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Amazon’s Fire TV device and line of TVs represent the affordable brand of streaming devices while retaining a well-known and respected name on the market. A Fire TV might not be for everyone, but it’s hard to argue with their affordability and impressive QLED displays.
Amazon is not like some manufacturers in that they don’t approach streaming from a strictly proprietary standpoint. For instance, you should be able to mirror your Android devices and Apple TV on many Amazon Fire TVs without a problem, though there are exceptions.
While Fire TV devices or TVs give you access to the Apple TV+ app, being able to mirror your iPhone or iPad with AirPlay is highly convenient and allows you to switch between devices on the fly. That is, assuming AirPlay is working with Fire TV. What can you do if AirPlay and Fire TV aren’t playing nice?
Table of Contents
5 Fixes To Fire TV Airplay Not Working
1. Does Your Fire TV Support AirPlay?
That’s the first question you need to ask yourself before you start jumping through hoops trying to get the two to work. As we mentioned above, Amazon is not strictly proprietary, keeping everything within the same, small circle of devices. But, that doesn’t mean all Fire TVs are that way.
Amazon’s Omni Series, 4 Series, Insignia and Toshiba 4k variations, and the M550 from Toshiba are the Fire TVs with Airplay capability. There may be one or two more out there, especially as Amazon’s partnerships and line of TVs continues to grow. However, it’s enough to know that not all Fire TVs support AirPlay.
If this is the case with your TV, you simply won’t be able to use AirPlay specifically. However, there are several apps out there that mirror your iOS device. You can always try those, even though the experience is bound to be a downgrade from AirPlay.
The reason being that most mirror apps feature advertisements that get in the way of the experience. Beggars can’t be choosers, though, and if It’s what you have, it’s what you have.
2. Update the Firmware (iOS and Fire TV)
Failure to update firmware is one of the most common reasons for issues involving devices themselves and interaction between devices. Apple’s iOS devices and Fire TVs are no exception to the rule.
Being behind on a single firmware update can potentially present problems when you’re trying to bring two devices together.
It doesn’t take much. Fortunately, updating either device is fairly quick and simple. Apple devices update automatically by default, unless you turn the device off after purchase. However, your iPhone or iPad does have to be on a charger if the update comes through and the device is at less than 50% battery.
iOS Devices
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll and select General
- Select Software Update near the top
- If an update is available, it will show up on the screen
- Select the update
- Confirm
- Your iOS device will update and restart on its own from here
Fire TV
- Open the Settings Menu on your Fire TV
- Depending on your model, select My Fire TV or Device & Software
- Select the About tab
- Select “Check for System Update
- If an update pops up, select it and confirm
- The TV will update and restart on its own from here
Fire TVs, like iOS devices, should be set to automatically update as the default. If it’s not doing so, be sure to change it to Automatic in the Settings menu.
Anytime the Fire TV is connected to Wi-Fi, it should update on its own from now on. However, it pays to check it every once in a while.
3. Your Internet Connection is Bad
This runs a couple of different ways. First, if your internet connection isn’t strong and stable, you’ll have problems using AirPlay. Second, both the Fire TV and the iOS device need to be on the same Wi-Fi to function properly.
Wi-Fi is getting better and better in terms of interference, but it’s still susceptible to a lot, especially those using last gen routers or cheaper routers that don’t use the latest in Wi-Fi technology.
There are typically two bandwidths on Wi-Fi, with a bunch of different channels among each.
The channels are 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz. Newer routers have a third—6.0 GHz. Some better routers will connect you to the channel of your choice and bounce your device around on different bands, depending on which one is the strongest and the most stable.
To run AirPlay on your Fire TV, both your iOS device and your Fire TV need to have a strong internet connection. There are a ton of apps out there that will allow you to test your internet speed.
Just be sure to run the app in the same vicinity as your Fire TV and where your iOS device will be. If you have poor signal, that’s your problem.
Feel free to move your router closer, connect it with an Ethernet cable to your Fire TV, or remove any barriers between your router and TV.
4. Restart the Fire TV
Sometimes, the simplest answer is the correct answer. Restarting your Fire TV is a good way to get rid of any minor bugs or glitches that could be plaguing your OS in the background.
You don’t need to do anything crazy, simply unplug your Fire TV and let it remain unplugged for a good two minutes or two.
When you’re ready, plug it back in and allow it to cycle back up. Once it connects to the internet, go ahead and try to use AirPlay again.
For what it’s worth, anytime you reset one device because it’s not working correctly with another device, you should restart both devices. That way, you clear up both of them before you try getting them to work together.
5. Clear the Cache On Your Fire TV
The cache is all of that background information that your Fire TV stores to make your streaming experience faster and more convenient.
Unfortunately, when it gets too filled up, it does the exact opposite, slowing things down and making interactions with other devices all the more difficult.
Clearing up the cache will often solve issues you didn’t even realize you had.
- Open the Settings menu on your Fire TV
- Select the Applications tab
- Select Manage Installed Applications
- Select the Clear Cache option
- Confirm and clear
- You can also select the Clear Data option
Sure, it takes a lot of time, and it’s boring, but you’ll get there in the end. When you clear the cache, it doesn’t delete your login information for each app you regularly use on the Fire TV. However, it will clear things like suggested viewing and other experiences the software creates to make your streaming experience easier.
If you select the Clear Data option, which you should do if the Clear Cache doesn’t work, it will clear all of your login data. You will have to redo that for each and every app you use consistently on the Fire TV.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that not all Fire TVs operate with Apple TV, so you should check your model online to make sure that yours does. More models are bound to come out after this writing. While they should be able to connect with iOS devices, there is no guarantee that they will.