Support → Airfoil for Mac

Sending from iOS to multiple outputs with Airfoil for Mac

When you’re listening to audio on an iPhone or iPad, you can send it directly to any AirPlay output on your local network. If you have multiple AirPlay 2 devices, you can also send to one or more of those. However, you may wish to send to a combination of both AirPlay 2 and AirPlay 1 devices, including Airfoil Satellite running on various platforms. While iOS and iPadOS can’t do this on their own, it is possible using a combination of Airfoil and Airfoil Satellite.

These instructions are written for our Mac users. Users of the retired Airfoil for Windows can reference the Windows version of this article.

The Basics

To send from iOS or iPadOS to all types of AirPlay devices, we’ll use a three-step process. First, set up your Mac. Then, get your iPhone or iPad to send audio to Airfoil Satellite running on your Mac. Finally, you’ll use Airfoil on that same Mac to capture Airfoil Satellite’s received audio, so you can transmit that audio to all desired outputs.

Walkthrough

Step 1: Prepare your Mac

First, make sure you’ve got the latest versions of Airfoil and Airfoil Satellite installed on your Mac. Launch both applications on the same machine. Airfoil Satellite makes the Mac available as an AirPlay destination, while Airfoil will retransmit the received audio to your other outputs.

Step 2: Send from iOS or iPadOS to your Mac

On the iPhone or iPad, tap the AirPlay icon in the audio app you’re using, or use the system-wide AirPlay control found in Control Center.

The Airfoil Satellite instance running on your Mac will appear as an output option. Choose it to send audio from the iPhone or iPad to the Mac. Here, Airfoil Satellite is receiving audio sent by an iPhone.

Step 3: Send from your Mac to all your audio outputs

With the audio flowing from the iPhone or iPad to the Mac, you’re halfway to your goal of sending that audio to multiple outputs. In Airfoil, select Airfoil Satellite as the audio source in the Source pop-up menu at the top of the window, then transmit to any and all outputs you like.

Below, the audio originally from the iPhone is being pulled from Airfoil Satellite and sent out to a Bluetooth speaker, a Chromecast, and an Apple TV:

Now, the audio from your iPhone or iPad is being heard through multiple audio outputs throughout the house. Happy listening!