The Apple Control Center Policy allows administrators to control whether macOS devices can act as an AirPlay Receiver from other Apple devices.
This is particularly important for organizations that want to prevent unmanaged or unmonitored screen casting into corporate devices (for example, personal iPhones or iPads AirPlaying into work Macs), which can introduce privacy and security risks.
Using this policy, IT administrators can centrally control the AirPlay Receiver setting so that users cannot arbitrarily enable their Mac as a target for wireless screen sharing.
Overview
On macOS, AirPlay Receiver lets a Mac receive and display content (screen mirroring, videos, presentations) from other Apple devices on the same network.
While convenient, this feature can:
Allow unmanaged personal devices to project content into a work device
Expose sensitive information on shared or public displays
Create potential compliance issues in regulated environments
The Apple Control Center Policy provides a way for organizations to centrally manage whether the AirPlay Receiver feature is enabled on managed Macs.
Requirements
Supported platforms
macOS
Minimum macOS version
macOS 12.0+ for the policy in general
macOS 14.0+ for the specific AirPlay Receiver control
Enrollment
Device must be enrolled in Swif.ai MDM
Ownership
Supported for both:
Company-owned macOS devices
BYOD macOS devices (where MDM profiles are installed)
Configurable Settings
Below is the configuration currently available in the Apple Control Center Policy.
AirPlay Receiver Enabled
Field name: airplayRecieverEnabled
Display name: AirPlay Receiver Enabled
Type: Boolean (True / False)
Minimum requirement: macOS 14.0+
Description
AirPlay Receiver allows the Mac to be used as an AirPlay target, so other Apple devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad) can send content to be displayed on its screen in real time.
This policy setting controls whether the AirPlay Receiver feature is enabled on the device.
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
True | Allows the Mac to act as an AirPlay Receiver and display content from other Apple devices. Users can AirPlay content to this Mac (subject to local network and OS behavior). | macOS 14.0+ |
False (default) | Disables the AirPlay Receiver feature so the Mac cannot be targeted as an AirPlay display. | macOS 14.0+ |
Default behavior in Swif
If you do not change this field, Swif applies the default:
AirPlay Receiver Enabled= False, meaning AirPlay Receiver is disabled by default on managed devices where this policy is applied.
Use cases
Disable AirPlay Receiver (recommended default)
Prevents users from turning their Mac into a wireless display for other devices.
Limits risk of unmanaged content being displayed on corporate screens.
Helps ensure conference-room or shared Macs do not become ad-hoc displays from personal devices.
Enable AirPlay Receiver (exceptions)
For specific Macs (e.g., dedicated conference room systems, signage, or demo machines) where wireless AirPlay presentation is intentionally allowed.
In these cases, you can enable the policy and turn AirPlay Receiver on for only approved device groups.
Best Practices
Disable AirPlay Receiver for most corporate endpoints
Especially for laptops and desktops used by individual employees, disabling AirPlay Receiver helps avoid unexpected or unauthorized content being displayed.
Allow only on controlled shared devices
If you need AirPlay for conference rooms, kiosks, or demo stations, enable this setting only on those specific devices or device groups.
Pair with other sharing and access controls
Use the Apple Sharing Restrictions Policy to control:
Internet Sharing
File Sharing
Printer Sharing
Bluetooth Sharing
Content Caching
Media Sharing
Together, these policies provide a more complete control surface over how your macOS devices share content and accept remote connections.
Align with your compliance requirements
For environments handling confidential data (financial, healthcare, legal, R&D), or where devices may be used in shared physical spaces, disabling AirPlay Receiver is strongly recommended.
How to Configure
Go to Swif Admin Console → Policies.
Click Create New Policy (or edit an existing one).
Select Apple Control Center Policy.
Configure AirPlay Receiver Enabled:
Set to False to prevent Macs from acting as AirPlay Receivers (recommended default).
Set to True only for approved devices where wireless display from other Apple devices is required.
Click Continue, then assign the policy to:
Specific device groups, or
Individual devices, depending on your organizational policy.
Save and deploy the policy.
The device will apply changes automatically on the next sync with Swif.ai.
Compliance & Security Benefits
By controlling AirPlay Receiver via the Apple Control Center Policy, organizations can:
Prevent unmanaged or personal devices from projecting content onto corporate Macs
Reduce the risk of sensitive or inappropriate content appearing on shared screens
Maintain a consistent and secure configuration across all managed macOS devices
Support compliance with frameworks such as SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001, where control over data exposure and display surfaces is important
Decrease IT overhead by enforcing a centralized policy instead of relying on user discretion in System Settings