Do you have music stored on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad that you wish you could play through your Mac, Windows PC, or even a surround sound system on Apple TV or XBMC Media Center? Well, you can use AirPlay to stream audio directly from your iOS device to any of these devices. All you need to do is set up your chosen device as an AirPlay receiver.
Benefits of Streaming Music with AirPlay
- Easily play music from your iOS device on a receiver device.
- No need to copy music to your computer, which may not be allowed due to DRM.
- You only need to stream audio directly from your iOS device to any of the devices you set up as an AirPlay receiver.
Eligible Receivers
You can stream audio output from your iOS device to any compatible AirPlay receiver, whether it’s hardware like Apple TV or software like Reflector and XBMC.
- Get a Reflector (Mac OS X and Windows – free trial then $ 15 – accepts audio, video and enables video mirroring)
- Get XBMC (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux – free – accepts audio and video streams, but no screen mirroring)
- Apple TV – $ 99
Setting up an AirPlay Audio Receiver
Once you’ve installed your AirPlay receiver, whether it’s software or hardware, it’s a piece of cake. Here’s how you can set up different receivers:
Apple TV
Make sure AirPlay is on:
- Select Settings > AirPlay > ON
XBMC
Setting up an AirPlay server on XBMC is simple:
- Go to System, then select Settings and Network
- Select “Allow XBMC to receive AirPlay content”
Reflector
The Reflector is incredibly easy to use and doesn’t need configuration:
- Simply opening the application creates an AirPlay server.
Sending Audio Output Stream from iOS to an AirPlay Receiver
Now that you have an AirPlay app or device open as a receiver, all you need to do is stream music through AirPlay. Here’s how:
- Start playing a song or album in the Music app on your iOS device.
- Tap the AirPlay icon at the bottom (it looks like this: [n]).
- Select the AirPlay receiver you configured earlier.
The sound should start playing immediately via the AirPlay receiver, whether it’s a computer or a TV. Adjusting the volume slider on your iOS device in Music changes the volume on your device. All the features of the music player app work as intended.
FAQs
What devices support AirPlay?
AirPlay is supported only on Apple devices.
What operating system should I use to use AirPlay?
You can use AirPlay with macOS or iOS.
Is this guide free?
Yes, this guide is completely free to read.
How can I contact you if I need help?
You can contact us through our contact page.
Final Note
If you have questions or need more information about streaming music from your iPhone or iPod to your computer or Apple TV with AirPlay, we’re here to help. This guide is for educational purposes only. Please contact us if you find any misinformation or want to share additional methods of streaming music with AirPlay.