Apple iPod: How to use Airplay with iPod Touch

AirPlay Requirements

In order to use AirPlay, you’ll need compatible devices. These include:

• A Mac or PC

• An iOS device running iOS 4.2 or later

• iTunes 10.2 or later (some earlier versions support AirTunes or more limited AirPlay implementations)

• Any iPad model

• iPhone 3GS or higher

• 3rd generation iPod touch or newer

• Any Apple TV model (see page 3 for more details)

• AirPort Express (See next page for more details)

• Compatible third-party apps

• Compatible third-party hardware like speakers or stereo receivers

Remote App

If you have an iOS device, you’ll probably want to download Apple’s free Remote app from the App Store. Remote allows you to use your iOS device as a remote (big surprise there, eh?) to control your computer’s iTunes library and what devices it streams content to, which saves running back and forth to your computer each time you want to change something. Pretty handy!

Basic AirPlay Use

When you have a version of iTunes that supports AirPlay and at least one other compatible device, you’ll see the AirPlay icon, a rectangle with a triangle pushing into it from the bottom (picture at left above). Depending on what version of iTunes you have, the AirPlay icon will appear in different locations. In iTunes 11 and higher, the AirPlay icon is in the top left, next to the play/forward/backward buttons. In iTunes 10 and earlier, you’ll find it in the bottom right-hand corner of the iTunes window. This allows you to select a device to stream audio or video to via AirPlay. While earlier versions of AirTunes required you to set iTunes to seek out these devices, that’s no longer necessary–iTunes now automatically detects them.

As long as your computer and the device you want to connect to are on the same Wi-Fi network, you’ll see the names you’ve given the devices in the menu that appears when you click the AirPlay icon.

Select the AirPlay device you want the music or video to play through in this menu (you can select more than one device at the same time). Then begin playing music or video and you’ll hear it playing through the device you selected.