# iPad, AirPlay, Letterbox fail **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Players\ **Tags:** server-synology, ios\ **Created:** [April 30, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457 "2026-04-30T12:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/1 "2026-04-30T12:46:57Z")
Server Version#:4.145.1 Player Version#:2026.7.0(1660) Letterbox when playing to airplay snaps to left or top depending on AR, does not center. ![letterbox](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/9/e/9/9e92aea1dc3f6c55d162884ff84fda7ac6374f29.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2026, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/2 "2026-05-09T10:16:41Z")
How can I turn this into a bug report? ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 10:26am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/3 "2026-08-07T10:26:17Z")
Now lost all on screen controls. Aaaaaand can’t see subtitles on screen on iPhone, diwnloaded videos. You guys wish we start looking for alternatives? ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/4 "2026-08-07T16:00:49Z")
which device are you airplaying to? ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/5 "2026-08-07T17:10:58Z")
From ipad to appletv. ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/6 "2026-08-07T17:14:25Z")
While we are at it, plain iPhone & iPad screens have no video controls neither subtitles on downloaded video. ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/7 "2026-08-07T20:13:27Z")
How are you invoking it? I can only reproduce that when using #1. Airplay Mirroring . #2. Airplay seems to work fine. ![Screenshot_2026-08-07_at_10_58_49 AM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/e/3/4/e3420d0352bc4f6ca946a945d24dc2fff483f8a6.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/8 "2026-08-07T20:30:24Z")
That’s from mirroring. That’s how my kid uses it, he switches between yt and plex. Used to work just fine. Got broken after an update I ran a couple months back. ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/9 "2026-08-07T20:34:01Z")
The direct play thingy hits some transcoding wall here ![IMG_1784](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/0/f/c/0fcebc114c6225820aebfc85afe3c7269a850c70.jpeg) ![IMG_1786](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/d/3/6/d36dc769c544eadda04117bcf14188c566f662fa.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/10 "2026-08-07T21:23:58Z")
> [@rjsa](#): > > That’s from mirroring. …Got broken after an update I ran a couple months back. OK thanks. I’ll make a report for it. > [@rjsa](#): > > The direct play thingy hits some transcoding wall here that error in the last screenshot indicates it is one of these settings from server limiting the number of transcodes. ![Plex](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/f/4/6/f46a00137deff9a1293f06e7e3ef5a4941ef8b86.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/11 "2026-08-07T21:31:05Z")
I forgot to ask which version of iPadOS is on your iPad ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:56pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/12 "2026-08-07T21:56:35Z")
I know, but it trigers when invoked from the airplay icon and not from the screen mirro icon. and this ipad is the only active client. And the files where ll crunched by tdarr, there should be no transcoding. ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 9:56pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/13 "2026-08-07T21:56:46Z")
18.7.8 ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/14 "2026-08-07T22:04:20Z")
As far as the no controls when viewing downloaded content. Do you have “reduce motion” enabled in the IOS `Settings> Accessiblity>motion` ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 10:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/15 "2026-08-07T22:34:49Z")
I know the feature and not, its not active when using plex. Video controls fail in this iphone too, other device. ![IMG_1789](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/2/3/f/23f2210bd15548100588130e7eaa5c3adb73ee23.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/16 "2026-08-07T22:35:24Z")
This is new from the last update. Was fine Wednesday. And it’s no vido controls anywhere, not only downloaded or airplay. No subtitles is older and is downloaded only. ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 9:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/17 "2026-08-19T09:40:12Z")
Ok, so everything back to normal BUT subtitles in downloaded media. Was it adressed and I should download again or just not yet? ---
**Author:** ![rjsa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rjsa/32/14202_2.png) [@rjsa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rjsa)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2026, 12:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/ipad-airplay-letterbox-fail/938457/18 "2026-09-28T00:24:21Z")
Still no subtitles on iphone / ipad downloaded media