Get Steam Link App on your iPhone to play Steam games

November 18, 2022January 18, 2024 Kamal Kaur

Valve’s ‘Steam Link’ App released in May 2019 is designed to let you play Steam games on your iOS smartphone, tablet and Apple The Steam Link app allows gamers to experience their Steam library of games while connected via a 5Ghz network or wired Ethernet to a host computer running Steam. The Steam Link app features support for the Steam Controller, MFI controllers, and more.

Overview and Requirements

Steam Link is a name that rings a bell in the minds of many avid gamers. In the year 2015, Valve released a set-top box with a similar name that lets users telecast games to a TV. Valve’s Steam Link conveniently deserved a 4-star rating in the history of gaming for such a contribution. The Steam Link app, on the contrary, is completely a software solution even though, it requires an external controller along with a mobile device that streams Steam’s Big Picture mode right onto your phone. Just remember that Steam, in its true self, provides its Stay at Home Streaming solution for imitating games from a gaming rig to a lot less powerful appliances in your home.

Steam Link’s minimum requirements contain a fast, stable Wi-Fi connection, along with any kind of operating system either Android or iOS and with a gaming system running Steam obviously.

Setup and Big Picture Mode

Before you enter a game, you need to fulfill three requirements. First and foremost, you need to ensure that both the PC as well as the mobile device running Steam are connected on the same local network. The Steam Link app contains an in-built network check for going over if you have sufficient internet speed. Following that, you need to connect your mobile device to the PC running Steam by picking it from the connected devices as well as typing a created verification code. The final step is to link a Bluetooth controller that is compatible or even Valve’s Steam Controller to your mobile device.

How to use the Steam Link app on your iPhone for games?

Steam link iPhone- Steam Link App on your iPhone

First, download the Steal Link app from the iTunes store all free on your iPhone

Click here to download

You must be at least 17 years old to download this application.
Your iPhone must be iOS 10 or higher for compatibility
After the app download connect your iOS device to the 5GHz band of your WiFi network
Keep your iPhone within a reasonable range of your router
iPhone must be on the same local network as the computer running Steam
The Steam Link app supports the Steam Controller over Bluetooth, as well as other popular Bluetooth controllers, mice, and keyboards. The Steam Link app is compatible with a number of popular controllers, including the Steam Controller. You can connect to a computer running Steam.

Steam Link App games- Steam Link App on your iPhone

Now you can start browsing steam on your Steam Link.
There is an advanced settings menu option that allows you to tune streaming resolution and bitrate for the best experience on your setup. Over a 5 GHz network, the target is 1080p at 60 FPS with good quality for most scenes. If you have a powerful gaming rig, a wired network, and a very good client device, it’s possible to stream at 4K 60 FPS.
As for the screen sizes, black bars on the edges are automatically added to deal with aspect ratio differences, and the video is scaled to handle different screen sizes. On iPhone, you can use two-finger pinch and pan gestures to zoom in as needed.

Steam Controller over Bluetooth

You can now add Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) functionality to your Steam Controller. This feature is required to enjoy the Steam Link app but may provide benefits in other use cases as well.

You’ll want to use BLE mode when:

Streaming games to your iPhone with the Steam Link app.
Connecting your Steam Controller to a tablet or laptop without a USB port.
Or when you just can’t find your Steam Controller Wireless Receiver.

Otherwise, you can stick with the original protocol. It provides the fastest connection, with low-latency support for up to four controllers per receiver, and works across all major operating systems. The BLE connection is excellent, but the native wireless protocol was designed from the ground up to provide the best experience for a Steam Controller.

Apple TV 4K

Even though there aren’t any issues with firstly connecting the Apple TV 4K to the PC, there were some of the spotty moments of the lag. This can majorly be due to the fact that the Apple TV is situated in a completely different room than where the gaming PC is located. Despite of that issue, the non-laggy moments of playing games are just as interactive and immersive as if playing directly on the gaming PC.

How to get Bluetooth low-energy updates for your Steam Controller?

Note that the original wireless mode will still be available after adding Bluetooth support. However, the update process will clear all pairings, so you will need to reconnect your wireless receiver to your controller. For this

Opt into the latest Steam Client Beta

Plugin your Steam Controller.

Click here to start the firmware update flow

Navigate to the Controller Settings page, find the Steam Controller you would like to update in the Detect Controllers list, and select the Bluetooth FW button.

Now click start and wait for the update as it takes several minutes.

Once the firmware is successfully completed, select Learn More on the dialogue – you will be taken to this knowledgebase article to learn more about the new firmware.

When you’re ready to move on, exit the page and return to Controller settings.

Unplug your controller.

Select the Add a Steam Controller button on the Controller Settings page. This option only appears if a Wireless Receiver is currently plugged in.

Press X + Steam Button on your controller and enter the 4-character Validation Code that appears on the screen.

Finally, now you have reconnected your controller to the Wireless Receiver. Next, connect over BLE by navigating to the Add Bluetooth option of your device. When prompted, press the Y + Steam Button on your Steam Controller to make it discoverable.

According to Valve, it would remove the ability to purchase apps from within Steam Link in an effort to get Apple to approve the app, which may have allowed it onto the App Store. When connecting Steam Link to a PC or Mac, the main view is of your library, aka the games you’ve already purchased, and there is no readily apparent option for purchasing content directly on your iOS device.

Games can be played using a made-for iPhone or Steam controller, and there are also touchscreen control options that put virtual buttons on the screen. Pairing an iOS device to a Mac or PC running Steam is a simple process. Your iPhone or iPad scans your network for a Mac or PC that has Steam installed, and pairing is done through a code.

A bandwidth test is conducted to make sure there will be a smooth gameplay experience, and then additional drivers may need to be downloaded on your computer. The Steam Link app brings desktop gaming to your iPhone or iPad. So just pair an MFI or Steam controller to your device, connect to a computer running Steam on the same local network, and start playing your existing Steam games. (inputs from Steam)

Good Performance

Steam Link offers users with the choice to pick between three multiple stream qualities: Fast, Balanced, as well as Alluring. With the balanced setting enabled the experience was quite scintillating. There also weren’t many slow-rendering textures or even screen tearing. Additionally, there wasn’t any sign of input lag with the controller. Steam Link is quite effective at 1080p gameplay at 60 frames per second on a 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Based on your mobile device, network, and gaming hardware you might stream the gameplay at 60 FPS as well as 4K resolution.