Nvidia Shield lets you stream PC games onto your TV using Steam Link, an app developed by Steam. To access Nvidia Shield Steam Link, simply install the app and connect your PC and the Bluetooth Controller.
Key Takeaways
- You can use Steam Link to play games on your Nvidia Shield from your PC.
- Steam controllers, PlayStation, and Xbox controllers are compatible with Steam Link on Nvidia Shield TV.
- You can enable Remote Play on Steam from the host computer to continue streaming games on Nvidia Shield.
How To Stream Games On Nvidia Shield With Steam Link?
You need to have an active Steam account on your PC and then install the Steam Link app on your TV to begin the streaming. Additionally, make sure that you have a stable internet connection throughout the process.
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Enable Remote Play In The Host PC
The first step is to enable Steam remote play on the host PC so you can stream games on the Nvidia Shield.
- Locate the Steam option at the top right edge of your TV screen.
- It will open a drop-down menu. Select Settings.
Steam Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Navigate to Remote Play in the left panel.
- Mark the box which says, Enable Remote Play.
Enable Remote Play – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
Download Steam Link On Your TV
Download and install the Steam Link on your Nvidia Shield from the Play Store with these steps.
- Go to the Play Store from your Main Screen.
Play Store – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Search for the Steam Link app and Install it on your Nvidia Shield TV.
Install Steam Link – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Open the app once installed.
Open – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Choose Allow.
- Enter your account credentials and Sign In to your Steam account.
- The app will search for a host PC running Steam on the same network connection.
Scanning – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Select your PC displayed in the search results on your TV.
Select PC – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - A 4-digit code will appear on your TV Screen.
Code – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Enter this code into the pop-up on your host PC.
- Choose OK.
OK – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - You will see a Testing Network screen. Let it complete.
Testing Network – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Pick OK.
OK – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Once everything is set, choose Start Playing.
Start Playing – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - You will see all your games in the Steam Library on your Nvidia Shield TV.
Steam Library – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Select the game you want to play.
- Hit the Play button.
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What To Do If Steam Link Fails To Detect Your PC?
Ensure the two devices, the host PC and Nvidia Shield TV, are connected to the same internet router to pair via Steam Link. In addition, you can also re-enable the streaming permission from the PC if the app cannot recognize it. To do so;
- Open Steam on your computer.
- Go to the Steam Settings.
Steam Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Find In-Home Streaming and unmark the Enable Streaming box.
- Mark The Box Again and hit OK.
Enable Streaming – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers]
How To Connect Game Controller To Your Nvidia Shield TV?
You can directly pair Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox controllers to Nvidia Shield from the TV settings. Before moving on, check out the 6 BEST RTX 3070 Graphics Cards.
On the other hand, a user confirmed on the Steam Community that you could only use the Steam controller with Steam Link and not the Steam app downloaded from any other platform besides the Google Play Store on Nvidia Shield.
- Press the Settings gear at the top bar of your Main Screen.
Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - A side menu will appear.
- Pick Remotes And Accessories.
Remotes And Accessories – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Choose Add Bluetooth Accessories.
Add Bluetooth Accessories – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Now, Turn On the Bluetooth Controller you wish to pair.
- The TV will begin searching for available Bluetooth controllers nearby.
Searching – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Wait for the name of your wireless controller to appear on the Bluetooth scan results.
- Choose Pair.
Pair – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Once paired, try navigating the device with your controller to check its functioning.
Which Settings Should You Modify For Better Gaming?
To have an impressive gaming experience on Nvidia Shield with the Steam Link app, you can tweak a few settings on your host PC and the Android TV.
Steam On Host PC
Modify these settings on the linked Steam account on your PC for a better speed and secure connection.
- Choose Remote Play from the Settings menu.
- Click on Advanced Host Options.
Advanced Host Options – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Mark the boxes, Use NVFBC Capture On Nvidia GPU, Enable Hardware Encoding, and the three boxes beneath it.
- Set the Number Of Software Encoding Threads to Automatic.
Enable Hardware Encoding – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Hit OK.
Nvidia Shield TV
Turning on these settings on your Nvidia Shield TV will help improve its performance as a gaming monitor. Moreover, read our guide on How To Fix NVIDIA User Account Is Locked.
- Press the Settings icon on the top bar.
Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Navigate to Device Preferences.
Device Preferences – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Choose Display And Sound.
Display And Sound – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Next, head to Advanced Display Settings.
Advanced Display Settings – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Enable Automatic Game Mode via the toggle bar.
Automatic Game Mode – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - You can also turn on the Display HDR Content When Available setting to stream high-quality games.
Final Words
We discussed the easiest way to enjoy the Nvidia Shield Steam Link gaming experience and get access to a long list of games through your Steam Library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Nvidia Shield Smart TV lets you play PC games on the big screen through the Steam Link app, paired with Steam on your host computer.
Unfortunately,not. You need to connect Steam Link to a host computer to stream games from your Steam Library on Nvidia Shield
You can play games in 4K video quality on Nvidia Shield Steam Link if your host computer supports the format.
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