How to Stream PC Games on Android and iOS

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Mobile gaming has nothing on PC—the vast library of in-depth games available on desktop is tough to beat. However, at the end of a long day, it's hard to sit at a desk when the couch is oh-so inviting. With the right app, you can play PC games on a TV. But what about a mobile device? That’s where apps like Steam Link, Moonlight, and AMD Link come in.

Steam Link vs. Moonlight vs. AMD Link

The Steam Link app, long available for Android, went through a lot of drama before finally being admitted to the App Store, and it now works for iPhone, iPad, and the Apple TV. 

Moonlight is an open-source app for iOS, Android, and Chrome that reverse-engineers Nvidia's GameStream feature, allowing you to stream games to just about any device (instead of just the officially supported Nvidia Shield). It requires an Nvidia card in your PC. AMD has an official app for Radeon users called AMD Link.

With all these options available, you have a choice to make. Steam Link works well and is platform-agnostic, while Moonlight has a few extra settings, particularly when it comes to controls. (It doesn't support the rumble feature like Steam Link does, though.) AMD Link has a few extra quality settings, but is a bit jankier in my experience.

I recommend starting off with Steam Link. In my testing, it was a smooth experience for most games, though a few had quirks (like a black screen). If you run into any issues or missing features, give Moonlight or AMD Link a try. Graphics and streaming were comparable in my tests, but it'll depend heavily on your device and network quality.

Remember, even if your network is relatively fast, streaming performance may be choppy or entirely unusable. Network reliability is as much of a factor as speed, and having a wired connection on your PC can often make a big difference.

Connect a Gamepad to Your Device

These apps let you play with on-screen touch controls, but as any mobile gamer can tell you, touch controls are rarely ideal. You'll have a much better experience if you play with a dedicated gamepad.

If you want to go wireless, a Bluetooth PlayStation 4 controller should work fine. Just pair it with your device through the Bluetooth settings like any other wireless accessory. This method should work whether you have an iOS or Android device.

Otherwise, you can use an Apple-approved made-for-iPhone MFi controller for iPhone or iPad. Android users can even use a wired controller, like an old Xbox 360 model, by connecting it into a USB OTG cable (either Micro USB or USB-C) and plugging that into your device.

Personally, I highly recommend a Gamevice controller. It attaches directly to your device and turns it into a Nintendo Switch-like gaming console. Whether you have an iPhone, iPad, Pixel, or Galaxy, check the Gamevice website for a controller that matches your device.

Set Up Steam Link

The Steam Link app (iOS, Android) is remarkably easy to set up, so long as your mobile device is on the same network as your PC. When you launch it for the first time, it'll scan your network for computers running Steam and present a list of them. 

Tap your computer, and you'll be given a 4-digit PIN on your phone. Type this PIN into the pop-up that appears in Steam on your PC to initiate the connection. It'll test the network to make sure it's fast enough, then drop you at the home page. From there, tap Start Playing.

Big Picture Mode

It'll begin streaming Steam Big Picture Mode from your PC, and you can select your game and begin streaming.

Tweak Steam Link Settings

If you want to jump into the settings, you can do so from Steam Link's homepage. I recommend digging into the Streaming section, where you can change the video quality to "Fast" if your network is a little choppy, or "Beautiful" if you have the bandwidth for better graphics, as well as tweak some advanced settings. If you tap the More button along the bottom, you’ll get some other settings, like which screen to show when you launch Steam, what resolution you’d like to play at, and more. 

Pay close attention to the pop-ups Steam offers about controls—many iOS controllers, for example, don't tend to have clickable thumbsticks, so you'll need to press Menu+X and Menu+Y. It's a bit clunky, but it works.

Set Up Moonlight

If you decided to go with Moonlight, ensure the latest version of Nvidia GeForce Experience is installed on your PC. Open the GeForce Experience window, click the Settings cog, and click the Shield tab. Toggle the GameStream switch to on.

Next, jump on your phone or tablet and download Moonlight (iOS, Android). When you start the app, it should show a list of your GameStream-enabled PCs on the network. Tap on the one you want, or tap Add Host and enter your PC's IP address if it doesn't appear automatically. Moonlight will give you a PIN, which you'll need to enter into the pop-up that appears on your PC.

Games to Stream

When you click Connect, your phone or tablet will present you with a list of games, ready to stream. If you tap one, it should start playing right on your device—with full gamepad support, if you have a compatible one plugged in or paired.

If you don’t see the game you want, open up GeForce Experience on your PC, click the Settings cog in the upper-right corner, and click the Shield tab in the sidebar. Click the Add button to manually add a game to GeForce Experience, and it should show up in Moonlight when you relaunch. You can even customize the name and art by clicking Edit in GeForce Experience, if you want it to look all pretty.

Tweak Moonlight Settings

That's all it usually takes to get up and running, but if you want the best possible experience, you'll probably want to tweak a few settings.

From Moonlight's main screen, tap the Settings link on the left (for iOS) or the cog icon along the top (for Android). Moonlight has many more settings on Android than iOS, but most users should at least tweak their resolution and framerate targets: 1080p at 60Hz is ideal for the best graphics and smooth playback, but if the stream is choppy, lowering it to 720p or 30Hz may help. 

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