Moonlight/Shield and Big Picture Mode after update

[Raging Monkey]

First, how I use Moonlight (previously used Steam Link app, but Moonlight has always worked a lol better. Either way, I simply and only use it to connect my Nvidia Shield/tv in my bedroom to my desktop so that I can do my night time tv watching. I used to be able to connect just fine with one click and go right to my desk top with big picture in a small window that was easily minimized once connected.

A couple days ago, every thing seemed to update. Win 11, steam, moonlight, discord, etc etc...

Since then, when I click to connect to my computer on Moonlight on my Shield, it connects, but then my screen flashes black and I'm kicked back out to the Moonlight app. On my computer though, a new and updated Big Picture mode is opened.

I did end up figuring out that if I open Big Picture Mode in Moonlight on my computer BEFORE I try to connect via Moonlight on my Shield, I will be able to connect. However, on my Shield the BPM opens in full screen and I have to Esc>Power>Minimize Steam.

It's not the biggest issue as things still work but it's definitely become a convoluted hassle to have to go to my computer first to open Moonlight, connect to my computer and then connect AGAIN through my Shield.

I guess my question is whether or not there's a way to force Moonlight to NOT to open BPM (or at least in full screen) as well as not having to connect to my own computer at my computer before I can do it on the Shield with one click.


I'm not sure if anyone else uses Moonlight/Steam/Shield this way or if this is even the appropriate place to ask but any help would be appreciated. (I did go through all the settings regarding BPM, toggling them on/off but really, I didnt see any that would even address the issue at hand in the first place.

Also, is this the place to be asking for help regarding Moonlight? If not, any suggestions where I should be asking? Or is there's any solid alternatives to Moonlight people use?

[ss_lemonade]

Do you have Final Fantasy 14 on steam? If you open up that game's shortcut on gamestream or moonlight, it never loads the launcher and just takes you straight to your desktop. I usually do that to load up the desktop, bypassing BPM (useful when I want to stream non-steam games like game pass). You can also add the Windows remote desktop app (mstsc.exe under windows/system32) and load that to take you to the desktop, but the FF 14 trick always worked well for me and properly forces my desktop to my selected streaming resolution (since I guess it's technically a supported gamestream game)

As for the new BPM interface, it does behave rather flaky when streaming. I believe you can force the old interface using the flag "-oldbigpicture" but I've never tried it before.

[LeSnak Fan]

Came across this thread searching for a solution as I get the same thing on my setup. FYI you can just launch Steam from Moonlight a second time, and this opens it on the TV as expected.

Are you using an ultrawide monitor by any chance?