It’s taken a long time, but Valve is finally bringing the Steam Link app to the iPhone and iPad. We show you how to stream your PC games to your iOS device.
Steam Link now available on iOS and tvOS
The app was originally intended to be released last year, but Apple banned the app from the App Store because it did not follow the rules. Now the app is returning to the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV almost exactly a year later.
With Steam Link you stream games over your network from your PC to your iDevice, so you can play games with a linked controller or the touchscreen that would normally never run on an iPhone or iPad. Because the game runs via a stream from your PC, you can play graphics-heavy games that would otherwise only be playable on a PC.
There are a number of conditions to use the Steam Link app:
- Your iPhone or iPad must be running on iOS 10 or higher;
- There must be a computer on your network that is running Steam on Windows, macOS or Linux;
- The iOS device must be on the same network as the computer with Steam.
If you meet the above list, you can connect your iPhone or iPad to Steam on your PC using the step-by-step plan below. Before you start, turn on your computer and start up Steam.
The steps below can also be used if you use the app on an Apple TV. Keep in mind that you need a controller, as the touchscreen option is not available here
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This is how you set up Steam Link on your iPhone and iPad
- Open the Steam Link app on your iPhone or iPad;
- Choose whether you want to pair a Bluetooth controller or use the touchscreen control;
- Search for the computer with Steam on your network;
- A PIN will appear on your iPhone screen. Enter this numeric code on your PC in the window that appears;
- Wait for the network test to complete;
- Press ‘Stream’;
- Install any necessary plugins on your computer.
Test: That’s how well streaming games to iOS works
Once you’ve completed the steps above, you can choose a game from your Steam library and start playing. We have already tested Steam Link with various games and are positively surprised with the result. Games start quickly and the connection is stable. This allows you to play games like Borderlands 2 and Dark Souls 3 smoothly on your iPad or iPhone.
The only thing that (as expected) makes it almost impossible to play PC games properly is the controls on the touchscreen. Therefore, we recommend that everyone use a Steam or bluetooth controller if you plan to play a game this way on a regular basis. Depending on your internet connection, this is now possible with Steam Link.
Looking for more games to play on your iPhone or iPad? Take a look at our monthly best games section.