[Resolved] Remote Play from PC to Steam Deck not working

[Mixairian]

2/23/25 Update

I was having issues with my Steamlink wireless connection and I enabled NVFBC Capture. The color quality on my television drastically improved and became more vibrant. There was not a noticeable change in connectivity issues though. I just thought to update this post to indicate that this feature impacts the color/image quality that is streamed.

5/10/23 Update

The latest (May 9th Preview) update for the Steam Deck has resolved the Remote Play issue that I had. The following are settings that I tweaked during my troubleshooting that have provided me an overall more stable Remote Play experience. My original post will remain at the bottom.

For future readers, switching your Deck to Stable first and then your Steam Client second should be your first troubleshooting routes. After that, feel free to review the additional steps taken below.

The following settings were configured under Enable Advanced Options:

• Disable Change desktop resolution to match streaming client. (PC)
  
• Disable dynamically adjust capture resolution to improve performance. (PC)
  
• Disable NVFBC capture on Nvidia GPU (PC - I read that this has something to do with Nvidia Geforce Experience and since I don't have that installed on my computer, I disabled it)
  
• Enable Hardware Encoding for Nvidia GPU (PC -I have a 1080TI)
  
• # of software encoding threads: 8 (PC - I have i5-13700)
  
• Prioritize Network Traffic (PC - I have a 2018 router with QOS enabled)
  
• Video: Fast (PC & Deck)
  
• Bandwidth Limit: 30 KB/s (PC & Deck - you might be able to push 40 if you have a higher speed network and router)
  
• Framerate Limit: Automatic (PC) 60 (Deck)
  
• Display Resolution (PC & Deck)
  
• Hardware Decoding: Enabled (PC) disabled (Deck)

Hardware encoding, decoding and NVFBC are settings where I've read and watched videos online where contradictory advice has been given. The settings above worked for me, but these are the first ones to tweak if you're having issues.

Bandwidth Limit is one of those where universally everyone agrees Unlimited and Automatic are bad (at least the forum posts I've read and videos I've watched.) This has been my experience as well. My connection speed when I test is 300Mbps / 35Mbps, and 30KB/s was my sweet spot. I've read conjecture that 40 and above was a negligible improvements for some folks and above 50 my setup couldn't handle it.

The rest of the settings I have no real comments on.

Original Post Below

• Windows 11 - Steam Client Beta - connected over WiFi 5hz
  
• Steam Deck Preview Channel

Problem
I am unable to connect my Deck to Remote Play anymore.

Background
2 nights ago I was playing Yakuza Like a Dragon via Remote Play from my PC to my Steam Deck. There was the occasional freezing during cutscenes but I was able to play for over an hour more or less stable. The next night my Steam Deck was updated to May 4th Beta update.

When I selected Stream on my Steam Deck, the game will start on my PC using the Steam Decks smaller resolution but my Deck will go back to the Activity screen on my Steam Deck. Any attempt to press reconnect gives me a black screen for a moment and then flickers back to the Activity screen. I am unable to Remote Play.

I have just updated to the May 5th beta update and I'm still having this issue. Below are some of the troubleshooting routes I've attempted.

Toubleshooting

• I have restarted my Steam Deck and PC multiple times.
  
• I have enabled and disabled NVIDIA hardware encoding.
  
• I have gone to my PC's Steam Computer properties and adjusted my DPI settings via the Compatibility tab.
  
• I went back to the public channel of Steam for my Desktop.
  
• I have disabled my desktops security and firewall software.

Edit 5/6/23:
I am able to stream from my deck to my PC.

I'll also note that my Steam Link was having issues after the beta Steam Windows update but the compatibility DPI settings fixed that..

[Mixairian]

5/7/23
Rolling the Steam Deck to Stable and leaving my PC to beta appears to have partially fixed the problem. I'll attempt to stream the game, it'll freeze on the Splash screen for a moment before going back to the Activity screen. If I attempt to reconnect it'll let me stream. I haven't tested stability yet and will report back afterwards.

[Mixairian]

Update
Remote Play works but the quality and reliability of the stream is horrendous. Constant freezing and choppiness. Back to troubleshooting.

[Mixairian]

5/8/2023
So the final verdict. I got things to stabilize from PC to Deck. No more freezing or artifacts.

• Windows - Steam Client Beta
  
• Steam Deck - Stable Branch
  
  The following settings on my PC under Enable Advanced Options:
  
• Disable Change desktop resolution to match streaming client.
  
• Disable dynamically adjust capture resolution to improve performance.
  
• Enable NVFBC capture on Nvidia GPU (I have an 1080TI)
  
• Enable Hardware Encoding for Nvidia GPU (I have a 1080TI)
  
• # of software encoding threads: 8 (I have i5-13700)
  
• Prioritize Network Traffic (I have a 2018 router with QOS enabled)
  
• Video: Fast (same setting on the Steam Deck as well)
  
• Bandwidth Limit: 30 KB/s (same setting on the Steam Deck as well.)
  
• Framerate Limit Automatic
  
• Display Resolution
  
• Hardware Decoding
  
  The above settings seemed to have stabled things out. Later tonight I'll flip back to Steam Deck preview and assess if this was a setting issue or still a beta client issue.

[Mixairian]

Update
I retested again putting the Deck into Beta and Preview. Remote Play is borked for those two builds but fully functional on Stable.

Hopefully this one get's bumped along.

[Krogoth]

Thank you for troubleshooting and then documenting.
I really appreciate the work and effort you put into this.

You also resolved my issue.
Cheers.

[Mixairian]

@Krogoth

I'm actually relieved that my work actually helped someone else. Hopefully Steam can get Remote Play working again for both the Preview version build of the Steam Deck. At least in the meantime we have a functional solution.

[Ostracious]

Same problem here!
Thank you for your help @Mixairian. Indeed, going back to stable on my deck seems to solve it.

I hope they will detect and fix this soon.

[SSmoke]

Same here. I switched to the beta build to download some games from my PC to my steam deck and tried to play Black Ops 3 afterward. It wasn't working, so I switched back to the stable build and restarted my steam deck and PC, just in case. Afterward, it was able to work. My PC steam client is in beta mode.

[Trackpad Chad]

Can confirm. All beta channels currently are unable to remote play. Stable works fine, though.

[Tufenuf]

I've done everything here but streaming to steam deck will not work.

It launches the game on host PC but when I click connect on Steam Deck it tries to connect then crashes.

[Trackpad Chad]

A quick update: they seem to have fixed the issue as remote play works on beta channels now.

[Mixairian]

@Trackpad Chad
Thank you, I'll give it a shot tonight and provide my status update as well.

[noplzdont]

Originally posted by Mixairian:

5/8/2023
So the final verdict. I got things to stabilize from PC to Deck. No more freezing or artifacts.

• Windows - Steam Client Beta
  
• Steam Deck - Stable Branch
  
  The following settings on my PC under Enable Advanced Options:
  
• Disable Change desktop resolution to match streaming client.
  
• Disable dynamically adjust capture resolution to improve performance.
  
• Enable NVFBC capture on Nvidia GPU (I have an 1080TI)
  
• Enable Hardware Encoding for Nvidia GPU (I have a 1080TI)
  
• # of software encoding threads: 8 (I have i5-13700)
  
• Prioritize Network Traffic (I have a 2018 router with QOS enabled)
  
• Video: Fast (same setting on the Steam Deck as well)
  
• Bandwidth Limit: 30 KB/s (same setting on the Steam Deck as well.)
  
• Framerate Limit Automatic
  
• Display Resolution
  
• Hardware Decoding
  
  The above settings seemed to have stabled things out. Later tonight I'll flip back to Steam Deck preview and assess if this was a setting issue or still a beta client issue.

This one resolved my issues. Thank You!)

I’m connecting my SD to TV, and then stream games from PC to SD to TV. Works fine. A little input lag, but I suppose it should be, since it’s a more complex route.

Thank You for investigation @Mixairian!

[Mixairian]

@noplzdont

Happy my digging and logging helped. One small amendment which I plan to add in my updated summary.

I did disable hardware decoding on my Deck, disabled Nvidia NVFBC on my computer, changed the framerate cap to 60, and set my steam deck to unlimited in the in game settings overlay. These removed the occasional stutter that started to appear.

[Mixairian]

Updated my Steam Deck back to the Preview channel. Remote Play is working.