows, you can organize a broadcast through it. This method is suitable for: (with minimal latency). data-i="262">Multi-room sound

  • 🎮 Game streaming (with minimal delay).
  • 🎥 Watching movies in high resolution (4K HDR).
  • 🔈 Multi-room sound (through iTunes).

📌 Instructions for Windows:

  1. Install iTunes and Bonjour Service (included in the installation package).
  2. Download AirParrot 3 or 5KPlayer (free).
  3. Connect Android and the receiver AirPlay to the same network with the PC.
  4. B 5KPlayer select the option AirPlay Mirroring and specify the target device.
  5. On Android use LocalCast or VLC to send content to a PC that relays it further.

🖥️ For macOS:

  1. Activate Screen mirroring in System settings → Monitors.
  2. Install AirServer (paid, ~$20) to receive a signal from Android.
  3. Use QuickTime Player for rebroadcasting to Apple TV.

⚠️ Attention: When broadcasting via a PC, the video quality may deteriorate due to double compression (first to Android, then to the PC). For 4K content, it is recommended to use LAN connection instead of Wi-Fi.

7. Solving problems with AirPlay connection on Android

If the broadcast does not work, check the following points:

Problem Possible cause Solution
The device is not located Different networks Wi-Fi or disabled mDNS Connect both devices to the same network, check the router settings
Audio/video delay Network overload or weak router Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi or use Ethernet
No sound Incompatible audio codec (DTS, Dolby Atmos) Re-encode the file to AAC or MP3
The broadcast is interrupted Energy saving on Android Add the application to battery exceptions (Settings → Battery)

🔧 Additional tips:

  • 🔄 Reboot the router and receiver AirPlay.
  • 📵 Disable VPN i Firewall on Android.
  • 🔒 Update the receiver firmware (for example, Apple TV should be tvOS 17+).

⚠️ Attention: On some TVs Samsung (models 2021–2023) AirPlay works only when disabled Google Assistant. Go to Settings → General → Smart features and deactivate the voice assistant.

8. Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your tasks and equipment. Here's a quick summary:

Method Simplicity Latency Screen support Cost
Applications (AirScreen) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⏱️ 1–2 sec ✅ Yes ~$5–$10
DLNA (BubbleUPnP) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⏱️ 0.5–1.5 sec ❌ No Free
Router with Bonjour ⭐⭐⭐ ⏱️ 0.3–1 sec ❌ No Free
iOS emulation ⭐⭐ ⏱️ 0.5 sec ✅ Yes Free (root)
PC as server ⭐⭐⭐ ⏱️ 0.2–0.8 sec ✅ Yes ~$10–$20

💡 Recommendations:

  • 🎬 For video and games better use PC as a server or iOS emulation (minimum latency).
  • 🎵 For music suitable DLNA or a router with Bonjour.
  • 📱 For simplicity choose applications like AirScreen (but be prepared for delays).
💡

If you need a stable broadcast Android screen to Apple TV with minimal latency, the only reliable way is emulation iOSdevices (section 5) or using a PC as an intermediate server (section 6).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about AirPlay on Android

❓ Is it possible to enable AirPlay on Android without third-party applications?

No, Android does not support AirPlay natively. However, some TV manufacturers (for example LG and Samsung) add support for AirPlay 2 in their applications for Android (for example LG TV Plus or SmartThings). Check if there is such an option in your TV's proprietary software.

❓ Why are audio and video not synchronized when broadcasting via AirPlay?

This is a typical problem when using emulator applications (for example, AirScreen). Reasons:

  • Weak Wi-Fi signal (switch to 5 GHz).
  • Smartphone processor overload (close background applications).
  • Incompatible video format (try MP4 H.264).

Solution: use method with an intermediate PC (section 6) or reduce the video bitrate.

❓ Does AirPlay work on Android 15?

Yes, all described methods are compatible with Android 15, but:

  • Some applications (for example, AirPlay Enabler) may require additional permissions due to stricter security policies.
  • Background activity is blocked Android 15 background activity is blocked mDNS to save battery Add the streaming application to exceptions (Settings → Battery → Battery optimization).
❓ Is it possible to stream Netflix/YouTube via AirPlay from Android?

Technically yes, but there are limitations:

  • 🎬 Netflix and Disney+ block streaming via AirPlay due to DRM (content protection). Solution: use DLNA or broadcast from a PC.
  • 📺 YouTube works, but the quality may be reduced to 1080p (even if the video is in 4K).

🔍 Workaround: Download the video via YouTube Premium and stream the local file.

❓ How to disable AirPlay on Android if it interferes with others functions?

If you used emulator applications (AirScreen, ApowerMirror), it is enough:

  1. Close the application in the multitasking menu.
  2. Disable autorun (Settings → Applications → Autorun).
  3. Delete the application if it is no longer needed.

If you emulated a iOSdevice via ADB, run the command: 

adb shell settings delete global captive_portal_detection_enabled