Frequently Asked Questions

Moonlight is an open-source software that enables you to stream PC games to various devices, using NVIDIA’s GameStream technology. It supports multiple platforms and offers high-quality, low-latency streaming.

For your host PC to use Moonlight, you need an NVIDIA GeForce GTX/RTX GPU, Windows 7, 8.1, or 10, and the latest GeForce Experience software with GameStream enabled.

You can run Moonlight on a wide range of devices, including:
Windows PCs
MacOS computers
Linux-based systems
Android devices
iOS devices and Apple TV
ChromeOS devices
Raspberry Pi
Certain homebrew-enabled consoles like PS Vita and Wii U
Moonlight’s broad compatibility makes it versatile for game streaming across different platforms.

Yes, there is a Moonlight web client. It allows you to stream your games through a web browser, making it accessible on devices where you might not be able to install traditional Moonlight client applications.

Yes, you can stream from your PC to your device using Moonlight while outside your house. This requires a stable internet connection on both your PC and the device you’re streaming to, and you might need to configure your router for port forwarding to enable remote access.

Yes, you can stream your entire desktop using Moonlight. This feature allows you to access and interact with your PC’s desktop environment, not just the games, providing a remote desktop experience.

Yes, Moonlight supports the use of special input hardware like flight sticks, steering wheels, gyros, and other game controllers. These devices can be used with the client device and their inputs will be transmitted to the game running on the host PC. Ensure the client device recognizes the hardware for optimal performance.

Yes, Moonlight is secure. It uses NVIDIA’s GameStream technology, which includes encryption for streaming data. This ensures that the data exchanged between your PC and the device you’re streaming to is protected. However, as with any remote access tool, it’s important to follow best practices for network security, such as using strong passwords and keeping software up to date.

For help with streaming issues in Moonlight, you can:
Visit the Moonlight Docs: Check their documentation for troubleshooting tips and guides.
Join the Community: Engage with the Moonlight community on platforms like Discord or Reddit for advice and solutions from other users.
Check the GitHub Issues Page: Review the Moonlight Stream GitHub issues page for similar problems or post your own.
Consult Online Forums: Tech forums and gaming communities often discuss streaming issues and solutions that might be helpful.

You can make suggestions for improvements to Moonlight by:
GitHub: Post your suggestions as issues on the Moonlight Stream GitHub repository.
Discord: Join the Moonlight Discord server and share your ideas in the relevant channels.
Community Forums: Participate in community forums like Reddit, specifically the Moonlight Streaming subreddit, to discuss your suggestions.

You can find the Moonlight source code on its GitHub repository at github.com/moonlight-stream/moonlight-stream. This repository hosts all the code, documentation, and issue tracking for Moonlight.

Your audio might not work after stopping streaming due to changes in the default audio device settings; check and reset them on your host PC.

When your host PC resolution changes to 720p upon starting streaming with Moonlight, it’s usually because of the streaming settings or the limitations of the client device. Here’s why this happens and how you can address it:
Default Streaming Resolution: Moonlight often defaults to a conservative resolution like 720p to ensure smooth performance, especially on networks with lower bandwidth or on client devices with lower display capabilities.
Client Device Capability: If the client device you are streaming to has a maximum resolution of 720p, Moonlight might automatically adjust the streaming resolution to match.
Bandwidth Considerations: Lower resolutions like 720p require less bandwidth, so Moonlight might default to this to prevent lag or stuttering, especially on unstable or slower networks.

Moonlight might not show all of your games if they aren’t recognized by NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience, or they need to be manually added to its game list.

If Steam doesn’t show up on your Apple TV or iOS device when using Moonlight, it might be due to a few different reasons:
GameStream Configuration: Ensure that Steam is correctly configured and recognized in NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience on your host PC. GeForce Experience should list Steam as a game, allowing it to be streamed.
Network Issues: Check your network connection on both your host PC and your Apple TV/iOS device. They should be on the same network for Moonlight to detect Steam.
App Version: Ensure you have the latest version of Moonlight installed on your Apple TV or iOS device. Outdated versions might have compatibility issues.
Steam Installation: Verify that Steam is properly installed on your host PC and that it is not in offline mode.
Manual Addition: If Steam doesn’t appear automatically, you can manually add it to the list of streamable games in GeForce Experience.
Firewall or Security Software: Sometimes, firewall settings or security software on your host PC can block the connection. Check to ensure Moonlight and Steam are allowed through the firewall.
If these steps don’t resolve the issue, consider seeking support from the Moonlight community on their Discord channel or GitHub page for more specific troubleshooting advice.

Adding a non-local PC on Apple TV or iOS using Moonlight can be challenging due to network security restrictions and the app’s design, which primarily supports local network connections.

The issue with mouse functionality in FPS games on Android 7.1 or earlier when using Moonlight is due to Android’s lack of support for relative mouse input in these versions. Upgrading to Android 8.0 or newer can resolve this problem.

Your mouse might move very fast on Android when using Moonlight due to high sensitivity settings or the lack of proper mouse input scaling between your device and the game. To fix this, try adjusting the mouse sensitivity settings within the Moonlight app or the game’s settings.

Your host’s mouse acceleration might change while streaming with Moonlight due to Moonlight’s interaction with NVIDIA’s GameStream technology, which can alter mouse settings to optimize streaming performance. This can result in different mouse behavior during a streaming session. To address this, you may need to manually reset your mouse settings on the host PC after streaming, or adjust the in-game mouse settings while streaming.

Periodic stutters on macOS when streaming over WiFi using Moonlight can occur due to network instability or interference, which is more common with wireless connections. To mitigate this, try improving your WiFi signal strength, using a 5 GHz band instead of 2.4 GHz if available, or switching to a wired Ethernet connection for a more stable streaming experience.

If HEVC or HDR streaming isn’t working with your RTX 3000-series GPU on Moonlight, it could be due to driver issues or compatibility problems between the GPU, Moonlight, and NVIDIA’s GameStream technology. Ensure you have the latest drivers for your GPU, and check Moonlight’s and NVIDIA’s documentation or support forums for any known issues or updates related to RTX 3000-series GPUs and HEVC/HDR streaming.

Low frame rates when streaming your desktop on a laptop with NVIDIA Optimus technology using Moonlight can be due to Optimus automatically using the integrated graphics instead of the NVIDIA GPU for desktop rendering. To address this, you can try setting Moonlight or the streaming application to use the NVIDIA GPU in the NVIDIA Control Panel settings, ensuring higher performance and better frame rates.

The bitrate slider in Moonlight doesn’t go beyond 150 Mbps because Moonlight sets this as the maximum limit to ensure stable performance and compatibility across various network setups. Streaming at higher bitrates requires more network bandwidth and can lead to instability or performance issues, especially on networks that cannot consistently support such high data rates. This limit helps balance quality and reliability in the streaming experience.

To see on-screen statistics about your streaming performance in Moonlight, you can enable the performance overlay feature in the Moonlight settings. This overlay typically displays information like frame rate, latency, and bit rate, providing real-time insights into the performance of your stream. The exact steps to enable this feature can vary based on the client device you are using.

In Moonlight’s on-screen connection statistics, the numbers represent frame rate (FPS), latency (ms), bitrate (Mbps), and packet loss (%), indicating the performance and quality of your streaming session.

The frame pacing options on the Moonlight Android client help manage how frames are delivered to ensure smoother playback. These settings adjust the timing of frame rendering to minimize stuttering and provide a more consistent gaming experience, especially important on devices or networks where latency and frame delivery might vary.