Want music from your Mac playing through a Windows PC in another room? Airfoil Satellite turns a Windows PC into a receiver for audio streamed through Airfoil and includes controls for the Airfoil sender.
Receiving audio on a PC
Run Airfoil Satellite on the Windows computer that should play the audio. Airfoil on a Mac can send audio to it, making the PC an endpoint in a multi-room listening setup. An iPhone or iPad can stream to it too.
For computer audio, the sender is Airfoil: Satellite receives the stream and plays it through the Windows machine. Reverse Connect provides another way to begin—the receiver can initiate a connection back to Airfoil when remote listening is needed.
Remote Airfoil controls
The receiver interface can control the sending Airfoil session. Toggle outputs, change their volume, or switch the source without returning to the sender computer. These controls are suited to adjusting where a stream plays while listening from the receiving PC.
- Turn Airfoil outputs on or off.
- Adjust output volume and change sources.
- Use Reverse Connect to initiate a connection back to Airfoil.
Playback and track details
Airfoil Satellite also provides playback controls for select sources, including Spotify and Apple Music. Supported sources can show their track title and album artwork in the Satellite window, so playback details remain visible on the receiving computer. The available controls and metadata depend on the source being played.
Pros
- Receives audio streamed with Airfoil for Mac
- Remote controls for Airfoil outputs, volume, and source selection
- Reverse Connect can start a connection from the receiver
- Displays song names and cover art when the source provides them
Cons
- Computer audio must come from Airfoil for Mac; Airfoil for Windows was retired in 2019
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
What does Airfoil Satellite do?
It plays audio streamed from Airfoil on a Mac, or from an iPhone or iPad, and lets you control Airfoil remotely.
Can Airfoil Satellite control playback?
Yes. It can control playback for select sources, including Spotify and Apple Music, and can show track information when a source supports it.
What is Reverse Connect?
It lets Airfoil Satellite initiate a connection back to Airfoil so the receiver can start receiving audio remotely.