Netflix Drops Apple AirPlay Support

(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Apple's effort to bring AirPlay support to third-party TVs is a nice perk for consumers—unless you're trying to stream Netflix from your iPhone to the TV.

Last week, Netflix's iOS app mysteriously dropped support for Apple AirPlay, citing "technical limitations." However, the company didn't elaborate at all, prompting many to wonder if Netflix had (another) beef with Apple. It was only last month when Apple announced its own ambitious plan to enter the streaming wars with Apple TV+, which will arrive via an iOS update in May.

But over the weekend, Netflix suggested to The Verge that Apple is to blame.

"With AirPlay support rolling out to third-party devices, there isn't a way for us to distinguish between devices (what is an Apple TV vs. what isn't) or certify these experiences," Netflix said. "Therefore, we have decided to discontinue Netflix AirPlay support to ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met."

The statement doesn't exactly clear up the situation. But it implies the problem is less of a true technical limitation and more about Netflix not liking the way AirPlay works over non-Apple TV devices. But no mention was made of the company trying to fix the issue. For now, customers will just have to access Netflix through the built-in app on their TVs, or through an Apple TV media streamer, the company said.

So far, Apple hasn't commented on the whole issue. The company's AirPlay 2 support will be arriving to new and some existing TVs from LG, Samsung, Sony and Vizio. You can find a full list of the exact models below.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
Xbox 360 FTW
The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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