How to stream Steam games to a TV

Device links

• AppleTV
• Chromecast
• roku
• Device missing?

Nowadays, the Steam Link app is available for almost all Smart TVs available in the market. But if you have a TV that doesn’t support Steam Link, there’s still hope. There are different ways to stream games from PC to TV and connecting them is not the only alternative.

If you want to know how to stream Steam games to your TV, read on.

Cast Steam games to TV – Chromecast

Older TVs can be turned into smart TVs via the Chromecast dongle. It allows you to access the Google Play Store and improves your streaming experience. Chromecast also supports Steam Link. This makes it much easier to stream games to your TV or use remote or cross-platform play.

Here’s how to cast Steam games to TV via Chromecast:

1. Turn on your TV where the Chromecast is connected.
   
2. Once your Chromecast has charged, download “Steam Link.”
   
3. Install it.
   
4. Turn on your PC and log into your Steam client.
   
5. Open the “Steam” menu in the upper left corner of the window and navigate to “Settings.”
   
   
6. Under the “Remote Playback” option, make sure “Enable Remote Playback” is enabled. The box must be checked. Press OK to exit the window.
   
7. Go back to your television. Open the Steam link app.
   
8. Back on your PC, your Steam client will ask you for that PIN number.
   
9. Type it in the dialog box and press “Enter.”
   
10. Go to your television. After testing the network.
11. Your library will be displayed on the screen.
    
12. Select a game and start playing.
    

Users reported that networks running below 5 GHz do not provide a good gaming experience. A quick and easy tip is to ensure that no other audio or video transmission is taking place over the home network while streaming games. For more specifications on appropriate settings, see the “Steam Link – Suggested Network Settings” page. Some users also mentioned the convenience of having the Chromecast connected to the router via an Ethernet cable.

Stream Steam games to Fire TV

Our goal is to organize your computer for streaming on your beloved TV screen, whether you’re using Fire Stick, Fire Stick 4K, or Fire TV Cube. The problem with those Amazon devices is that the Steam Link app is not available in its built-in repository. Therefore, downloading the app is the way to go. Here’s how to stream games to Fire TV:

1. Once your Fire Stick is up and running, use the remote control to enter the “Settings” section.
   
2. Find “My Fire TV.”
   
3. Choose “Developer Options”.
   
4. Enable both “ADB Debugging” and “Applications from Unknown Sources”.
   
5. Return to the Fire Stick main screen. Through the search box, search for the “Downloader” app and install it on your device.
   
   
6. Open the “Downloader” app and select the “Browser” heading from the left side menu.
   
7. Enter the URL that points directly to the Steam Link APK file. Choose your trusted APK repository or go to this Steam community pagewhere this direct download link is available.
   
8. Run the downloaded APK file. A pop-up window will show you the permissions you are giving to the app. Select “Install.”

Note: When downloading, make sure you do so from a trusted source. Read reviews on the site or APK repository to prevent malware from reaching your device.

The Steam Link app should now be present on your Fire TV’s home screen. Now, the steps are similar to those required for normal use of Steam Link. This is what you should do:

1. Once you have opened your “Steam” desktop client on your computer, click “Steam” in the top left corner of the window.
   
2. Select “Settings.”
   
3. Scroll down to “Remote Play” and check the “Enable Remote Play” option displayed.
   
4. Go to the Fire TV home screen.
   
5. Open the “Steam Link” app.
   
6. Pair your controller or “Skip” the screen displayed to do so later.
   
7. Select the image with your computer name written on it and remember the PIN number shown in the pop-up window.
   
8. Go to your computer, return to the Steam desktop client.
   
9. Enter that PIN number in the dialog box.
   
10. Go back to television.
11. Wait until the network test finishes.
    
12. Press “Start Playing”, select a game from the library and start playing.

Stream Steam games to Roku

Since Roku does not natively support “Steam Link,” you cannot download the app to the device. You will have to solve the lack of support. Currently, the only way to play Steam titles on Roku is by mirroring the screen from a Windows PC. The downside to this approach is that there will be a more significant delay between your input and the game stream.

Let’s see how to stream Steam games to Roku:

1. Turn on your PC and your Roku device.
   
   
2. Connect each of them to your home network.
3. Go to the TV and click the “Home” button on the Roku remote.
   
   
4. Select “Settings” and then press “System.”
   
5. Choose the title “Screen Mirroring” and then select “Screen Mirroring Mode.” “Select “Ask” to enable screen mirroring.
   
6. Go to your PC and press “Windows + P” on your keyboard.
   
7. Scroll down the left side menu to select “Connect to a wireless display.”
   
8. Choose “Roku” from the set of listed devices displayed.
   
9. Select “Allow” when Roku displays the option on your TV screen.
10. Go to your PC and sign in to your Steam account.
    
11. Select a game and play it.
    

That way, what your Steam client shows will be seen on the TV that has the Roku device connected. Please note that only Roku OS versions 7.7 or higher support screen mirroring.

Stream Steam games to Apple TV

In order for the “Steam Link” app to work on your Apple TV, you must first download it to your device from the Apple Store. Once you’ve paired the internet connection on your iOS box and your host computer (the one where Steam actually runs), you’re ready to launch Steam games on the big screen. Remember that only newer Apple TVs support this feature. For a greater experience, a 5GHz router is recommended with devices connected to the network via Ethernet cables.

1. Turn on your PC and log into your Steam client.
   
2. Navigate to the “Steam” menu at the top left and select “Settings.”
   
3. Go to the “Remote Play” heading and check the “Enable Remote Play” box.
   
4. Go to your Apple TV and search for the “Steam Link” app.
   
5. Download the app from App Play Store on the TV and open it.
   
6. Press “OK” in the pop-up dialog window and follow the setup instructions.
   
7. Press the “Start Playing” tab using your remote or your previously paired wireless controller.
   
8. When you find your computer and it appears on the screen, select it.
   
9. Enter the PIN number provided by Apple TV on your PC and press “OK.”
   
10. Once the network test is complete, press “OK” to connect both devices.
    

You should now be able to select the game you want and play it.

If you are having issues with the Steam Link app, be sure to update your TV to the latest iOS 16.1 beta as it reportedly fixes most of the issues.

simplified steam transmission

You have probably noticed that we have focused mainly on the “Steam Link” application. As it is the official service provided by Steam, it should be the one that offers the best option for streaming your games to TV. However, there are other methods you can try. For example, if you have a Nvidia GPUyou might want to take a look at the open source game client called “Moonlight.”

Do you have an alternative way to stream your Steam games? Let us know in the comments section below.