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Steam Link streams a game from a PC running Steam to an Android phone, tablet, or Android TV. The PC does the game processing; your Android device receives the video and audio and sends your controls back. For first-time setup, put both devices on the same home network, pair them with the on-screen PIN, then start a game from Steam Link.
What you need before you start
- An Android phone, tablet, or Android TV. Valve lists Android 5.0 or newer as supported, though compatibility can still vary by device.
- A PC with Steam installed, powered on, awake, connected to the network, and signed in.
- The game installed on the PC and able to launch there normally.
- A stable home network. Valve recommends Ethernet for the PC and 5 GHz Wi-Fi for phones and tablets; for Android TV, Ethernet on both the PC and TV device is preferable where possible.
- A controller is recommended for most games, though Steam Link also offers on-screen touch controls.
Steam Link is the Android client app; Steam Remote Play is the streaming feature it uses. Neither installs a Windows game on Android. Remote Play Together is a separate Steam feature that lets friends join supported local multiplayer games remotely. See Valve’s Remote Play overview.
Install Steam Link on Android
- Open Google Play and search for Steam Link.
- Check that the developer is Valve Corporation, then install and open the app. The Steam Link Google Play listing covers phones, tablets, TVs, and Chromebooks.
If Google Play is unavailable, use Valve’s Remote Play page to reach its official Android download. The APK is hosted at Valve’s steam-powered media domain. Sideloading requires allowing an external installation source and carries more risk than installing through Google Play; avoid third-party APK mirrors.
Prepare Steam on the PC
- Turn on the PC, open Steam, and sign in.
- Confirm the game you want to stream is installed and launches normally on the PC.
- In Steam’s Settings, find Remote Play and confirm streaming is enabled. Menu wording can vary by Steam client version; older Valve support material calls this In-Home Streaming.
- Leave Steam running and keep the PC awake. If the Android app cannot find the computer, toggle Remote Play off and on, then restart Steam.
Valve’s connection troubleshooting guidance requires the host computer to be on with Steam running and signed in. Steam Link cannot turn on a fully shut-down PC; Wake-on-LAN is a separate setup and is not guaranteed to work across every PC and network.
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Pair Android with the PC
- For initial discovery, connect the Android device and PC to the same router or local network.
- Open Steam Link and allow requested network, nearby-device, or Bluetooth permissions.
- Select the detected Steam computer. Steam Link displays a pairing PIN.
- Enter the PIN in the Steam client on the PC when prompted.
- Wait for the connection test. Select the computer and choose Start Playing.
The exact prompt and labels may differ between app releases, Android TV builds, and Steam client versions. If the PC is not discovered, see Valve’s discovery troubleshooting steps.
Connect a controller or use touch controls
Pair a Bluetooth controller
- Open Android Settings and go to Connected devices, Bluetooth, or the equivalent menu on your device.
- Put the controller into pairing mode and select it from Android’s device list.
- Open Steam Link and test the controls. Pairing the controller with Android generally makes it available to the app; if it is connected to the PC or another device instead, Android may not receive its input.
Valve lists Steam Controller, Xbox One S controller, DualShock 4 on Android 9 or newer, and Razer Kishi/Raiju Mobile among supported input devices. Compatibility depends on the controller model, Android version, pairing mode, game, and Steam Input configuration; an unlisted gamepad may work, but it is not guaranteed. See Valve’s controller support information.
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Use touch controls
Steam Link can show on-screen controls, and developers can provide recommended touch layouts for phones and tablets, as described in Valve’s Remote Play documentation. Touch input is most practical for slower-paced games, turn-based titles, strategy games, and menu navigation. It is usually a poor substitute for analog sticks and physical buttons in competitive shooters, racing games, fighting games, or other precision-heavy play.
Launch a game
- After the connection starts, use Steam Link’s controller-friendly Steam interface to open your Library.
- Select a game installed on the PC and press Play.
- Wait for it to launch on the host computer. Use the Steam Link overlay for available streaming, controller, performance, and disconnect controls.
A lower-powered Android device can display a demanding game because the PC runs it, but decoding performance, stream resolution, Wi-Fi quality, screen, battery, heat, and input delay still affect the experience. Some games, launchers, protected prompts, anti-cheat systems, or keyboard-and-mouse control schemes may not behave well remotely.
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Start with the network
- Connect the host PC to the router with Ethernet if possible.
- Use the router’s 5 GHz Wi-Fi band on a phone or tablet, and keep it within good signal range.
- For Android TV, wire both the PC and TV device to Ethernet where practical.
- Pause large downloads or uploads and avoid congested or weak Wi-Fi areas while playing.
These are Valve’s recommended general arrangements in the Google Play listing, not prerequisites. Both devices on Wi-Fi can work, but are more exposed to interference and congestion. 2.4 GHz may reach farther, but is often more crowded and less suitable for low-latency streaming.
Tune streaming settings only when needed
Automatic settings are a sensible starting point. If the stream is unstable, lower resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to reduce bandwidth or decoding demands. If the picture is consistently blurry on a strong connection, raise bitrate gradually. Higher bitrate improves image detail but uses more network capacity; no single setting is best for every Android device, game, and Wi-Fi environment.
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Hardware decoding is generally preferable when available. Low-latency options may make controls feel more responsive but can reduce stability on some devices. Google Play’s listing, viewed August 18, 2026, noted a 59.94 FPS limit, reduced frame drops when that limit is automatic, a Disabled option for Low Latency Video, and a fix for coordinate scaling on certain 4:3 devices. App settings and labels can change with updates.
Read the performance overlay
Enable Steam Link’s performance overlay or graph from Steam Link settings before streaming, Big Picture settings after starting, or the Steam overlay during a game. Valve says large spikes in the cyan network-time line indicate variable network timing and commonly coincide with stutter or freezing. See Valve’s overlay guidance.
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- Network-time spikes point toward Wi-Fi congestion, interference, router distance, or an overloaded network.
- Encoding spikes can indicate that the PC is struggling to encode the stream.
- Decoding spikes can indicate that the Android device is struggling to decode it.
- Input delay may come from the controller or the network path; frame drops may arise from the game, host, encoder, network, or client.
Metric names and visual presentation can vary across app versions, so treat the overlay as a diagnostic clue rather than a definitive fault report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot by symptom
Steam Link cannot find the PC
- Confirm the PC is awake, Steam is open, and the account is signed in.
- Confirm Android and the PC are connected to the same router or local network.
- Toggle Remote Play off and on in Steam settings, then restart Steam and Steam Link.
- Temporarily test without a VPN and check that firewall rules permit Steam or Remote Play.
- Restart the router only if the simpler checks do not help.
The pairing PIN fails
- Make sure you enter the current PIN shown by Steam Link, not one from an earlier attempt.
- Keep both devices on the same network and restart the pairing flow if the prompt has expired or disappeared.
- Restart Steam and Steam Link before trying again.
The controller connects but does not control the game
- Check Android Bluetooth settings to confirm the controller is connected to the phone or tablet.
- Restart Steam Link after pairing and test input in Steam’s interface or Big Picture mode.
- In Steam Link’s streaming settings, check advanced options and confirm input streaming is enabled. Valve documents this under Settings > Streaming > Advanced Options in its input troubleshooting page.
- Disconnect the controller from other devices, try another controller, or use USB if your Android device supports it.
- Check whether the game expects keyboard and mouse rather than a gamepad.
The video stutters, freezes, or looks blurry
- Move closer to the router, use 5 GHz Wi-Fi, or connect the PC by Ethernet.
- Stop other high-bandwidth activity and lower stream resolution, frame rate, or bitrate if the connection remains unstable.
- Use the performance overlay to distinguish likely network, encoding, or decoding trouble.
- If the stream is stable but blurry, raise bitrate gradually and check whether automatic quality reduction is active.
- Try another game to see whether the issue is specific to one title.
The screen is black or a game will not launch
- Verify that the game launches directly on the PC, then close and relaunch it through Steam Link.
- Check whether a launcher, desktop dialog, administrator prompt, or protected screen is blocking the game.
- Restart Steam Link and Steam, update both, and try launching from the controller-friendly Steam interface.
- Test another game; individual games and launchers can handle remote input or display capture differently.
Audio is missing or delayed
- Check the Android device’s volume and selected output, as well as the host PC’s audio output.
- Disconnect Bluetooth headphones temporarily and test through the phone speaker or wired headphones; Bluetooth audio can add delay independently of the stream.
- Restart the stream after changing audio devices.
The connection drops or Steam Link closes
- Check Wi-Fi strength and whether the Android device has entered a battery-saver mode.
- Keep Steam Link in the foreground while testing; some Android manufacturers aggressively stop background apps.
- Review Android permissions if the app has lost network or nearby-device access.
- Check that the host PC has not gone to sleep or lost its network connection.
Can you play away from home?
Steam Remote Play can work over the internet when the host PC and both networks permit the connection, but same-network play is the easiest place to start. Away from home, the home internet’s upload connection and the Android device’s download connection both matter, and added network distance usually makes latency more noticeable. A sleeping or shut-down PC, restrictive firewall or network conditions, or an unreliable connection can prevent access. This is not cloud gaming: the game still runs on your own available PC.
When Steam Link is a good fit
Steam Link is useful when you want to play games owned and installed on a PC from another room, a phone, tablet, or Android TV. It is especially comfortable for slower-paced games when the host is wired and the Android device has a strong Wi-Fi signal. It is a weaker fit for competitive games where small input delays matter, unreliable networks, or games that require precise mouse input or fail to handle remote launch and display correctly. A compatible controller can improve comfort, but buying a dedicated handheld is not required to use the app.
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