Before you
press play.
Games, connections, controllers and everything you need to get started.
What is CouchRelay?
A way to play local-multiplayer games with friends over the internet. You host the game on your PC or handheld; friends join, see your screen live, and play with their own controllers as extra local players.
Does the game need online multiplayer?
No. Your friends' controllers show up in the game as if they were plugged into your device, so any game with local (couch) multiplayer works.
Can I play split-screen games online with it?
Yes. Split-screen and couch co-op games run on the host as usual; friends see the whole screen and play their part with their own controllers, as if they were on the couch.
Does it work on Steam Deck?
Yes: the Decky plugin brings CouchRelay to Gaming Mode on Steam Deck (SteamOS), and on Bazzite and CachyOS handhelds. A handheld can share its own games or join a friend's.
Does it only work with Steam games?
No. It shares whatever is on the host's screen.
Is CouchRelay finished?
Not yet: it's beta software. It has been tested on real Windows PCs and handhelds, at home and over the internet, but some games, graphics cards and networks will find rough edges. The app tells you when an update is ready and installs it for you.
What does it cost?
Nothing, for noncommercial use.
Do my friends need to own the game?
No. Only the host runs the game; friends receive the picture and sound.
Do I need an account?
No. There are no accounts and no servers of ours: devices connect directly to each other.
How does joining work?
The host selects "Share" and gives their friend an address and a PIN. The friend enters the address and, the first time only, the PIN. After that, joining just takes the address.
Does it work over the internet?
Yes. Friends on your home network or on a VPN connect straight away. Without a VPN, the host turns on "Open ports with UPnP" (the app opens its port on the router) or forwards UDP port 47910 on the router by hand. Some internet connections (behind "carrier-grade NAT") cannot accept incoming connections at all; a VPN works there.
How does it handle buffering?
It doesn't buffer: that's the point. Every frame is sent the moment the game draws it and shown the moment it arrives, so friends play live instead of a few seconds behind like a video service. A little extra repair data fixes most lost packets, and if the connection slows down the quality drops for a moment instead of the picture pausing.
How much delay is there?
On a home network the picture typically reaches a friend in about 10–20 ms. Over the internet, add the distance between you (what a ping between your two places shows). Games running at 30 frames per second feel slower to control than 60 fps ones, streamed or not.
How fast does my internet need to be?
About 10–30 Mbit/s of upload for the host per friend over the internet; automatic quality adapts to what the connection carries. On a wired home network, PyroWave can use 100–500 Mbit/s for a near-lossless picture.
Windows says "Windows protected your PC". Is it safe?
That message appears for apps that aren't signed with a paid code-signing certificate yet, which is common for small projects. Select More info, then Run anyway. It only appears the first time.
How do updates work?
Once a day the app checks this website for a new version by requesting a small file. The hosting provider receives normal connection information, including your IP address. When an update is available, the Windows app shows a banner and the handheld plugin a notification: one click downloads it, checks that it is genuine, and installs it. You can turn the check off in the app's settings.
Is it secure?
Everything travels encrypted over one port. Pairing uses a six-digit PIN shown on the host's screen, and the PIN itself never crosses the network. A few wrong PINs drop the PIN and pause pairing, so it can't be guessed, and the host still has to allow each new device. After pairing, each device recognizes the other by its certificate, so nobody else can join or listen in. The host can remove paired friends at any time.
A friend you pair can use your controllers, keyboard and mouse while you share, so only pair people you know.
Which controllers work?
The ones your device recognizes. On the host, each friend's controller appears as an Xbox, DualShock 4 or DualSense controller (automatic, or chosen in settings), which is what PC games expect. Windows guests can also use keyboard and mouse.
Can more than one friend join?
Yes, several friends can join the same host.
Which devices are supported?
Windows 10 and 11 PCs, and handhelds running SteamOS, Bazzite or CachyOS Handheld with Decky Loader. Any of them can host or join. See the system requirements for graphics cards.
Does the handheld stay awake while I'm sharing?
Yes, with "Stay awake while sharing" on: friends can join later. It can also dim the screen and mute the speakers when nobody is touching the handheld; friends still see and hear the game.
How do I remove it?
On Windows: Settings → About → "Remove CouchRelay from this PC" (removes the controller driver, pairings and settings), then delete the folder. On a handheld: Remove → "Remove from this handheld" in the plugin's panel, then uninstall the plugin in Decky.
Is it open source?
No. It is free for noncommercial use under the PolyForm Strict License 1.0.0. It includes open-source components under their own licences, listed in the app.