The Redundant Display Icon
The macOS menu bar is designed to give you quick access to system functions. One of these is AirPlay. By default, if your Mac detects an Apple TV, an AirPlay-compatible smart TV, or a HomePod on your local Wi-Fi network, it will automatically place an AirPlay icon (a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom) in your menu bar. Clicking this icon allows you to quickly mirror your screen or send audio to the external device.
While convenient, this automatic icon placement can clutter your menu bar, especially if you rarely use AirPlay or if you are simply sitting in an office where the network happens to have a communal Apple TV that you never intend to connect to. Furthermore, since macOS Big Sur, you can access Screen Mirroring directly from the unified Control Center at any time, rendering the dedicated menu bar icon unnecessary. If you want a cleaner desktop, you can disable its automatic appearance.
How to Hide the AirPlay Icon
You can stop the AirPlay icon from appearing via the Control Center settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your menu bar and select System Settings… (or System Preferences).
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Control Center (In older macOS versions, click “Displays”).
- In the right-hand pane, look under the “Control Center Modules” section.
- Locate the Screen Mirroring module.
- Next to Screen Mirroring, click the dropdown menu that currently says “Show in Menu Bar” (or “Show when active”).
- Select Don’t Show in Menu Bar.
The AirPlay icon will instantly disappear from the top of your screen, regardless of whether compatible devices are on your network. You can still initiate Screen Mirroring at any time by clicking the main Control Center icon.