How to Watch Your WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) Videos with AirPlay
You keep movies, shows, and home videos in WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) — but you watch them hunched over a phone screen. With AirPlay they belong on the TV. WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) itself can't do it, and screen mirroring looks terrible. Cloudist Watch fixes both: it streams your WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) videos as real video playback on Apple TV and AirPlay-compatible TVs, with your phone as the remote.
What You Need
- An iPhone or iPad (the AirPlay button ships in the iOS app)
- A WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) account with your video files in it
- An Apple TV, or an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV (recent Samsung, LG, Sony, and others)
- Cloudist Watch — free on the App Store
Step 1: Install Cloudist Watch
Download Cloudist Watch from the App Store. The app also runs on Android, the web, and Mac — but AirPlay streaming is an iPhone/iPad feature.
Step 2: Connect WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology)
Open Cloudist Watch → Add Account → WebDAV. Enter your server URL — for example https://cloud.example.com.
- Nextcloud / ownCloud: the app detects your server automatically and opens a secure browser login (Login Flow v2) — 2FA works, and an app-specific password is created for you
- Synology NAS: install the WebDAV Server package, enable HTTPS (port 5006), then sign in with your Synology username and password
- Any other WebDAV server: enter the full URL plus your username and password
Step 3: Let It Scan
The app scans your account for video files and builds a browsable library with thumbnails and a folder view. Lots of non-video files in the account? Run a partial scan of just your Movies folder to keep the library clean.
Step 4: Send It to the TV
Start playing any video, then tap the AirPlay button in the player controls and pick your Apple TV or smart TV. Cloudist Watch uses native AirPlay video playback, not screen mirroring — the difference matters:
- Full quality — the video stream goes to the TV directly instead of a compressed copy of your phone screen
- Your phone stays free — playback continues on the TV while you use other apps
- Phone as remote — play, pause, and seek from the player controls
- Apple TV Remote works — pause and seek from the Siri Remote too
- Now Playing info — title and artwork show up on the TV
For the smoothest AirPlay experience, MP4, MOV, and M4V files work best.
Supported Video Formats
Cloudist Watch plays 10 formats in the app:
| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MP4 | .mp4 | Most compatible, best for AirPlay |
| MOV | .mov | Apple QuickTime |
| M4V | .m4v | iTunes/Apple format |
| MKV | .mkv | Popular for high-quality video |
| WebM | .webm | Open web format |
| AVI | .avi | Legacy format |
| FLV | .flv | Flash video |
| WMV | .wmv | Windows Media |
| TS | .ts | Transport stream |
| 3GP | .3gp | Mobile recordings |
More Than One Cloud?
Cloudist Watch connects to several services at once and merges them into one library: Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Yandex Disk, WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) and S3-compatible storage. The full list is on the cloud providers page. Got a Chromecast or Google TV instead? Cloudist Watch casts to those too. And for your music, the sister app Cloudist Play streams to HomePod and AirPlay speakers the same way.
Is It Private?
Your files never leave WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology). Cloudist Watch streams them directly using credentials stored on your device — no middle server stores your videos or tracks what you watch.
Summary
WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology) stores your videos; the TV is where they belong. Install Cloudist Watch, connect your account, press play, and tap the AirPlay button — real video streaming to Apple TV and AirPlay 2 TVs, with thumbnails, resume, and remote control from your phone. Free to start.