Not all applications behave the same way. This guide provides configuration examples to help you add games and applications to Sunshine.
Throughout these examples, fields not shown are left blank. You can enhance your experience by adding an image via the Image field or logging output via the Output field.
When a working directory is not specified, it defaults to the folder where the target application resides. Specify a working directory explicitly if the application requires specific paths for assets or configuration files.
Common Launchers
Desktop
The most basic configuration streams your entire desktop:
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Desktop |
| Image | desktop.png |
Steam Big Picture
Steam is launched as a detached command because Steam’s launcher process self-updates and the original process terminates.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Steam Big Picture |
| Command Preparations → Undo | steam://close/bigpicture |
| Detached Commands | steam://open/bigpicture |
| Image | steam.png |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Steam Big Picture |
| Command Preparations → Undo | setsid steam steam://close/bigpicture |
| Detached Commands | setsid steam steam://open/bigpicture |
| Image | steam.png |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Steam Big Picture |
| Command Preparations → Undo | open steam://close/bigpicture |
| Detached Commands | open steam://open/bigpicture |
| Image | steam.png |
On Linux and FreeBSD, use setsid to properly detach the Steam process from Sunshine’s control.
Steam Games
Steam games can be launched using URI schemes or direct binary execution.
Using Steam URI (Recommended)
This method is the most consistent across platforms and games:
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Detached Commands | steam://rungameid/464920 |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Detached Commands | setsid steam steam://rungameid/464920 |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Detached Commands | open steam://rungameid/464920 |
Find a game’s Steam App ID by visiting its store page. The ID is in the URL: https://store.steampowered.com/app/464920/
Using Game Binary with Working Directory
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | MarsSteam.exe |
| Working Directory | C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Surviving Mars |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | MarsSteam |
| Working Directory | ~/.steam/steam/SteamApps/common/Surviving Mars |
Using Game Binary with Full Path
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Surviving Mars\MarsSteam.exe |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | ~/.steam/steam/SteamApps/common/Surviving Mars/MarsSteam |
Epic Games Store
Using Epic URI (Recommended)
The URI method provides the most consistent behavior:
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | com.epicgames.launcher://apps/d759128018124dcabb1fbee9bb28e178%3A20729b9176c241f0b617c5723e70ec2d%3AOvenbird?action=launch&silent=true |
Find the Epic Games URI by checking the game’s shortcut properties or looking in the Epic Games Launcher’s web requests.
Using Game Binary
With Working Directory
With Full Path
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | MarsEpic.exe |
| Working Directory | C:\Program Files\Epic Games\SurvivingMars |
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Application Name | Surviving Mars |
| Command | C:\Program Files\Epic Games\SurvivingMars\MarsEpic.exe |
Prep Commands
Prep commands execute before starting an application and can clean up when the application closes. Common uses include changing resolution, refresh rate, or launching supporting processes.
Resolution and Refresh Rate Changes
Dynamically adjust display settings based on Moonlight client capabilities using environment variables:
${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH} - Client’s requested width${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT} - Client’s requested height${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS} - Client’s requested frame rate
Linux (X11)
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | sh -c "xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode ${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT} --rate ${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS}" |
| Undo | xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 3840x2160 --rate 120 |
Replace HDMI-1 with your display output name. Find it by running xrandr without arguments.
Linux (Wayland/wlroots)
For wlroots-based compositors (Hyprland, Sway, etc.):
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | sh -c "wlr-xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode ${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT}@${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS}Hz" |
| Undo | wlr-xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 3840x2160@120Hz |
wlr-xrandr only works with wlroots-based compositors. GNOME and KDE require different tools.
Linux (KDE Plasma)
Works on both Wayland and X11:
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | sh -c "kscreen-doctor output.HDMI-A-1.mode.${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT}@${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS}" |
| Undo | kscreen-doctor output.HDMI-A-1.mode.3840x2160@120 |
Find your display name and supported modes by running kscreen-doctor -o.
Display names differ between X11 and Wayland. A monitor might be HDMI-A-0 on X11 but HDMI-A-1 on Wayland.
Linux (GNOME on Wayland)
Requires displayconfig-mutter:
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | sh -c "displayconfig-mutter set --connector HDMI-1 --resolution ${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT} --refresh-rate ${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS} --hdr ${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HDR}" |
| Undo | displayconfig-mutter set --connector HDMI-1 --resolution 3840x2160 --refresh-rate 120 --hdr false |
HDR support requires GNOME 48+. Check support with displayconfig-mutter list. Remove the --hdr flag if your display doesn’t support it.
Linux (NVIDIA GPUs)
For NVIDIA proprietary drivers:
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | sh -c "nvidia-settings -a CurrentMetaMode=\"HDMI-1: nvidia-auto-select { ViewPortIn=${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT}, ViewPortOut=${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT}+0+0 }\"" |
| Undo | nvidia-settings -a CurrentMetaMode="HDMI-1: nvidia-auto-select { ViewPortIn=3840x2160, ViewPortOut=3840x2160+0+0 }" |
macOS
Requires displayplacer:
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | sh -c "displayplacer \"id:<screenId> res:${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH}x${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT} hz:${SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS} scaling:on origin:(0,0) degree:0\"" |
| Undo | displayplacer "id:<screenId> res:3840x2160 hz:120 scaling:on origin:(0,0) degree:0" |
Replace <screenId> with your display’s ID. Run displayplacer list to find it.
Windows
Sunshine has built-in support for resolution changes on Windows. For third-party tools, you can use QRes:
| Prep Step | Command |
|---|
| Do | cmd /C "C:\Tools\qres.exe /x:%SUNSHINE_CLIENT_WIDTH% /y:%SUNSHINE_CLIENT_HEIGHT% /r:%SUNSHINE_CLIENT_FPS%" |
| Undo | C:\Tools\qres.exe /x:3840 /y:2160 /r:120 |
QRes must be downloaded separately. Linux (Flatpak)
Flatpak packages run in a sandboxed environment. All commands must be prefixed with flatpak-spawn --host.
flatpak-spawn --host xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080
Windows (Elevated Commands)
If Sunshine is installed as a service (default), you can launch applications with administrative privileges without UAC prompts:
{
"name": "Game With AntiCheat",
"cmd": "C:\\Games\\game.exe",
"elevated": true,
"prep-cmd": [
{
"do": "powershell.exe -command \"Start-Service GameService\"",
"undo": "powershell.exe -command \"Stop-Service GameService\"",
"elevated": false
}
]
}
The elevated option can be set independently for the main command and each prep command.
