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AirPlay on Roku: How to Screen Mirror Your iOS Device

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Updated on: March 25, 2024
Time to read: 8 minutes
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Having an AirPlay-compatible Roku streaming device can make it very convenient to mirror your iPhone’s screen. There are no additional accessories or apps required, and you can enjoy streaming content, sharing presentations, or even playing mobile games on a larger screen with ease.

Not every Roku device comes with built-in AirPlay functionality, though. In this article, we’re going to explain how to AirPlay on Roku and what you can do if your streaming device doesn’t support it.

Table of Contents

Do Roku TVs Have AirPlay?

Yes, there are many Roku TVs and players that have AirPlay. To know if your Roku is compatible, you would have to find out its software version and model number. An easier way is to just go to the settings and check if the “Apple AirPlay and HomeKit” option is available. If it’s not, then your Roku is not AirPlay-compatible.

That being said, most Roku models do support AirPlay as long as they are running on Roku OS 9.4 or above. Here is a list of all these models:

Roku device Roku model number
Roku TV Series Axxxx, Cxxxx, CxxGB, 7xxxx
Roku Streambar 9102
Roku Express 4K 3940
Roku Premiere 4620, 3920
Roku Streaming Stick+ 3810
Roku Streaming Stick 4K  3820

Some older Roku models also support AirPlay if they are updated to Roku OS 10.0 or above:

Roku device Roku model number
Roku TV Series Dxxxx and 8xxxx
Roku 2 4205, 4210
Roku 3 4200, 4201, 4230
Roku Streaming Stick 3600, 3800, 3801
Roku Express/Express Plus 3900, 3910, 3930, 3931, 3932, 3960
Roku HD 3932
Step-by-step guide

To enable AirPlay on any of these models, follow the steps below:

1. First, you need to check if there are any software updates available by going to Settings > System > Software update.

2. Go back to the homepage of your Roku, and go to Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit.

3. Highlight the AirPlay toggle and press OK on your Roku remote to enable it.

Step-by-step guide

Once you have enabled it, you can mirror your phone’s screen. Here’s how to use AirPlay on Roku TV to mirror your iPhone:

1. Open the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner on your iPhone.

Open the Control Center on iPhone

2. Select the Screen Mirroring icon.

Tap on the Screen Mirroring option on iPhone

3. In the list of compatible devices that shows up, tap your Roku model to start mirroring to it.

Alternatives for Roku Models That Don’t Have AirPlay

If you find yourself with a Roku model that lacks AirPlay support or you’re facing issues with it, don’t worry! You can still mirror your iPhone’s screen using third-party apps.

Below, we have described two apps that you can use to mirror your phone’s screen and do some other stuff as well, such as streaming videos and music.

Video guide
How to AirPlay on Roku [DoCast app]

1. DoCast

DoCast lets you AirPlay to Roku from iPhone or iPad in a matter of seconds. Owing to its user-friendly interface and complete absence of ads even in the free version, you can easily navigate through the app without any interruptions. It lets you mirror your iPhone’s screen to Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, and DLNA-enabled TVs which means there’s no need to download different apps if you have multiple streaming devices.

DoCast QR code

The app has some other features as well, including offline video and photo casting, and music streaming. None of these features are locked behind a paywall, so you can test out the app before you decide to upgrade. The free version lets you mirror for 15 minutes per session and you can enable auto-rotation and change the quality of the mirrored video.

Once you feel satisfied with the app, you can upgrade to the premium version, which starts from $1.25/month. You can also take advantage of the trial version that lasts 3 days, allowing you to explore all the premium features before making a commitment.

Step-by-step guide

Here’s how to AirPlay to Roku with DoCast:

1. First, download DoCast on your iPhone and then on your Roku.

Download the DoCast app on iPhone

2. On your iPhone, open DoCast and it’ll begin to search for streaming devices near you.

DoCast is finding streaming devices

3. Tap your Roku model once it appears in the app.

Roku streaming devices in DoCast

4. Now tap Screen.

The main screen of the DoCast app on iPhone

5. Here, you can change the quality of the mirroring or turn on auto-rotation. Once you’re ready, tap Start mirroring.

DoCast screen mirroring option for Roku

6. Tap Start Broadcast.

Tap on the Start Broadcast button in DoCast on iPhone

2. Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast

Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast comes packed with features, but not all of them are available in the free version. Other than screen mirroring, it offers webcasting through a built-in browser, YouTube and Vimeo casting, IPTV, and streaming of offline videos and photos.

You can also use its “Remote” feature to control your Roku device, a useful tool if you prefer managing it from your iPhone or you’ve lost your physical remote. Another feature it offers is “Draw”, which essentially lets you doodle on your iPhone and Roku.

If you want multiple features in one app, then Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast is a great option, but keep in mind that the free version doesn’t support high-quality mirroring, auto-rotation, or sound.

Step-by-step guide

Here’s how you can AirPlay to Roku TV using this app:

1. Download Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast on both your iPhone and Roku.

Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast on the App Store

2. Launch the app and tap Select your device at the top.

The Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast app homepage

3. Under the Other Devices section, select your Roku to connect to it.

List of the streaming devices in Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast

4. Once connected, tap Screen Mirror on the homepage of the app.

5. You can’t change any of the settings in the free version. Tap the red button at the bottom to start mirroring.

Screen mirroring page in Screen Mirroring: SmartTV Cast

6. Tap Start Broadcast.

How to AirPlay Popular Streaming Services

With Roku models that support AirPlay, you can watch videos on a bigger screen from tons of streaming services and apps, such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and Disney+. In this guide, we’re going to take a look at how you can stream YouTube from an iPhone using AirPlay on Roku:

Step-by-step guide

1. Open the YouTube app on your iPhone.

2. Play any video you want.

3. Tap the casting icon (right next to the CC and settings icons). 

4. A list of devices you can AirPlay or cast to will pop up. Tap your Roku device and the video will begin to play on your TV.

Screen mirroring a YouTube video to Roku TV

[Bonus] How to Mirror Mac to Roku

With the help of AirPlay, you can also mirror your Mac’s screen to your Roku device. Just turn on AirPlay in your Roku’s settings and then follow the steps below:

Step-by-step guide

1. Open the Control Center on your Mac by clicking on its icon in the menu bar (generally located right next to the Spotlight Search icon).

2. Click on Screen Mirroring.

Tap on the Screen Mirroring option on Mac

3. Select your Roku model from the list of devices to start mirroring to it.

Conclusion

For Apple users, AirPlay makes it very easy to mirror iPhone to a Roku device or TV. You can wirelessly mirror or stream anything you want in a couple of seconds, without having to download any third-party app.

While there are many Roku models today that support AirPlay, it may not be possible on most older ones. If your Roku can’t be updated to Roku OS 10 (or 9.4 in some cases), then you’ll have no choice but to use a third-party app.

There are countless apps on the App Store, but the one we recommend is DoCast. You can use its free version to mirror for 15 minutes per session without being interrupted by ads. It’s easy to set up and use, so you can quickly begin mirroring your iPhone’s screen to your Roku device hassle-free, whether it’s for sharing photos, streaming videos, or giving presentations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it is possible to AirPlay to Roku but it depends on the model of your Roku device. Depending on which model it is, you’ll either have to update it to Roku OS 9.4 or Roku OS 10.0. Then, just turn on AirPlay in the settings and you can begin mirroring or streaming anything you want from your iPhone.

If your Roku TV won’t connect to AirPlay, it could be because it’s not on the same Wi-Fi as your iPhone or you haven’t enabled the AirPlay feature. Go to Settings and make sure AirPlay is turned on. Then, go to Network in Settings and check if you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone.

To mirror your iPhone to Roku, you can either use AirPlay if your Roku supports it or download a third-party app on your phone. We recommend DoCast if your Roku doesn’t have AirPlay. It’s free to use and also lets you stream offline videos, photos, and music.

If your Roku has AirPlay, you can stream from your iPhone by tapping the cast or share icon and then selecting your Roku device. If it’s not compatible with AirPlay, then use a third-party app like DoCast to stream videos, photos, and music.