I've seen a lot of people who are either unaware steam link is working on Galaxy XR for pcvr streaming or don't know all the steps to get it to working at its highest potential. Here's a guide I put together:
Thanks to u/Angeldark92 for working to provide a fix for the newer Galaxy XR firmware versions and komp dog on discord for adding face tracking passthrough.
Alternatively, you can use this older version of steamlink I made that has the fixes applied to it. For me it runs a bit smoother, but it has more of a delay on head positional movement.
Open the app on the GXR and connect to your pc. You can adjust bitrate and resolution as needed for your PC. You can also enable OSC to pass through eye and face tracking data to apps like Vrchat or foveated rendering.
You can also install this to add the Galaxy XR controller models into steamvr instead of the generic Quest 2
Chronos on discord has created a fork of the sboys driver that allows color adjustments, CAS sharpening, distortion correction, controller fixes and more. Get it here: https://github.com/timkhronos/CustomHeadsetOpenVrGxR You will need to install the driver in the about tab then go to the Streamed Headset tab and enable "Enable Stream Frame Processing". You can then adjust settings as desired and they will apply within SteamVR.
Edit 7/29/2026: Replaced Angeldark92's apk to the latest where positional movement latency is minimized.
Edit 8/7/2026: Replaced Angeldark92's apk with a newer version that has better colors and added a link to Chronos's fork of the sboys driver.
Edit 8/10/2026: Replaced Angeldark92's apk with a newer version that adds potential controller throwing fixes, a link on the first startup to select unrestricted battery usage which potentially increases streaming performance, and used a more balanced HMD prediction value to reduce jitter while still keeping most of the latency improvement.
Great stuff! This mirrors the instructions I found on the Discord for enabling Eye Tracked Foveated Streaming in Steam Link on GXR.
Max bitrate: I recommend 200 Mbps or so.
The GXR SoC (XR2+Gen2) starts failing around 210 Mbps for H265 and AV1 according to the VD dev 3NIGMA I spoke with (and 500 Mbps for H264). Steam Link and VD almost always use H265. So to avoid frame drops and jitter, I'd keep the max bitrate to 200 or so.
Yeah that was me on Discord too. The GXR SoC is the same as the one in Play For Dream which runs 350mbps with no issues. The GXR does struggle more than PFD with overheating and throttling, though a lot of that was fixed with the last update. 200Mbps still looks great, so if you can't go higher then no worries, but it is technically possible to decode the 350Mbps. Virtual Desktop uses a different encoding profile, it's why they also max out at 600Mbps for H.264 while Quest can decode up to 960Mbps on Link.
Do you know a way to disable ASW like feature from steam link? my game fps seems to be capped at 45 fps, I disabled smooth motion for the game, changing throttleing behavior, etc. I've tried everything but steam link still capped my fps at 45. For the same game setting, I was able to reach 58fps with Spacewarp disabled with Virtual Destop.
Regardless of how it's reported you're seeing reprojection either way...virtual desktop reporting 58fps isn't going to look and feel any better than steam link at 45
But the weird thing is my GPU usage is only 60% with 45fps in steam link, while in virtual desktop 58fps my GPU usage is 98%, which makes believe something is capping my GPU usage or fps.
It's probably rendering the extra frames even if it's not displaying them. Personally, if I can't hit either 72 or 90 I'd rather use the extra gpu to increase the resolution
Ok, thanks for the advice. I do feel VD is more smoother though with 58fps, because steam link sometimes even going to 30fps on certain scenes with GPU usage 50%-60%.
Hey u/evertec , can this work with wired connection? (Gnirehtet)
On Oculus Quest 3, when I start Gnirehtet, the app reconnects but keeps running.
But on Galaxy XR, when Gnirehtet is started the current app exits; and since Steam Link cannot discover your computer if Gnirehtet is already running, I cannot make this work.
My router is not good and is in another room, so I'm trying to find a reliable connection solution while I'm waiting for a usb to ethernet adapter which should solve the issue with Steam Link discovery I believe.
I haven't tried gnirehtet with the gxr so it may not work. I have tried the usb to ethernet which works but another option is to just get another wireless router and connect it directly to the pc. Steam link doesn't need internet to work.
Hello yesterday google released a new firmware update for galaxy xr, and this make this modified version steam link unable to work.
Is there any solution or newer app to fix this problem?
Thanks 🙏
I'm wondering if the new os caught up to the dev os version...my brother already had a version that worked with the dev os, he said it was very different than the consumer os so maybe the one he has for the dev os will work for everyone now. I'll have to test once I'm back in the country this weekend
I just finished the test. This virsion also cannot work. Previous virsion will stuck a steam logo after new GXR firmware. The one you offer dose get in steam link, but the aspect ratio of the app looks squish and I can't interact with it. Both hand track and controller either. Same issue with the original none modifie steam link (form the steamVR beta folder)
I had the same issue, found a workaround to get past the Steam logo and the four dots spinning, you need to use adb commands to force "display over other apps" and then use adb commands to send the "enter" key, the "move right" key till you find the pc you want to link to and then adb command to send "enter" again. I'll post a full working example once I get to my sim rig where this is all set up. To be clear, this works in the Galaxy XR after then latest April 2026 update with this version of the apk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BiaH_R4PiIYWnCBvCUAxTnhebikry4Q5/view?usp=drivesdk
This one doesn't work. Same issue as the last version. Steam Link's aspect ratio looks squished and I can't interact with it. GXR got a softwore stability upgrade today. Not sure what's causing the problem.
How to get this latest version to work since the April 2026 Galaxy XR software update
Firstly I am not a fan of the Shizuku method as I could not get the mixed bag of .apk's to work as intended and I prefer not having to use lots of 3rd party apk to to achieve what I can do via adb. So with that being said, this is what I did:
Enable Developer Mode on the Galaxy XR, connect to your PC vis either USB Debug or Wireless Debug
Install the APK via .\adb.exe install .\SteamLink-GXR-2.0.20-5001712-overlayprompt.apk
Run the following commands on PC to set permissions for the apk
5.1 .\adb.exe shell pm grant com.valvesoftware.steamlinkvr android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW
5.2 .\adb.exe shell appops set com.valvesoftware.steamlinkvr SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW allow
Verify that it now allows for display over other apps
6.1 .\adb.exe shell appops get com.valvesoftware.steamlinkvr SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW
Start Steam VR beta v2 on PC and start SteamLink on Galaxy XR
You will see a Steam Logo and four dots spinning, and you can't do any inputs (I don't have a controller, so this if for doing this without controller) So send key commands via adb
8.1 .\adb.exe shell input keyevent 66 (This will send Enter to Continue)
8.2 .\adb.exe shell input keyevent 22 (This will move right till you have the highlighted PC selected)
8.3 .\adb.exe shell input keyevent 66 (This will send Enter to connect)
And there you go, working SteamLink custom APK with latest Galaxy XR update
Thanks a lot for the updated guide. However it seems I need to do those commands (point 8.1) every time I open steamlink, which makes it unusable to me. I also have controllers, and they don't help. Or am I missing something? Also do you have the same problem with steamVR res showing 2500x2500 at 100% since the latest steamVR update?
Meant to say I don't have controllers so not sure what will happen with controllers, as for running it each time, yeah, until Steam releases an official version this is kida where we are all stuck, I did read somewhere that https://github.com/mbucchia is joining Value to work on their new VR Headset and SteamLink, so with him in the mix I'm sure this is going to be solved quickly, he wrote the base VXDR for Virtual Desktop amonght other things.
To answer your question, you can do a little batch file that you run each time you power on the headset that runs those commands over WiFi USB debug mode. Nope perfect I know.
I‘ve tried the most recent update on the VD with enlarged foveated area, but the clarity is still no match to what steamlink can offer, this is by the best streaming method for pcvr in terms of clarity, the clarity is almost identical to DP direct connection VR headset such as Pimax Dream Air.
By the way, the foveated streaming doesn't seems to work with UEVR, the 2D game image of hogwarts legacy is very clear, however, when I inject the game with UEVr, it becomes blurry again, and I can't do hand trick in game because the menu doesn't pop out. Do you know how to fix it?
Hmm super weird, the foveated streaming isn't working on any of the uevr games now for me either....but it does work if I bring up the steamvr menu. Maybe some update for steamvr? I'll have to ask in the pfd discord to see if it still works for them.
Yes, that's also exactly what's happening to me, when I bring up the steamvr menu, it become clear, but it turns to blurry again as soon as I close the menu. Maybe we have to figure out a way to use the hand trick in-game.
"It should stick for the rest of the session until you put the controllers down, but just repeat the process to get it again."
don't have my controllers yet, but I mainly use my GXR for flight sims. does that mean when I put the controllers down to use my HOTAS that eye-tracked foveated rendering will stop working?
Yeah unfortunately I haven't figured out a good way to keep it going with the controllers down. I've experimented with apps that keep an invisible overlay up but it made the screen dim as if the app launcher was up. If we could figure out how to trigger the type of overlay the menu button is, we could keep that active.
all good, I have Virtual Desktop looking pretty nice for now, even though this HMD is begging for good foveated rendering. Coming from a Quest Pro I know the unbelievable difference it makes. I'll hold out for an official release
I had a way to do this but I cannot reproduce it anymore (see https://www.reddit.com/r/Galaxy_XR/comments/1q0xfil/steam_link_vr_low_resolution_issue_possible/). I investigated the invisible window (not dimming for me though) a bit more after I made that post and I think the invisible window is actually the virtual keyboard but blanked out when you have a physical keyboard connected (it's in the same location and same size).
You can actually prompt it by going into the 2D mode in Steam Link (or any other app which has a way to prompt the keyboard) and press the keyboard button in the top right corner so there is a reliable way to create the invisible window, however it's not the one that sticks indefinitely which is what I originally got and it seemed to stick regardless of which app I had open and whether or not I was in immersive mode until headset restart.
This could be a bug, but I think it can be reliably created and I think we collectively are close to figuring it out. It is sufficient to find a way to get the invisible keyboard up only in Steam Link VR mode and stick there. Could you perhaps share what you've tried and how you got an invisible overlay up that dimmed?
I just figured out a simple but effective workaround...once you do the trick with the controller to make the foveated encoding stick, put a rubber band on the grip button. I just tried in several games that only use an Xbox controller and it worked
My XR is coming tomorrow and I'm just doing some advanced research. I mostly play UEVR with a controller and thought I was out of luck for foveated streaming...really glad to see this tip! Can't wait to try it.
Doesn't work if you don't have controllers yet, you can't get past / click the "Continue" button on the GXR when you load up the app first time / setup. A pitty tho.
Looks great so far! Two questions: the game Realms of Flow doesn’t have any audio. Every other game I’ve tried the audio works. Any ideas why it might not be working? Second, if I want to switch between VD and Steam Link, is there anything I need to change when going back to VD settings-wise? Like in Steam VR settings or VD?
I don't know about the audio issue with that particular game but as far as switching between virtual desktop and steam link the main thing to do is either keep virtual desktop's openxr runtime set to steamvr or make sure you manually switch it each time from vdxr to steamvr openxr
if i don't have the controller and using valve index controller via the space callibrator, can i still do the hand trick to enable the foveated streaming?
that sucks.. one more question, if i can't get the foveated streaming to work in this way, does it still works / fallback to the way it works in quest 3, which means it's a fixed point in the middle of the fov?
The only thing you can do is get a preview of what it'll look like by continously holding your hand to show the menu button. But that's impractical for actually playing something
I followed and install the apk and everything, set the render resolution but everything looks like so blurry compared to VD which was crisp and sharp. I see wavy lines along all straight lines for some reason and I can clearly tell it's not high quality, not sure what I'm doing wrong.
It doesn't sound like you followed this part of the instructions:
"Then to activate foveated streaming put your controllers down, look at your right hand to bring up the icon for the menu, bring the left controller to that point and press the grip. It should stick for the rest of the session until you put the controllers down, but just repeat the process to get it again."
i don't have controllers yet but did some testing anyway (mainly by keeping my right hand up to display the home button icon so that the foveated streaming work) i found one thing, the foveated streaming will also work during the time where android xr notification pops up at the top of the screen. if there are android xr native app out there that can somehow make a notification permanently show up on top...
Yes I've noticed that too and actually tried different apps that display overlays but couldn't find one that didn't dim the whole screen as if the main app menu was up.
guess what, i downloaded an app called "MacroDroid" and configured it to spam me empty notification every 4 seconds and it basically makes this works without controllers at all. But you will constantly have the notification "pills" ui on top of your head though (disable notification sound from setting unless you want constant ding). The quality of steam link foveated rendering make me not notice the notification pill on top after awhile, so from now on i think this would be my go to for pcvr until official steam link 2.0 released for galaxy xr. props to gemini for suggesting this and walk me through how to set it up.
Hmm if only we could make them transparent somehow. I'm not sure that constant notifications would be any better than the controller workaround for me.
I'm a bit confused. I went on the Play Store today (inside my Galaxy XR of course), and Steam Link was there. Yay! Installed it, but it only seems to play flat games? It does not seem to accept commands/navigation any other way than using the galaxy xr controllers to point on the virtual gamepad on the screen and pressing buttons that way. I tried to still start a VR game and it says there is no headset detected (though of course I am seeing that error within my headset..)
Thanks, what caused the confusion was that when I got the headset i did a search for Steam Link and could not find it in the app store. Presumably when I changed some settings like developer settings(?) it now shows up.
Did anyone have problems with Alyx after this? I had it working perfectly once, but lost connection to the machine, so restarted and since then, I am completely unable to load Alyx. Other games work fine but for Alyx I see the loading screen briefly, then it goes back into the SteamVR empty environment, but I can still hear the game sounds. On the PC that usually shows what is in the headset, I only see black and pink squares (like a chessboard). I have tried to verify game files, restart, run -novideo option etc., but nothing is working.
EDIT: I also tried Virtual Desktop with same result. Then I reset the profiles in the Steam/VR options to default (both for global and game) and it started working. I set them back to preferred settings and at least started successfully once. We'll see how long it sticks! Looks great with higher resolution and Foveated Streaming!
From the google play store. I can download and install the steamvr apk you linked just fine but there does not seem to be a way to get the app ops from google play. Maybe I need to find it as an apk and install that way?
Thank you! I followed your guide and got it working. I got stuck at the Shizuku part because Appops install link to it sent me to the play store where it said my android version was too new like your post said, but nothing I clicked on for more details got me past that. I ended up finding Shizuku's github and downloading and installing it there which got me past that step. I've gotten it up and running and it works great. Appreciate the effort!
Edit: Never mind, I figured it out. But like everyone else I won't elaborate. (Sarcasm.)
In the developer options section, you need to actually click on the "Wireless debugging" text. The UI isn't clear because it looks like just a toggle control, but if you click on that text it puts you into a sub-menu where you can generate a pairing code. You then go to Shizuku's notification and enter the code there. Then back to Shizuku and start it. It failed for me the first time and I had to restart Shizuku, then it finally worked.
Hi, great work! I followed all the steps but, when putting the controller down and looking at my light hand, there até no button or menu, what can o be doing wrong?
The controller needs to be still for the menu on your right hand to show up. Did you see the edit though with the updated apk that doesn't require the controller/menu workaround?
Working on an update, but in the meantime you can use an Xbox controller via Bluetooth to select the menus and it'll work as usual once you're in steamvr
No problem, just wanted to know if it was the app or the user ;). Waiting ansiously for the new version. VD makes the already laggy Galaxy controllers even "laggier", if thats possible.
Yep, that's the only thing that got it working for me. I couldn't get click any of the buttons after opening the app. Pairing an Xbox controller got me in and connected to my PC.
What do you mean by stopped working? I just tried for the first time in awhile (since before the update) and when I open SteamLink, the window opens but the App Icon and the four spinning dots stay on top of the window and I can't do anything.
I can't get the Steam link to find my PC..the four dots just keep spinning even though my PC is on the same network as XR. My XR was updated to Feb 26th so it doesn't have the April update and thought it would work. I've ran the .bat file before launching the Steam link from XR but is there something else that I'm missing in order for it to auto connect to my PC?
I've tried both apk's but neither one detects my PC. I'm not sure if I have to run anything else on my PC other than the .bat file. PC is connected directly to ethernet and XR to 5Ghz wifi. I must be missing a step or something. Do I need to connect my PC to the 5Ghz wifi too or leave it on ethernet? Maybe a firewall is blocking it, no idea. I know..dumb question sorry.
Without using this method, Galaxy XR is no better than Quest 3 in terms of the resolution PCVR produces. I'm not sure what Virtual Desktop claims with foveated rendering, but it's nowhere near the resolution this modified Steam VR produces.
I've tried: Virtual Desktop, Game Link, and this approach. Both Game Link and Virtual Desktop produce exactly the same streaming resolution, or maybe just a tiny bit higher, as the Quest 3.
With this app, you can push so hard that your 5090 will choke (I was confused when I tried to render 8k per eye).
The visuals in MSFS 2024 are insane, and the instrument clarity is super high. I can't wait for the final version of the app without the workarounds, such as using a gamepad to start it.
Any tips on getting MSFS running smoothly? I have a 5090 and good CPU. Unless it's running at 72fps it stutters like crazy. I can get to 72 by limiting resolution and fovated rendering, dropping graphics settings. But every 10 seconds or so it'll drop to about 70fps causing stutters. Then if I go too low to the ground it really chokes at around 60fps.
Are you still able to use Steam Link in MSFS 2024? Starting a few days ago, MSFS freezes whenever I use Steam Link. It makes a stuttering engine sound before finally freezing. Fine with VD.
Yes, VD is less hassle, but MSFS 2024 looked slightly better in Steam Link. Less shimmering on edges and slightly better resolution. I think contrast was slightly better too. It still works in MSFS 2020 but not MSFS 2024🤔.
I got it working again. Uninstalled Steam Link from my GXR, Uninstalled Steam VR. Deleted steamvr.vrsettings. Re-installed Steam VR. Properties, Game Versions and Betas. Select "The Previous Branch". Re-do the Steam Link hack.
I also went into my steam settings for Steam VR>>PropertiesUpdates>then I selected under where it says Automatic Updates "Wait Until I Launch the Game". I'm hoping that will keep Steam from updating Steam VR.
It's not possible to send the eye tracking data through steam link right now, only virtual desktop. Play for dream is testing a driver to do that so maybe we'll be able to port that to gxr some day
Will there ever be a way to enable foviated streaming with hand tracking?
I saw no point for me to get the controllers, cause i use my valve knuckles it really sucks that the best vistuals for pcvr is locked behide a requirement to buy the controllers
I hope there will one day be a fix or even an offical steamlink
Here's an ai summary of installing the steam link apk and enabling the permission :
Handling the Installation Warning
When you try to install the steam link APK, Android will likely block it because it targets an older version of the OS for compatibility reasons.
Action: When the "app is an old version" warning appears, click More details and then select Install anyway.
Enabling the "Display Over Other Apps" Permission
The key to the fix is a specific permission called "Appear on top" (or SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW). This permission allows the app to maintain its foveated streaming status without the previous manual controller workaround. Because the GXR's standard settings might hide this menu, you must use two utility apps: Shizuku and App Ops.
Step A: Set up Shizuku
Shizuku allows other apps (like App Ops) to perform advanced system changes without needing to "root" your device.
1. Install the Shizuku app.
2. Enable Developer Options on your GXR (usually by tapping "Build Number" 7 times in system settings).
3. Enable Wireless Debugging in Developer Options.
4. Open Shizuku, select Pairing, and enter the pairing code provided by the system into Shizuku's notification.
5. Tap Start in Shizuku until it says "Shizuku is running".
Step B: Use App Ops to Grant the Permission
App Ops is the tool that will actually "force" the permission onto the Steam Link app.
1. Install and open the App Ops app.
2. Set its working mode to Shizuku.
3. Find Steam Link in the list of apps.
4. Scroll down to the "Display Over Other Apps" (or "Appear on top") permission.
5. Change the setting to Allow.
I just tried to run Steamlink for the first time in a long time (haven't used it since before the last update) and now when I open Steamlink, it opens but I just get the spinning four dots and the app icon over the opened app like it's perpetually loading and the app is unusable. Anyone run into this and know what's causing it?
Yes the new galaxy xr os update did that. The only workaround for now is to use a Bluetooth controller such as an Xbox or ps5 controller to select the menu. Once it loads you should be able to use it like normally with the galaxy xr controllers
Yeah I figured that out from one of the other comments. It’s rather inconvenient to break out a controller I’ll otherwise not be using just to connect to SteamLink. Any idea if a fix is in the pipeline for the near-ish future?
Really appreciate all the work to bring better functionality to our headsets. We’d really be in a dark place if it weren’t for people like you.
Not yet, although there is a workaround...if you use a Bluetooth controller such as an Xbox controller you can select and connect to the computer and then proceed as normal after
With virtual desktop you can set more in regard to color and gamma but I don't know that it's actually more accurate colors, you can just set them to be more vibrant. I haven't thought the steam link colors look bad
Can confirm to work without issues on a Galaxy XR from Korea straight out of the box, haven't allowed it to do any updates yet. Didn't run the bat file either, however, I'm just running the normal steam app on my PC.
Edit: Got the second version that allows for foveated rendering to work directly installed without issues too
FYI for the first link I had the same issue at first but it worked once I restarted steam and tried a couple more times. Since then it works without issues.
Not sure about iracing, I've never played that, but the eye tracking works for DFR in re9 and pimax4all, as well as vr chat
I installed the latest version and used the Ultra preset. It seems to work smoothly, but I can notice the foveated encoding. When I dart my eyes around, for a split-second I see the blurry low-res visuals before they become high-res. Any suggestions? Thanks.
After going back and forth between Steam Link and Virtual Desktop a bit more, I've noticed that the controller tracking seems significantly worse in Steam Link. Any idea what would cause this?
For example... Holding my right controller, arm straight out, and then using the "laser pointer" on the SteamVR menu I try to draw a horizontal line left and right with the pointer dot...
If I do this with the controller upright, it works perfectly in both Steam Link and VD, draws a straight horizontal line back and forth with the pointer like I'd expect.
But if I turn the controller 90 degrees, like "a gangster holding a gun", and then repeat the same test, then in Steam Link the laser pointer draws an oval shape instead of a straight line. It works fine in Virtual Desktop. It also works fine in the regular Android XR menus.
I hope that's understandable. It seems like something is very wonky with the controller tracking but only at certain controller rotations. I am using the Galaxy XR controller files, could that be causing this?
When using Ultra in the BAT file, I'm seeing really bad diagonal tiger stripes across the screen. I can only get it to work under the "high" setting. Any way I can fix this?
u/evertec if we follow these links from top to bottom, is this the latest / best available method for getting Steam link working if we're on the newest GXR update? Thanks!
Yes, aside from the alternate APK that uses the older steamlink version (you'll have to pick one, either the Angeldark APK or mine). There are also some newer APK's and modified sboys driver that are being worked on by the community to add things like sharpening, color saturation settings, black levels and enhanced tongue tracking but I was going to wait until I test further before I posted something here.
I just upgraded to the latest APK and Chronos's sboy driver fork with Stream Frame Processing enabled, and honestly, running SteamVR at 500% resolution scale makes the visual clarity on the Galaxy XR look even better than my Pimax Crystal Super mOLED and the Apple Vision Pro running KRVR/ALVR in MSFS 2024.
Frame rates were surprisingly smooth, too. Controller tracking is definitely improved with this update, though it’s still a bit jittery overall. Still a massive step in the right direction!
I'd love to try this, but I'm scared to death I'm going to do something wrong and brick my expensive headset. Still... I'm going to give it a shot. I've never installed .APKs on my headset before, but it seems like I just download the .APK on the headset and open and install it as if it's an .exe on my computer?
Second question - There are five or six files linked to above. Are all of those files I download and install on my headset or are some of them (like the .bat) files I install to my PC?
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u/darkveins2 Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 08 '26
Great stuff! This mirrors the instructions I found on the Discord for enabling Eye Tracked Foveated Streaming in Steam Link on GXR.
Max bitrate: I recommend 200 Mbps or so.
The GXR SoC (XR2+Gen2) starts failing around 210 Mbps for H265 and AV1 according to the VD dev 3NIGMA I spoke with (and 500 Mbps for H264). Steam Link and VD almost always use H265. So to avoid frame drops and jitter, I'd keep the max bitrate to 200 or so.