How to stream your pc games to android with steam link

Steam is a household name — or it is at least when it comes to gaming. Since its initial release in 2003, Valve’s popular distribution platform has become one of the go-to sources for anyone looking to download and install games on their PC, allowing gamers to play the biggest games without having to pick up physical copies in-store. Steam Link allows you to play Steam games on Android, iOS, and even Raspberry Pi, and in this guide, we’re going to show you how to set it up.

Most games work with Steam Link, from the most popular Steam games to the most obscure ones. If you don’t have a large Steam account or PC, you can also use your Android phone to stream Xbox games through the wonders of cloud gaming.

See more

How to play Steam games on Android

If you want to get set up as fast as possible, and you don’t mind potentially dealing with some minor roadblocks, here’s how to play Steam games on Android:

1. Download the Steam Link app to your Android device, and make sure your PC is on and running Steam.
2. Complete the setup, and connect your PC to Steam Link using the provided code.
3. Pair your controller to your Android device with a cable or through Bluetooth.
4. Open the Steam Link app and run a network test (found in the Settings menu).
5. Select Start Playing.

Although the steps above will get you started playing Steam games on Android, there are a few other things you should know about using Steam Link.

How to play Steam games on Android in-depth

Before diving in, it’s important to note that Steam Link simply streams games from your PC. You need to have your PC on with Steam running in order to stream games to your phone. The game actually renders on your PC, so you can’t stream games your host PC can’t run.

Make sure your host PC is on and has Steam running. Next, head to the Google Play Store on your Android device and download the Steam Link app. Launch the app once installed, choose whether you want to pair a Steam Controller or a different controller, and run through the pairing process.

The app will guide you through the pairing process if you’re using an official Steam Controller. Otherwise, you’ll need to consult the user manual for your controller for specific pairing instructions. Keep in mind that, most of the time, all you’ll need to do is turn on Bluetooth on both devices to enter pairing mode.

Once you’ve properly connected your controller, select your PC from the list of available choices on the following screen, which will bring up some pertinent information regarding your network. You’ll also need to authorize your device. The Steam Link app will give you a code after you run the connection test. Plug that code into the Steam app on your computer to authenticate your device.

Tap Start Playing on the left once you’re satisfied with your connection and navigate to your Steam Library using the toolbar at the top of the resulting page. Once you’ve decided which game you’d like to play, the streaming process and gameplay begins by selecting Play .

Streaming a game like this works best if your PC and Android device are using the same network. This used to be a requirement of Steam Link. With the innovation of Steam Link Anywhere in 2019, Steam Link allows you to stream games to your operating system from the network of your choosing even if each device is connected to a different network.

To stream a game from your PC to another operating system, your PC needs to be up and running the Steam program. If you don’t want to turn on your PC every time you want to play, you can turn on your computer remotely using wake on LAN (WoL). Steam Link will let you use WoL, so if your computer can accept WoL commands, you can use the app to turn your computer on no matter where you are.

Steam Link lets you stream your favorite PC games to any Android device. Here’s how to set it up.

If you’ve ever dreamed of playing a big AAA gaming title on your phone, now you can. Sort of.

Valve’s Steam Link ($95 at Amazon) system originally required a physical box to be plugged into a television and connected to the same network as your gaming computer. You would then use the processing power of your dedicated gaming rig to stream your favorite titles to your TV so you could play PC games from the comfort of your couch.

Last week, however, Steam expanded Steam Link to work with Android devices. (Sorry, iOS users, Valve says Apple rejected the Steam Link app due to “business conflicts.”) Here’s how the Steam Link app works and how to set it up.

Hardware requirements

For Steam Link to work, you’re going to need a host computer running SteamOS or Steam Big Picture Mode on Windows (Vista or newer), MacOS (Yosemite or newer) or Ubuntu (12.04 or newer). If you already game from your computer, it should work with the Android Steam Link app without much issue.

You’ll also need a fast wireless network. Steam recommends setting everything up on a 5GHz network, if possible, and lists the minimum speed requirements at 15Mbps (30Mbps is optimal). Obviously, the closer you are to the access point, the better.

Finally, you need an Android device — either a phone or a tablet. And while you can play some games without a controller, it’s not recommended. You’ll want to pair a Bluetooth controller (or a keyboard and mouse). Just don’t be surprised if input lag ruins the experience for some games. (I tried playing Rocket League and while the game played fine, the input lag made competitive play unbearable.)

Setting up Steam Link for Android

The configuration of Steam Link starts on the host computer. You’ll need to enable streaming over your network. To do this, open Steam on your host computer, then:

Enlarge Image

• In the top left corner of the window, click Steam.
• Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
• Click In-Home Streaming in the left menu.
• Check the box next to Enable streaming.
• Click Advanced Host Options.
• If your host PC has an Nvidia graphics card, check Use NVFBC capture on NVIDIA GPU.
• Optionally, check Prioritize network traffic and click OK.

You can also set client options in this menu. Select either Fast, Balanced or Beautiful for the performance on the Android device. And under Advanced Client Options, you can set a bandwidth or resolution limit, enable hardware decoding, configure the speakers and display performance information. (These settings can also be customized later within the Steam Link app.)

Next, install the Steam Link beta from Google Play and open it. Make sure your Android device is on the same wireless network (and the same router — network bridges and wireless extenders may prevent your phone from discovering your computer) as your host computer.

Screenshot by Lori Grunin/CNET

When you open the app for the first time, you will be walked through the initial setup. Tap Get Started and select whether you want to pair your own controller or a Steam Controller. On the next screen, your host computer should be visible. If it isn’t, double-check you’re on the right wireless network or tap Rescan.

Once you select a host computer, you will be given a four-digit PIN. Enter the PIN on the host computer and click OK. The app will test the connection with your computer and tell you how well Steam Link will perform.

Playing a PC game on your Android device

Taylor Martin/CNET

After you’ve finished setting up the connection, open the Steam Link app on your phone and select your host computer. Make sure your controller is detected and tap Start Playing. This will launch Steam Big Picture Mode on your host computer. Your Android phone will be in control of your computer until you exit the Steam Link connection.

To begin playing, scroll through the menu using the left directional pad or joystick. (Controls may differ depending on the controller you’re using, so you may want to go to Settings > Controller Settings to adjust controller preferences.) Select Library to view games and other media available on your computer. To see all the games installed, hover over Installed in the left menu. Select a game to start playing.

Taylor Martin/CNET

You can also install other games by going to Games in the left menu and selecting one that isn’t currently installed. If it’s a game that typically requires a keyboard, you will have to configure the controller settings before you can play it.

The thing to remember here is that not all games translate well to such a small screen. But while most people would most likely rather play a game while sitting at a computer or on the big screen of their television, it is nice to take your gaming anywhere within range of your wireless network.

For a more in-depth take on how well PC gaming translates to the small screen, CNET’s own Lori Grunin took the Steam Link app for a spin.

Tom Westrick
Tom Westrick
Writer

Tom Westrick has been writing about technology professionally since 2014, but he started poking and prodding at electronics as a teenager. His work has been published on Android Central, iMore, and Windows Central. When he’s not writing, Tom is a Tier-1 Help Desk Technician, songwriter, and guitar player. Read more.

Valve’s Steam Link is a great way for PC gamers to stream games onto their TV. While the Steam Link hardware is no more, it’s easy to get going with the Steam Link app on Android!

The Steam Link app is available now on the Google Play Store , and you can install it on Android phones, Chromebooks with Android app support, and televisions or set-top boxes running Android TV. For now, Steam Link isn’t available on iOS, and there’s no telling if it ever will be. The Steam Link app is also available on Samsung Smart TVs made after 2016.

Keep in mind: if you already have the physical Steam Link in your home, it’s going to keep working and stay supported for the foreseeable future. But if you want to start using a Steam Link today, you’ll probably have to buy one used.

Thankfully, the Steam Link app on Android works just like the physical Steam Link does. And using it on an Android TV box like the NVIDIA SHIELD TV gives you a one-stop shop for your PC games, games from the Google Play Store, and all your favorite video streaming services.

Steam Link isn’t the only option for PC gamers to get their games on another screen. If you have an NVIDIA GPU, you can use NVIDIA’s GameStream tool to stream games from your desktop to your other devices, or stream them straight from NVIDIA’s servers with NVIDIA GeForce Now.

How to Set Up Steam Link on Your PC

Before using the Steam Link app on any of your devices, you’ll need to do some prep work on your PC. Here is what you’ll need to get started:

.
• Download your favorite games to your PC.
• While Steam Link will work over Wi-Fi, you’ll have a much better time if your desktop is wired in with Ethernet.

Open the Steam app on your desktop computer. Select “Steam” in the upper-left, then select “Settings.”

Select “In-Home Streaming” on the left, then check the box next to “Enable streaming.”

Now we’re ready to set up the Steam Link app on your other devices!

How To Set Up Steam Link on Your Android Device

Here’s what you need to get started before using Steam Link:

• A game controller for your device. The SHIELD TV’s included controller works, or you can use a Bluetooth controller with Android TV. You can’t use a Chromebook’s keyboard and touchpad, so you’ll need to use it in touchscreen mode or pair a Bluetooth controller . The same goes for streaming to your smartphone. .
• While Steam Link will work over Wi-Fi, you’ll have a much better time if your device (such as Android TV box or Chromebook) is wired in with Ethernet. If plugging in Ethernet isn’t feasible, make sure your device is connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi and sitting as close to your router as possible.

I’m using the Steam Link app on Android TV for this guide, so the screenshots may look slightly different if you’re following along on a Chromebook or smartphone, but the process is still the same.

Start by opening the Steam Link app on your device. Select “Get Started.” The Steam Link app will scan your local network to find a computer with In-Home Streaming enabled. It should find your desktop with no problems, but you can rescan if Steam Link doesn’t find it the first time. Select your computer name.

Note: Steam has to be actively running on your PC before Steam Link can find it.

The Steam Link app will show a four-digit PIN, and you’ll see a notification on Steam on your desktop. Enter the PIN on your desktop and select “OK.”

Steam Link will run a network test to check the connection between your desktop and your device. If one or both of the devices are plugged in with Ethernet, everything should be good. If Steam Link says the connection is too slow, plug into Ethernet, or double check and make sure you’re using a 5GHz Wi-Fi. If it’s still not working, you may need to purchase a faster router. When the connection is fast enough, select “Start Playing.”

Next, you’ll see Steam’s Big Picture interface. This lets you browse the store, message other players, and more from your remote device. When you’re ready to start playing, select “Library.”

If a game is already installed on your home PC, you’ll see a green check mark when you have the title selected.

If not, you’ll see a download icon.

You’ll need to have a game downloaded to your desktop before you can stream it to the other devices. If you do want to download that game to your home PC, select the game, then select “Install.”

Select the game you’d like to stream from your PC to your Android device, then select “Play.”

With that, you have your favorite games streaming to your favorite screen!

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Tom Westrick
Tom Westrick has been writing about technology professionally since 2014, but he started poking and prodding at electronics as a teenager. His work has been published on Android Central, iMore, and Windows Central. When he’s not writing, Tom is a Tier-1 Help Desk Technician, songwriter, and guitar player.
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When the Steam Link app was first introduced in 2018, I was impressed. As long as you were on the same network as your PC, you could play your Steam games on your phone. But now, it’s even more impressive. By enabling a few extra settings, you can play your Steam library on mobile data anywhere in the world.

Steam’s new feature, dubbed Play Anywhere, does as its name implies. Commuting to work? You can play your PC games. In the park? You can play your PC games. As long as you have a good LTE connection, you’ll be able to stream your games to your phone. With this feature and a wired or wireless controller, this is the closest thing to a Steamboy we will ever get.

What You’ll Need

• computer capable of gaming connected via Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi
• strong LTE signal or strong Wi-Fi (if using Wi-Fi outside your home)
• Android device running 5.0 or newer, iPhone running iOS 10 or newer, or iPad running iPadOS 13.1 or newer
• gaming controller (optional)

Step 1: Download Steam Link

After nearly a year in beta on Android (and a rocky start that forced its removal from the App Store), the stable version of Steam Link is now available for free on both platforms.

• Install Steam Link: Android (free) | iOS (free)

Step 2: Open Steam on Your Computer

For the initial setup, you will need to be by your computer. Make sure you are logged into Steam and it is running. Otherwise, you won’t be able to establish a connection.

Also, after you create a connection, whenever you want to play your games on your phone, Steam must be running on your PC. This means your PC is on and running before you leave the house. Since your PC is rendering the game and streaming over the web, it needs to be on for you to play on your phone.

Step 3: Establish a Connection

Back on your phone now, open the Steam Link app and select “Get Started,” then you’ll be prompted to pair a controller with your phone. Ideally, you want to pair a wired or wireless controller, as the touch control will overlay over the image (like most mobile games), taking away from the game’s visuals. So tap “Pair a Steam Controller” or “Pair other controllers” and follow the prompts.

While not all games support controllers, there’s a growing library that does. However, none are designed for the touch screen, so navigating will be a bit wonky. During my testing, I used the Razer Raiju Mobile, which work perfectly for games with controller support.

After connecting a controller (or choosing touch controls), Steam Link will automatically scan your network for a PC running Steam. If its find your PC, it will provide you a four-digit PIN that you’ll need to input into your PC.

If Steam Link doesn’t find your computer, select “Other Computers” for a four-digit PIN code. On your PC, select Steam (in the upper-left side of your display), choose “Settings” in the drop-down menu, then select “Remote Play.” Choose “Pair Steam Link” and input the PIN.

When done correctly, your phone will now show the name of your PC. Select your PC to establish a connection. Steam Link will then perform a network test to see how strong (or weak) your connection is. After completing the test, Steam Link will tell you your bandwidth in a popup. Select “OK,” then Steam Link will transfer you to its main page.

Step 4: Enjoy Your Games on the Go

On the main page of the Steam Link app, select “Start Playing.” This will open Steam on your PC into Big Picture Mode for easier navigation. Choose your library to find the games you own that want to play. Navigate to the game you want to play, select “Play,” and enjoy your Steam Library from wherever you want.

Pro-tip: navigate to “Installed,” then choose the button for filtering (the default for controller is “Y”) and select “Controller Supported.” This will reduce your list to games in which controllers are fully supported. This will make playing the game easier and, in some cases, playable. \

A Few Things to Note

Because you are streaming a 1080p video from your PC to your phone, this will inherently eat up your data plan. We highly recommend you have an unlimited plan, especially if you plan to use this app frequently. If you have a data cap, be aware that this will eat up your data, so plan accordingly.

Even if you are using LTE, you connection will likely be labeled as poor. During my testing, I was only able to get a good connection when I went to a nearby park. For most places, I had poor signal and video was barely visible. Hopefully this issue is resolved soon.

Be aware latency will be a problem. Because you are sending commands through the internet, potentially hundreds of miles away, there will be some input lag. Try to stick to games where precision input isn’t required, otherwise you will not have a pleasant experience.

Finally, while Steam Link will always aim for the resolution of your phone, if the game doesn’t support your phone’s resolution, it won’t happen. Computer monitor sand smartphone vary heavily when it comes to aspect ratios, especially as smartphones have chased the bezel-less design. Play around with the graphics settings to find the resolution that best fits your phone.

This article was produced during Gadget Hacks’ special coverage on mobile gaming. Check out the whole Gaming series.

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Войдите, чтобы добавить этот продукт в список желаемого или скрыть его

Войдите в аккаунт, чтобы узнать привлекательность этого продукта на основании ваших игр и рекомендаций от друзей и кураторов.

Загрузите приложение

Приложение Steam Link бесплатно и доступно на всех основных устройствах и платформах.
• Windows, Mac, Linux
• Apple iPhone, iPad и Apple TV
• Android TV, планшеты и телефоны
• Samsung Smart TV
• Raspberry Pi 3, 3+ и 4

Об устройстве

Remote Play Anywhere

Играйте в игры из Steam на телефоне, планшете, телевизоре или другом компьютере с помощью Steam Link. Сотни отличных игр получили оптимизированное управление, и теперь вы можете играть на своём компьютере не вставая с дивана или в дороге.
Многие игры в Steam уже оптимизированы для ваших устройств.

• Установите Steam Link из своего любимого магазина приложений.
• Подключитесь к компьютеру, на котором запущен Steam, и начните играть!

Управление в ваших руках
Используйте множество популярных Bluetooth-контроллеров, включая Steam Controller, совместимых со Steam Link и вашими устройствами, или просто воспользуйтесь встроенным сенсорным управлением.

За кулисами
Steam Link использует мощности вашего компьютера, дублируя изображение с него на ваше устройство. Steam Link получает видео и аудио с вашего компьютера и в реальном времени отправляет на него ввод с контроллера.

Remote Play Together

Steam Link теперь также поддерживает функцию Remote Play Together! Любой пользователь Steam может пригласить кого угодно с приложением Steam Link присоединиться к игре.

• Хост запускает игру в Steam.
• Используя список друзей (нажмите правой кнопкой мыши на друга) или внутриигровой оверлей (клавиши Shift+Tab), пригласите друзей.
• Друг принимает приглашение — и готово!

Все устройства — полное удовольствие
Как и в случае с Remote Play Anywhere, всё, что нужно желающему войти в игру пользователю, — это устройство, приложение Steam Link и подключение к интернету. Не требуется даже аккаунт Steam. Это означает, что можно присоединиться со своего компьютера, телефона или планшета, где бы вы ни находились.

Чистое удовольствие
Всё просто: друзья видят только игру, а ваш рабочий стол и другая совершенно секретная информация отображаться не будут. Вы также можете предоставить (или ограничить) другим игрокам доступ к клавиатуре и мыши. Всё в ваших руках.

Технология Remote Play

Steam Link использует технологию Remote Play со своим собственным сетевым протоколом с низкой задержкой, что позволяет транслировать видео в режиме реального времени.

Когда вы играете с помощью Remote Play, видео и аудио передаются с вашего игрового компьютера на другое устройство. Ввод и голос отправляются с него обратно на компьютер, и всё это за считаные миллисекунды.

Вы можете изменить разрешение трансляции и битрейт в дополнительных настройках. Мы стремимся к тому, чтобы при использовании сети с диапазоном частот 5 ГГц вы смогли играть с разрешением 1080p при 60 кадрах в секунду. С мощным компьютером, проводным подключением и очень хорошим клиентом возможно добиться ещё более высокого качества трансляции (4K при 60 кадрах в секунду).

Дополнительную информацию о Steam Remote Play вы найдёте в статье службы поддержки Steam.
Возникли вопросы, проблемы или предложения? Присоединяйтесь к обсуждениям на наших форумах.

Устройство Steam Link

С помощью Steam Link вы сможете играть в игры из своей библиотеки в любом уголке дома через домашнюю сеть. Запуск этой службы произошёл вместе с выпуском специально предназначенного устройства в ноябре 2015 года, которое с тех пор было распродано.

ИНФОРМАЦИЯ О ПРОДУКТЕ И ЕГО ГАРАНТИЙНОМ ОБСЛУЖИВАНИИ
Чтобы узнать больше о продукте и гарантии на него, перейдите по ссылке ниже:
Гарантия на устройство Steam Link
Краткое руководство по устройству Steam Link
Руководство по оборудованию Steam Link

Технические характеристики

Требования

• Основной компьютер с запущенной SteamOS, либо со Steam в режиме Big Picture на Windows Vista или выше / Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) или выше / Linux Ubuntu 12.04 или выше
• Устройство Steam Link или устройство, на котором можно запустить приложение Steam Link
• Steam Controller или другое поддерживаемое устройство ввода
• Соединение по домашней сети со Steam Link и основным компьютером. Если возможно, настоятельно рекомендуется проводное соединение.

Steam Link Trailer
"Kung Fury" clip courtesy of Laser Unicorns

Moonlight allows you to play your PC games on almost any device, whether you’re in another room or miles away from your gaming rig.

Moonlight (formerly Limelight) is an open source implementation of NVIDIA’s GameStream protocol. We implemented the protocol used by the NVIDIA Shield and wrote a set of 3rd party clients.

You can stream your collection of PC games from your GameStream-compatible PC to any supported device and play them remotely. Moonlight is perfect for gaming on the go without sacrificing the graphics and game selection available on PC.

Features

Stream at up to 4K resolution

If you can see it on your PC, you can stream it using Moonlight, including your full Windows desktop at 4K 120 FPS with a capable client.

Support for 120 FPS streaming

Stream at up to 120 FPS using the new Moonlight PC client with the option to disable V-Sync for the lowest possible latency.

Run your own cloud gaming server

You can host your own gaming server on many residential ISPs by just installing the Moonlight Internet Hosting Tool on your gaming PC.

Multiple client platforms

If you have an Android device, iOS device, Apple TV, PC or Mac, Chromebook, PS Vita, Wii U, Raspberry Pi, or even a LG webOS TV, you can use Moonlight to stream games to it.

Open source

The code for our Moonlight clients is hosted on GitHub under the GPLv3 license. We welcome contributions and would be happy to help with ports to new platforms.

Completely free

Moonlight is a project run by the community, not a company. We have no interest in pushing ads, bundled services, paid versions with extra features, or subscriptions.

Moonlight for PC, Mac, and more

Stream to Windows, MacOS, Linux, Steam Link devices, and Raspberry Pi 4

Moonlight for ChromeOS

Stream to ChromeOS laptops and tablets

Moonlight for Android

Stream to Android devices

Moonlight for iOS & Apple TV

Stream to iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV

Moonlight Embedded

Stream to single-board computers (Community port)

Moonlight for PS Vita (Homebrew)

Stream to a Homebrew-enabled PlayStation Vita (Community port)

Moonlight for Wii U (Homebrew)

Stream to a Homebrew-enabled Wii U (Community port)

Moonlight for LG webOS TVs (Homebrew)

Stream to a LG webOS TV in Developer Mode (Community port)

Are you ready to stream? Check out our Setup Guide for tips on how to get started.
Have a question? Check our FAQ page to see if it’s already answered there.
Seasoned Moonlight user? Give back to the community by joining our Discord and helping other users.

Beyond streaming your entire Steam library, the Steam Link can also be used as a general in-home streaming device to stream Netflix, do some Web browsing, or play non-Steam games from within Steam Link’s “Big Picture” interface. The following tutorial will show you how to stream your desktop and non-Steam games with Steam Link.

Also read: 6 Tools to Track your Steam Stats, Deals, Spending and Play Time

Stream Non-Steam Games on Steam Link

If you have access to the desktop, you can run pretty much whatever you like on your PC, but if you’re confined to a gamepad, then you want to set yourself up to run non-Steam games from Big Picture Mode.

This isn’t too difficult. You can even do it from Big Picture mode. Click the cog icon (Settings) at the top right, then under the System heading click “Add Library Shortcut.” (The equivalent action in the desktop version of Steam is to click “Add a Game” at the bottom left of the Steam window, then “Add a Non-Steam Game.”)

From these lists, you can add pretty much any game or other program from Windows to your library, then run it using Big Picture mode and, by extension, Steam Link.

Configure Controls for Non-Steam Games

While Steam’s compatibility with various gamepads means it does a pretty good job of automapping controls, things can be a little more complicated for non-Steam games – especially older games that don’t have native controller compatibility.

To configure a keyboard-and-mouse to use a gamepad, open that game through Steam Link, press the Xbox or PS button to bring up the Steam menu, then select “Controller Configuration”.

Here you’ll be able to bind different keyboard keys to your gamepad buttons. The interface takes a bit of getting used to, but you can do everything from setting custom keys to the sensitivity of using the analog stick as a mouse.

To help you out, we recommend navigating to the game’s keybindings page first so that you can quickly check in on which key does what with a press of the PS/Xbox button before jumping back into Controller Configuration.

Stream Emulated Games on Steam Link

Unfortunately, the previous tip won’t help if you’re trying to play your favorite old-school games through an emulator because the Steam Link won’t identify your controller when you try to use them (i.e. Steam Link only recognizes your controller as a game controller with the Big Picture UI).

Streaming emulated games is a bit more complicated, as you’ll need to set up parsers using an excellent tool called Steam Rom Manager. If you want to do this, check out our dedicated guide on streaming emulated N64, PS1, SNES, and other games through your Steam Link.

Stream Desktop through Steam Link

Even though Valve hasn’t made much fuss about how easy it is to exit Steam Big Picture to your Windows desktop (presumably because they want to keep you gaming and spending in their little ecosystem), it’s actually very simple – whether you’re on your phone, TV or another device.

Once you’ve connected Steam Link with your PC and are in Big Picture mode, click the Back icon at the top-left corner to leave the library and get to the main Steam Big Picture screen.

From here, click the power button at the top right, then “Minimize Big Picture.”

That’s it! You should now be on your Windows desktop and able to control it using your phone touch-screen, keyboard or controller.

If you’re using a small touch-screen, you may want to press the mouse trackpad icon at the top left and change from “Direct Cursor” to “Trackpad Cursor” or “Trackpad Cursor,” which will give you direct control over the mouse. Tap the keyboard icon at the top-right corner when you want to type things.

If you want to return to Steam Big Picture from your desktop on a touch-screen, just click the Steam icon at the top-center of your screen. If you’re using a gamepad, try pressing the Xbox, PlayStation or equivalent button in the center of your gamepad.

If you can’t see the above icons on your phone, try shaking your phone to bring up the icons.

Create a Notepad File If You Can’t Minimize Steam Link

Quite a few users have reported that the Windows desktop doesn’t function after minimizing Big Picture mode. One possible solution here is to link an outside app (even something like Notepad) to Steam by adding it as a non-Steam game on your Steam Link. To do this, follow the instructions above to stream non-steam games on Steam Link because it’s exactly the same process.

Also read: How to Use External Game Controllers with Steam Games

Steam Link has grown in popularity over the years, and there are now plenty of people who use it to stream their games, desktops and beyond across their various devices. For more Steam-related stuff, see our list of fixes for when Steam isn’t working, and our tutorial to find and change your Steam ID.

Content Manager at Make Tech Easier. Enjoys Android, Windows, and tinkering with retro console emulation to breaking point.

How long have you been longing to enjoy your games on a larger screen where you will see images enlarged to give you a real life feel? It would make a whole lot of sense to use your Linux, Mac, or Windows computer set as a quasi-tool for games, since the controllers of these games can work on operating systems in desktop computers.

All of the devices we detail will allow you to stream your favorite games from your PC monitor to your TV in various resolutions. Whether it’s playing video slots on your top list of sites or streaming Doom Eternal to your 4k TV, these devices can handle everything from browser-based games to AAA behemoths, as long as your PC can!

Now one problem normally arises here, and that’s the issue of having your PC set up in your study, while your TV is placed on the wall of your sitting room. You realize that it won’t make sense to run a very long HDMI cable to connect both devices.

Now what would be the best way to enjoy games using both devices? The correct answer here would be to stream the games from the PC to your TV set wherever it is located. To achieve this, you can use the 5 methods explained below.

1. Miracast and Wireless HDMI Streaming

Many wireless HDMI systems that would work on desktop operating systems are easily available. They are designed to make the transmission of video and audio signals from one device to the other. So, it would be very easy to use them to enjoy games across devices. The first set of such devices were designed to work with systems like Intel’s WiDi and AMD Wireless Display. But there are newer versions now. For instance, the Miracast standard wireless connection supports windows and helps you stream videos and audios on your PC to your TV through the compatible dongle. The majority of makers of smart TVs of nowadays include the Miracast support on their gadgets. If this is the case with your new TV, you won’t have any need to go for a Miracat dongle again. However, $100 can get you a good dongle.

1. Steam Link

Steam Link used to be in the form of hardware. But recently, it has been converted into a service that works with android tablets and smartphones. This also works on Samsung smart TVS and some Raspberry Pi.

You can use the Steam Link to stream all games available in the steam library, and this will give you the chance to design your own games console on the internet. If you have a PC that is equipped with Steam and activates the in-home streaming, you can enjoy game streaming with it. To do this, go to Steam > Settings and ensure that the streaming device, the computer and the TV set run on the same network.

1. Create Your Own Steam Link with a Raspberry Pi

If you can’t afford the first options, but have access to a Raspberry Pi 2 or newer versions, you can use it to engineer what a Steam can do for you. Valve equipped the Raspberry Pi with custom Steam Link software. So, it’s easy to use it to stream pc games on TV. Even when you don’t want to be boxed to the corner of using the Raspberry Pi alone for the streaming, you can also have the Parsec software for games streaming. With this, you can stream games to your TV from a PC through Raspberry Pi. Now, the method of installation you employed in getting the game or the available digital download does not matter. Once you connect the Raspberry Pi to your TV, you can stream the games to your sitting room. Now, while the Steam Lite Box will be costlier than the Raspberry Pi 3, setting up the Raspberry Pi 3 may give you a whole lot of headache.

1. Nvidia Gamestream

With the Nvidia Gamestream, you will get something similar to what the steam link will offer you. With this Nvidia Shield TV device, you can stream media from the internet to your TV. All you need to do is have the device and then a remote and game controller at hand. Ensure that the remote and game controllers are equipped with Microphones so as to achieve the voice command. Because a Mic is necessary, it might cost more than Steam Link. To get the Nvidia graphics card, you may have to spend up to $100.

If you have a laptop or PC that runs on the same network as the Nvidia GTX series GPU, games can easily be streamed from your computer to the TV through the Nvidia Shield TV. But if you have a below par gaming rig, then you can stream the games from the cloud through the Nvidia Shield TV. Currently, to get games streamed to your TV through the Nvidia Shield TV box, you have to pay up to $7.99 per month on the GeForce NOW package.

1. Chromecast and Apple TV

If after reading all the options mentioned above, you still need an alternative, because you make use of a device like the Google Chromecast, Roku, or the Apple TV, you may have some options available.

However, it would be good to let you know that you may not get the best of results from them. To use the Google Chromecast to cast your PC to display games on your TV through your Google Chrome browser is an option. But this gives a very poor result. This comes with a very huge lag, which defeats the aim and makes games less fun.

For apple TV, many people have made attempts at hacking in for streaming. But when they succeed, they get a very poor result. There is also no proof that you can stream games from your PC to your TV through Xbox One. But, you can play on your Xbox One and the windows PC at the same time through the Xbox Play feature with just one purchase. So, while you have people watching TV programs on your TV, you can enjoy the games on your PC, only to get back to paying it on Xbox One when they leave.

While these methods may cost you some money, they will definitely give you better service and convenience than a long HDMI cable running through your living room.

Update 5/17/18: Steam Link is available in beta now. Download it from the Play Store below.

For many, games on Android are casual. They tend to be timewasters, with very few Android games actually being serious. That’s set to change with the introduction of the Steam link application launching on May 21st (in beta) on Android. It is also planned for an iOS launch at a later date. Users of the platform will be able to stream their PC games to their mobile phone, though only through an ethernet connection or 5GHz WiFi connection. Once connected, users will be able to use Bluetooth controllers, including but not limited to the Steam Controller itself.

Of course, a major drawback is that you won’t be able to play over your LTE connection, but that’s fine – not only will bandwidth be an issue for many, but latency as well will be a problem. You won’t exactly be playing high-octane games on your phone either, with slower pace games such as Game Dev Tycoon or Scribblenauts being better suited to a touchscreen. With a Steam Controller, however, there’s nothing stopping you playing the likes of Portal 2, Grand Theft Auto, Civilisation V, and more. This opens the door to a huge amount of games you can play on your phone, and while it may be a niche for some, others will find that it will become one of the best ways to play games on Android.

It’s unknown just how well it works yet, but thanks to the nature of Android it also means that you should, in theory, be able to also stream the games to your Android TV. Those who have Samsung Smart TVs or an NVIDIA Shield will already be able to stream their games from their PC running Steam. For those who are interested in attempting to stream games from their PC now, you can give Moonlight a try. It incorporates the NVIDIA Shield protocols in a third-party implementation – though it only works if your PC has an NVIDIA graphics card.