How do I get rid of AirPlay option?

Stop sharing your screen when your stream is over

Updated on February 6, 2022

What to Know

  • On the Mac desktop, select Mirroring > Turn Mirroring Off.
  • On a mobile device running iOS, open Control Center > Music or Screen Mirroring > Stop Mirroring or Stop AirPlay.

This article shows how to turn off AirPlay on most iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

How to Turn Off AirPlay on a Mac

From the top menu bar on your Mac desktop, select the Mirroring icon indicated by a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom. In the Mirroring menu that opens, select Turn Mirroring Off.

If you don't see the Mirroring icon, select the Apple icon from the menu bar, followed by System Preferences > Displays. In the lower left corner. Check the Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available checkbox.

How to Turn Off AirPlay on an iPhone or iPad

  1. Open Control Center.

    • iPhone X & iPad iOS 12: Swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen.
    • iPhone 8, or iOS 11, and earlier: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
  2. Select either the Music widget or the Screen Mirroring widget.

  3. Select the option to Stop Mirroring or Stop AirPlay.

If you're looking to reclaim control of your Apple TV from a different AirPlay host, select the Menu button on your Apple TV remote or in the Remote app on your iPhone.

How Does AirPlay Work?

AirPlay detects devices via one of two possible methods. If you're using Apple AirPort Express as your wireless router then it will connect all of your Apple devices without any additional equipment or setup required.

Alternatively, compatible devices will recognize each other when they're on the same Wi-Fi network. As long as each of your devices is using the same Wi-Fi network then they will be able to communicate via AirPlay. That means your iPhone or iPad or will detect your Apple TV, AirPlay-enabled speakers, or other Apple devices you may own.

How to Turn on AirPlay on a Mac

FAQ

  • How do I remove AirPlay from my phone?

    You can’t remove or uninstall AirPlay. The closest you can get to removing AirPlay is to turn it off. To turn off AirPlay on your iPhone, open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, and then tap Stop Mirroring.

  • Where are the AirPlay settings on my iPhone?

    When you want to change the settings for your AirPlay devices, use the Apple Home app. You can use the Home app on your iPhone to turn AirPlay on and off, limit access to AirPlay, change the names of your devices, assign a device to a room, and allow others to project their device screen to your Apple TV or other smart TV.

  • Where is the AirPlay button?

    You’ll find the AirPlay button in the app you use to cast media (for example, the YouTube app). The AirPlay button is the rectangle with the upward pointing arrow. It’s usually found at the bottom of the app screen.

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How do I get rid of AirPlay option?

  • On an iPhone or iPad, you can turn off AirPlay from the app you're streaming by tapping the AirPlay icon and selecting "Turn off AirPlay."
  • To stop mirroring on an iPhone or iPad, go to the Screen Mirroring icon in the Control Center and tap "Stop Mirroring." 
  • On a Mac, you can disable AirPlay Screen Mirroring through your "Display Preferences."

Apple makes it easy to share your iPhone, iPad or Mac screen by streaming it to another AirPlay-compatible device. But what happens when the presentation is over? It's not always immediately obvious how to turn off AirPlay. Thankfully, you can do it with just a few clicks or taps. 

How to turn off AirPlay on an iPhone or iPad

  • If you're using AirPlay to stream video from an app on your iPhone or iPad, tap the AirPlay icon in the app and choose Turn off AirPlay.
Tap the AirPlay icon to turn it off. Dave Johnson
  • If you're using AirPlay to mirror your device, open the Control Center by swiping it down from the top right of the screen (on older devices running iOS 11 or older, swipe up from the bottom of the screen), tap Screen Mirroring and then tap Stop Mirroring.
You can turn screen mirroring on and off from the Control Center. Dave Johnson

How to turn off AirPlay on a Mac

1. On a Mac computer, click the Control Center icon at the top right.

2. Click the Screen Mirroring icon.

The Screen Mirroring control is found in the Mac's quick-access settings. Dave Johnson

3. In the pop-up menu, click Display Preferences... 

4. At the bottom of the Built-In Retina Display window, click the AirPlay Display menu and choose Off.

Control AirPlay from the dropdown menu at the bottom of this window in Settings. Dave Johnson

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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