MacBook Pro Not Showing Airplay or Airdrop, How to Fix?

Apple never disappoints there users in terms of providing premium devices. It is a well-known brand for its premium devices and services provided by them. They have been launching MacBooks, iPhones, watches, and other Apple products according to their user’s needs. Apple has always tried to provide users with great features. And, we have seen the demand for Apple Products in the market. The professionals who are working prefer MacBooks, iMacs, iPhones, etc. This is because they are providing good performance, features, and much more in the device.

The Apple MacBooks are one of their premium products. And, there are a lot of laptops launched in it with different customization and features. The MacBook Pro is a customized and powerful laptop. It comes with a lot of features. The new MacBook Pro is being powered by Apple’s own chipsets which are Apple M1 & M2. The chipsets make it more powerful in aspects of performance. The MacBook Pro comes with Retina Display with True Tone support. It comes with up to 64GB RAM and 8TB SSD Storage. There are a lot of features that are provided by Apple. They also give the best quality customer support to their MacBook Pro users.

Airplay and Airdrop are features that are provided in the Apple Devices. These features are also available in the MacBook Pro for overall connectivity of the Apple Devices with each other. But, now, many users are reporting that their MacBook Pro is not showing Airplay or Airdrop. Therefore, be with us till the end, and read the article to know how to fix this issue.

Why Airplay or Airdrop Not Working on Mac

So, we are here with the guide on fixing this issue. But, before that, we will tell you about AirPlay and Airdrop. And, after it, we will tell you the common reasons through which this issue can be encountered on your MacBook Pro, then we will mention the fixes through which you can resolve this issue.

What are AirPlay and AirDrop?

AirPlay is a feature that is provided with the Apple device. Through it, you are given the chance to wirelessly play content from an Apple device to a TV or speaker. So, you have to connect both devices to the same local Wi-Fi network then the Airplay option becomes visible in different apps including Photos, Music, TV, and Safari.

Similar to it, AirDrop is another feature that is provided to connect nearby Macs and iOS devices to securely transfer files between them over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. So, both of the features are provided in the MacBook Pro, and you can also check their compatibility in your MacBook Pro too.

Now, check the common reasons through which the issue is persisting on your MacBook Pro.

• Software Issues
• Connectivity Problems
• Hardware Issues
• Outdated Software

How to Fix MacBook Pro Not Showing Airplay or Airdrop?

Finally, we are here with the guide on how to fix the not showing issue of Airplay or Airdrop on your MacBook Pro. Therefore, we will be listing out the methods through which you can easily resolve the issue. So, check out the methods below.

Turn On WiFi & Bluetooth

AirPlay and Airdrop only work over the WiFi and Bluetooth, so make sure that you have turned on the WiFi and Bluetooth for using the Airplay/AirDrop feature. For turning on WiFi, follow the steps which are given below.

• Go to System Preferences
• Click on Network
• Turn WiFi On

Similarly, follow the steps for turning on Bluetooth.

Restart Your MacBook Pro

You should try to restart your laptop. By restarting, the system will be able to load all the files correctly if they were not loaded in the previous boot correctly. So, you should try restarting the MacBook Pro. To do this, shut down the MacBook Pro and wait for 5 minutes and again turn it on. Now, check whether the issue is still there or is fixed.

Update Your macOS

This type of issue can also be caused due to minor bugs with the system files which do not work properly. So, in this scenario, the company releases system updates to fix this type of bug. Therefore, you should regularly update your laptop on the regular basis to avoid this type of issue from happening. So, follow the steps which are given below to check for updates on your MacBook Pro.

• Go to System Preferences
• Press on Software Update
• Now, it will check for the update. And, if there is any update then it will show the Update Now button.
• When you click on the Update Now button then a dialog box will appear with some Terms & Conditions.
• Accept it and enter your MacBook Pro password for verification to start the update.
• Also, make sure that your internet connection is working smoothly to avoid any type of error between downloading the update.
• After the completion of the update, check whether the issue has been fixed or not.

Check Firewall Settings

The issue can also arise due to the Firewall Settings on your MacBook Pro. So, make sure you have the correct Firewall Settings. Therefore, follow the steps which are given below to check the Firewall Settings.

• Go to System Preferences
• After it, click on Security & Privacy
• Now, go to Firewall
• Select the Firewall Options
• Click on the box next to “Automatically allow signed software to receive incoming connections”

Enable AirPlay Mirroring in the Menu Bar

Follow the steps which are given below to enable AirPlay in the Menu Bar

• Go to System Preferences
• Click on Displays
• Click on the box of Show Mirroring Options in the Menu Bar when available
• Now, whenever there are AirPlay devices, then the AirPlay icon will appear in the menu bar.

Reset The PRAM or NVRAM

The issue can also be caused due to some changes in settings due to some corrupted files. So, in this case, you can reset the PRAM or NVRAM of your MacBook Pro to restore its default hardware settings. Therefore, resetting the PRAM or NVRAM can help in resolving the not showing issue. Follow the steps that are given below to reset the PRAM or NVRAM of your MacBook Pro.

• Shut down the MacBook Pro, and make sure that it is completely shut down and not in reset mode.
• Now, press on the start again and wait till it gets switched on.
• After it, press the key for 20 seconds: Option + Command + P + R and hold it for 20 seconds without any interruptions.
• It will make your MacBook restart with the reset of the PRAM or NVRAM.

Now, check whether the issue has been resolved or not.

Run Apple Diagnostic

The Apple Diagnostic is a feature provided in the device for the testing of all the hardware that whether they are working properly or not. You can also use the Apple Diagnostic to check what is the issue behind not showing off the features. It will evaluate the hardware and show you whether all of them are working properly or not. Follow the steps which are given below to run Apple Diagnostic.

• So, go to Apple Menu and click on Shut Down
• Also, make sure that no external devices are connected to the MacBook Pro
• Now, switch on the MacBook Pro and hold the D key
• Release it when you see the Language Option
• The Apple Diagnostics will run a scan through which it will detect the defects in the hardware and if there are any
• After completion, click on Restart Button to restart the MacBook Pro
• You can also repeat the test again by clicking on the “Run The Test Again” option

Contact Customer Support

So, if the issue has not been fixed then you should have to visit the service center because it can be caused due to any hardware problem or software problem which you are not able to analyze. And, in this scenario, the professionals will be able to help you. So, visit the service center, tell them about the issue and get your MacBook Pro fixed.

Conclusion

So, in this article, we have explained all the common reasons through which the issue can arise on your MacBook Pr. We have also discussed the various ways through which you can try resolving this issue on your MacBook Pro. So, I hope all the methods which are mentioned are clear to you and you will be easily able to implement them. If you have fixed the same issue through any other methods then do share it with us in the comment section below.