Here’s a surprising fact: screen sharing drains your device’s battery faster than a toddler drains a juice box. An iPhone on AirPlay will lose about 15-20% per hour. If you’re sharing a movie, you’ll be hunting for a charger before the hero even gets the sword. So plug in your device while sharing, or risk being plunged into darkness mid-climax.
How to connect your iPhone or iPad to your big-screen TV | PCWorld
Believe it or not, Apple TV screen sharing used to be a paid feature of early AirPlay prototypes, and some beta testers reported it would randomly share their camera feed. Yikes. Today, it’s just your safe, boring, wonderful mirror. Count your blessings.
Pro Tips from a Screen-Share Warrior
Want to share only audio? Use the Music app’s AirPlay button instead of Screen Mirroring. For video, open a streaming app, tap the AirPlay icon (the rectangle with circles), and pick your TV. This uses less battery and doesn’t show your home screen full of unsorted apps.
Also, if your TV is a bit older, you might need an Apple TV HD or 4K. The black hockey puck is like a fine wine—it gets better with each generation. But remember: you can’t screen share from a friend’s device to your TV unless you both have the same Wi-Fi. That’s why neighborhood potlucks are notoriously low-tech.
