What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
You need a Steam game marked Remote Play Together, one host who owns and runs it, and a stable connection between the host and guests. The host PC has to run the game and stream it; guests only need a compatible device to decode the video and send their controls. Steam does not specify one universal minimum internet speed.
Quick checklist: can your setup work?
- Game: Its Steam Store page lists Remote Play Together, and its local multiplayer mode supports the players and inputs you plan to use.
- Host: One player owns, installs, and launches the game on a PC that meets the game’s requirements and can run it smoothly while streaming.
- Host processor: Steam recommends a quad-core CPU or better for the computer running the game. This is guidance, not a universal hard minimum.
- Guests: Each guest has Steam or a supported Steam Link client and a device capable of decoding H.264 video in hardware; Steam says most recent laptops and PCs should qualify.
- Network: Everyone has a stable internet connection. A wired connection is Steam’s recommendation for the best streaming experience; no universal Mbps threshold is published.
- Input: Each player has an input method the game supports, such as a controller, keyboard and mouse, or suitable touch controls.
- Access: Firewall or security software does not block Remote Play traffic.
Steam describes the feature and its supported destinations at Steam Remote Play and lists technical guidance in its Remote Play FAQ.
What Remote Play Together does
Remote Play Together lets one player run a local multiplayer game on their computer and stream its video and audio to invited players. The guests’ controller, keyboard, mouse, or voice input is sent back to the host. It is designed to let people play supported local multiplayer games together remotely; it is different from a game’s native online multiplayer, where each player connects to the game as a separate client.
In the usual arrangement, the host owns and installs the game. Guests join the streamed session and do not normally need to buy or install it. This applies only to games that support Remote Play Together, and game-specific launchers, DRM, anti-cheat, or other restrictions can interfere. Steam’s feature overview explains the host-and-guest model at store.steampowered.com/remoteplay.
#1 Best Overall
- Works with SHIELD TV 2015/2017/2019 models. Requires upgrade to the latest SHIELD Experience.
- Easy to use in the most darkly lit room. Pick up the remote and the buttons will instantly light up.
- Press the microphone button to access the powerful Google Assistant on your Android TV. Search for new movies, TV shows, or YouTube videos, look up stock prices, or check your commute time, all on your SHIELD TV.
- Customize your menu button with more than 25 choices. Launch your favorite app, enable AI upscaling, or mute your sound, or more! Different options can be applied to up to 3 actions: single press, double press, long press.
- Control your home entertainment center with SHIELD Remote’s built in IR blaster. Control volume, power, or input source.
Host PC requirements
The host does more than run the game: it must render the game, capture and encode the stream, send audio and video, and process guests’ inputs. The PC must meet the game’s own operating-system, processor, memory, graphics, storage, and runtime requirements. Steam recommends at least a quad-core CPU for the computer running the game, but that recommendation is not a promise that every quad-core PC can stream every title well.
- Look for headroom, not just launchability. A PC that barely meets a game’s minimum specification may run short on resources once it is encoding a stream, especially with several guests.
- Make gameplay stable first. If frame rate drops while playing alone, lower resolution, graphics quality, or the frame-rate target before inviting others.
- Test hardware encoding. Steam exposes hardware-encoding controls in Remote Play settings. Encoding can reduce CPU load, but if it causes glitches or instability, test with it disabled.
Steam’s host recommendations and encoding guidance are in its Remote Play FAQ.
Guest device requirements
Guests do not need a PC powerful enough to run the game itself. Their devices decode the host’s video stream and send input back. Steam recommends a GPU with hardware-accelerated H.264 decoding and says most recent laptops and PCs should meet that guidance.
Guests can join through Steam on another computer or through supported Steam Link clients. Steam lists Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Raspberry Pi, and Meta Quest among its destinations. Availability, minimum operating-system versions, and which features work on a particular device can change; the platform list is not a guarantee that every input method or game works everywhere. Check Steam’s current Remote Play page for the destination you plan to use.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #2
- 【TV SPECIFICATION】Remote Works with SHIELD TV 2015/2017/2019 all models Streaming Media Player(Base on requires upgrade to the latest SHIELD Experience),compatible models including for 2015 NVIDIA SHIELD TV,for 2017 NVIDIA SHIELD TV,for 2019 NVIDIA SHIELD TV Cube,and for 2019 NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro.
- 【VOICE FEATURES】Press and release the Voice Search button and then say your command. Voice search feature making navigation a breeze.Simply speaking into the remote to find your favorite TV shows, launch apps, and control your TV's volume.voice remote adds a level of convenience that becomes indispensable.
- 【EASY TO PAIR】Hold the new remote within 2 foot of your SHIELD TV.Press and hold the Select button on your remote until the remote light flashes. The remote should connect after a few moments.
- 【BATTERY TYPE】This remote control requires two AAA batteries，but batteries not included batteries,please prepare by you，You will get Voice Remote and User Manual
- 【REMOTE ADVANTAGE】Great sense of touch, good form factor, this remote is super in hand, good pressure point for keys. The voice control is very accurate, and it usually understands what you're saying even in noisy environments.And it is possible to use 2 or more remotes on the TV at the same time, including the original remote control.
A lower-powered laptop can therefore be a suitable guest device even when it could not run the game locally. It still needs to decode the stream smoothly, maintain a good connection, and support the player’s chosen controls.
Internet and network requirements
Steam’s current Remote Play guidance does not give a universal minimum download or upload speed in Mbps. A single number would be misleading: the host needs enough upload capacity to send the stream, each guest needs enough download capacity to receive it, and latency, jitter, packet loss, and congestion all affect play.
- Prefer Ethernet for the host. Steam recommends a wired network for the best streaming experience. A strong wireless N or AC network or powerline networking may work, but performance varies with the home environment.
- Keep the connection uncongested. Pause large downloads, cloud backups, and other bandwidth-heavy activity during play.
- Consider every guest. A good host connection cannot compensate for an unstable or congested guest connection. Additional players also increase the demands on the host and network.
- Do not judge by download speed alone. Wi-Fi interference, weak upload capacity, high latency, jitter, or packet loss can make a nominally fast connection feel poor.
Steam documents UDP ports 27031 and 27036 and TCP ports 27036 and 27037 for Remote Play. Firewall or security software that blocks Steam’s traffic may prevent discovery or streaming. Those port numbers are useful when diagnosing a specific connection problem, not a reason to forward ports automatically; see Steam’s networking guidance.
Game support and player count
Not every Steam game works with Remote Play Together, even if its tags mention local co-op, split-screen, or multiplayer. To check before buying or inviting friends:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- Compatible with for NVIDIA SHIELD TV 2015 2017 2019 Models – This HSHONG backlit voice remote control replacement is designed for NVIDIA SHIELD TV and NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro streaming media player models, including 2015 NVIDIA SHIELD TV, 2017 NVIDIA SHIELD TV, 2019 NVIDIA SHIELD TV Cube, and 2019 NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro
- Backlit Buttons for Easy Use in the Dark – Built-in backlight allows you to clearly see buttons in low-light environments, making it easier to control your TV at night without turning on lights
- Voice Control for Smarter Navigation – Press the voice button and speak to search shows, open apps, and control playback. Voice control makes everyday navigation faster and more convenient on your compatible streaming device
- Easy Pairing in Simple Steps – Hold the remote within 2 feet of your SHIELD TV, then press and hold the Select button until the indicator light flashes to pair. Setup takes only a few moments
- Requires 2 AAA Batteries (Not Included) – This replacement remote uses 2 AAA batteries (not included). Designed for reliable everyday use with responsive buttons and a comfortable grip
- Open the game’s Steam Store page.
- Look in the feature list in the details column for Remote Play Together.
- Check that the game’s local multiplayer mode supports your intended number of players and their input devices.
Steam says one player runs the game and up to four players—or more with fast connections—can join. That is not a guarantee for every title: the game’s own local-player limit, input design, and performance remain controlling factors. A game with a two-player local mode will not become a four-player game through streaming.
Some technically supported titles are still poor candidates for a particular group. Precise competitive games are sensitive to stream latency; games with awkward local input, external launchers, anti-cheat behavior, or elevated-permission prompts may cause problems. Steam also notes compatibility issues involving some older DirectX technologies and Windows User Account Control dialogs in its Remote Play FAQ.
Controllers and other input
Controllers are not mandatory, but they are often the easiest choice for local multiplayer. Steam supports XInput controllers; some non-gamepad DirectInput devices, including steering wheels and flight sticks, are not supported for Remote Play. The game must also recognize the input type and provide enough local player slots.
Guests may be able to use keyboard and mouse sharing or touch controls, depending on the game and client. Do not assume that a controller connected to a guest device will automatically appear as expected inside the game. On Linux, Steam notes that input may require permissions for /dev/uinput or /dev/input/uinput, and vibration may not work on Linux clients. Steam’s controller and platform caveats are documented in the Remote Play FAQ.
Rank #4
- Microphone for Google voice commands
- Volume control and Bluetooth connectivity
- Compatible devices: TV
- Package Dimensions: 5.003 L x 20.396 H x 5.791 W (centimeters)
How to start a Remote Play Together session
- Launch a game that supports Remote Play Together on the host PC.
- Open the Steam Overlay. On Windows, the usual shortcut is Shift+Tab; if it does not open, enable the overlay for the game and restart Steam.
- Open the Friends List and invite a friend using Remote Play Together, or use the invite-link option if it is available in your client.
- Have the guest accept the invitation and connect with Steam or a supported Steam Link client.
- Assign or approve controller, keyboard, and mouse access, then start the game’s local multiplayer mode.
The exact menu wording can vary by operating system or Steam client update. Steam’s documented invitation flow is in its Remote Play FAQ. A Friends List invitation is the conventional Steam-to-Steam method. Steam has also described an Invite Anyone link flow that may let people join without a Steam account, depending on the supported client and device; see its Invite Anyone announcement for that feature description.
Troubleshoot common problems
The Remote Play Together option is missing
- Check the Store page for the exact Remote Play Together feature listing; local multiplayer alone does not guarantee support.
- Make sure the game is running and the local multiplayer mode is available.
- Confirm Steam Overlay is enabled for the game, then restart Steam and the game.
- Update Steam and the game, and check whether the guest is online and using a compatible client.
- If the option still does not appear, test with another supported title. A firewall, VPN, security tool, platform limitation, or game-specific launcher may be interfering.
The stream is laggy, blurry, or unstable
- Connect the host PC to the router with Ethernet if possible; move wireless devices closer to the router or use a stronger 5 GHz signal.
- Pause downloads, cloud synchronization, video calls, and other heavy network activity.
- Reduce the game’s resolution or graphics settings to free host resources.
- In Steam Remote Play settings, prioritize speed over quality and lower the maximum capture resolution or bandwidth setting.
- Try hardware encoding on the host; if it creates visual glitches or instability, test with it off.
- Reduce the number of guests temporarily and check whether firewall or VPN software is interfering.
These settings and network adjustments are among Steam’s recommended Remote Play controls in its support guidance.
A controller is not detected or mapped correctly
- Confirm the controller appears in the guest device’s operating system and Steam controller settings.
- Disconnect and reconnect it before accepting the invitation.
- Check that the host has approved input access and that the game supports the controller for local multiplayer.
- Try an XInput-compatible gamepad if a specialized or DirectInput device is failing.
A guest cannot connect or sees a black screen
Restart Steam and the game, try a different supported client, and temporarily test without VPN or security software that may be blocking the connection. Check firewall rules for Steam Remote Play traffic, including Steam’s documented ports, rather than assuming that manually opening ports will fix every failure. If the host game uses an external launcher, an old graphics technology, or a Windows UAC prompt, that compatibility issue may prevent a usable stream.
When another way to play is a better fit
Use a game’s native online multiplayer when it is built for separate networked clients, competitive timing, or larger player counts. Remote Play Together is most useful when friends want to join a supported local multiplayer game through one host. For streaming your own Steam game to another device rather than inviting people into local co-op, Steam’s Remote Play page also describes Steam Link and Remote Play Anywhere.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
