Fix Steam Remote Play not working error

However, in case Steam Remote Play is not working, you can rely on the fixes below to get it up and running again in no time.

Update Steam

Before you do anything else to fix the Steam Remote Play not working error, update your Steam client. Steam updates often solve many of the most common Steam problems.

To update Steam, click Steam -> Check for Steam Client Updates (top left corner of Steam client).

Steam will check for any available updates and automatically update the client if necessary. Check if you can play your favorite games using Steam Remote Play.

Make sure Steam Remote Play is enabled

This may sound obvious, but it's possible that Steam Remote Play is disabled in your Steam settings.

To make sure this doesn't happen, click Steam -> Settings -> Remote Play and check that Enable Remote Play is enabled in the right panel.

Disable Steam beta client

Steam offers access to a beta client program if you want to experience new features before they are released to the public. However, the Steam beta client can sometimes cause Steam Remote Play errors.

To check if you are running the regular version of the Steam client, click Steam -> Settings -> Interface and check that No beta chosen is selected in the Client Beta Participation drop-down menu.

In this case, you don't need to do anything else. Proceed to the next fix below. But if you find that you are part of the beta program, you can opt out of it by selecting the No beta chosen option and restarting Steam.

Check if Steam Remote Play is fixed. If not, proceed with the fixes below.

Unpair the Steam Link device

Steam Remote Play is typically used to stream Steam multiplayer games on your secondary or client device. This paired device may be malfunctioning or the Steam Link between your PC and the device may be corrupted.

To resolve the issue, unpair the secondary device so you can pair it again. Click Steam -> Settings -> Remote Play and select Unpair Devices under Computers & Devices. Click Confirm on the pop-up window.

Reset Steam Remote Play by re-pairing the device and trying Remote Play again.

Disable Hardware Decoding feature in Steam

Hardware Decoding is useful when streaming your games using Steam Remote Play. But on some systems it can cause performance problems and it is better to disable it.

To disable Hardware Decoding in Remote Play settings, click Steam -> Settings -> Remote Play and enable Enable Advanced Client Options.

Turn off Hardware Decoding in the options. Check if this fixes the Steam Remote Play not working issue.

Disable or reconfigure firewall settings

Your firewall is responsible for allowing or blocking applications from accessing your network. Sometimes it can mistakenly block Steam Remote Play from accessing the Internet.

Even third-party antivirus software can block Internet access to Remote Play. If you have a third-party antivirus program, check its settings and try temporarily turning off the firewall to see if that allows Remote Play to access the network.

To turn off your built-in Windows firewall, open Settings by pressing Win + I. In the Privacy & security tab, click Windows Security -> Firewall & network protection.

Click Public network in the new window. Turn off Microsoft Defender Firewall to allow all connections.

This is only a temporary measure to check if the firewall is actually blocking Internet access for Remote Play. If it still doesn't work, remember to turn your firewall back on.

Force change of IP address

Steam Remote Play may not work if your device's IP address is refreshed. Forcing an IP address change may fix the problem.

Type 'cmd' in the Windows search bar and open Command Prompt. Execute the following commands one after another:

ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew

Check if Steam Remote Play is working properly.

Disable IPv6

IPv6 has succeeded IPv4 as the latest Internet Protocol standard and brings many advantages with it. But it can also cause network problems on some systems if you enable it along with IPv4.

You can turn off IPv6 using many methods, but the simplest way is to use the Settings application. Press Win + I to open Settings, then click Network & internet -> Advanced network settings.

Scroll down and click More network adapter options to display your network adapter.

Right-click your network adapter and select Properties. Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6(TCP/IPv6) in the dialog box and click OK to save changes.

Restart your computer and check if you fixed the Steam Remote Play error.

Kareem Winters

Update 06 March 2024