How to connect the audio to bluetooth when playing using AVPlayer

Question

I am playing the audio from an url using AVPlayer, but when the iPhone is connected to a Bluetooth device it is not playing via Bluetooth, how to play via Bluetooth if it is

Answer 1

For Swift 3.1

Short version:

let audioSession = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
do {
    try audioSession.setCategory(AVAudioSessionCategoryRecord, with: [.allowBluetooth])
    try audioSession.setActive(true)
} catch {
    fatalError("Error Setting Up Audio Session")
}

Extended version to be sure, that you're using correct input:

/**
    Check availability of recording and setups audio session
    with prioritized input.
 */
func setupSessionForRecording() {
    let audioSession = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
    do {
        try audioSession.setCategory(AVAudioSessionCategoryRecord, with: [.allowBluetooth])
    } catch {
        fatalError("Error Setting Up Audio Session")
    }
    var inputsPriority: [(type: String, input: AVAudioSessionPortDescription?)] = [
        (AVAudioSessionPortLineIn, nil),
        (AVAudioSessionPortHeadsetMic, nil),
        (AVAudioSessionPortBluetoothHFP, nil),
        (AVAudioSessionPortUSBAudio, nil),
        (AVAudioSessionPortCarAudio, nil),
        (AVAudioSessionPortBuiltInMic, nil),
    ]
    for availableInput in audioSession.availableInputs! {
        guard let index = inputsPriority.index(where: { $0.type == availableInput.portType }) else { continue }
        inputsPriority[index].input = availableInput
    }
    guard let input = inputsPriority.filter({ $0.input != nil }).first?.input else {
        fatalError("No Available Ports For Recording")
    }
    do {
        try audioSession.setPreferredInput(input)
        try audioSession.setActive(true)
    } catch {
        fatalError("Error Setting Up Audio Session")
    }
}

/**
    Check availability of playing audio and setups audio session
    with mixing audio.
 */
func setupSessionForPlaying() {
    let audioSession = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
    do {
        try audioSession.setCategory(AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback, with: [.mixWithOthers])
        try audioSession.setActive(true)
    } catch {
        fatalError("Error Setting Up Audio Session")
    }
}

The main idea that you have 2 functions for changing audio session settings. Use setupSessionForRecording right before recording, and setupSessionForPlaying before playing audio.

Important to use AVAudioSessionCategoryRecord and AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback, but not AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayAndRecord, because of it's buggy. Use AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayAndRecord only if you really need to play and record audio same time.