Raspberry Pi OS • INSTALL: Sunshine and Moonlight instead VPN, RDP, SteamLink (Raspberry Pi OS GNOME)

Note: These instruction are written specifically for Raspberry Pi OS, not for Ubuntu. ↗ 

Remote Desktop and Game Streaming on Raspberry Pi OS (GNOME)

A much better solution on Raspberry Pi OS for screen and game streaming is using Sunshine as the server and Moonlight as the client. This combination allows high-quality, low-latency streaming and works far better than VNC, RDP or Steam on Raspberry Pi.

I used to think a “server” was a big machine for hosting websites or online services. But here it simply means your Raspberry Pi is sharing its screen and sound.

Raspberry Pi OS with GNOME includes built-in support for Remote Desktop via RDP. You can enable this easily from the GNOME Settings. RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is more efficient than VNC (Virtual Network Computing), offering better image quality and audio support. Windows comes with a built-in RDP client, so you can connect directly to your Raspberry Pi once RDP is enabled. However, RDP has limitations for video streaming and overall image quality. For smooth gaming or video playback, better solutions exist. Steam also offers remote game streaming, but it doesn’t work well on Raspberry Pi OS. It requires advanced technical steps and only works with workarounds like 32-bit emulation. It's only recommended for experienced users. If you still want to try it, check out projects like: https://pi-apps.io/ ↗ 

Sunshine and Moonlight are not included by default in Raspberry Pi OS or Debian, but they can be installed manually.

1. How to install Moonlight (client)

Add the GPG key and the APT source:Update and install:2. How to install Sunshine (server)

There are two ways to install Sunshine:

Option 1: Graphical

Download the package sunshine-debian-bookworm-arm64.deb ↗ . Then open your Downloads folder and double-click the sunshine-debian-bookworm-arm64.deb file to install.

Option 2: Terminal3. Using Sunshine and Moonlight

To launch Sunshine, open the Show Applications menu in GNOME (click the grid icon or press the Super key) and start the Sunshine app. Sunshine can be confusing the first time you use it. Start it by opening the Show Applications menu in GNOME (the grid icon) and launching Sunshine from there. When you launch it, you won't see anything on the screen—but it’s running in the background.

You can access the interface by going to https://localhost:47990 ↗  in your browser, or by replacing "localhost" with your Raspberry Pi’s local IP address. Make sure to include the :47990 port at the end. Example: https://192.168.1.2:47990 ↗ 

The page may not load at first because most browsers block self-signed certificates. This is a browser security warning, not a problem with Sunshine. In Chromium-based browsers, click “Advanced” and then “Proceed anyway” to access the interface.

The first time you visit the page, you’ll be asked to create a username and password. After that, you’ll see options like "PIN Pairing", "Applications", and "Configuration". These will make more sense once you try pairing with Moonlight.

4. Connecting Moonlight to Sunshine



On another device—Raspberry Pi, Linux (like Ubuntu), Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS—open Moonlight. Your Raspberry Pi running Sunshine should appear automatically. If not, use the IP address and add it manually via the "+" or input field.

When connecting for the first time, Moonlight will show you a PIN. Go to your browser at https://localhost:47990/pin ↗  and enter the PIN there. You’ll then choose a name for the connecting device.

Once accepted, the connection is ready. You don’t need to adjust anything in Sunshine, but you might want to tweak Moonlight’s settings.

5. Moonlight Settings

Click the gear icon in the top right of Moonlight. Most likely the resolution is already set to 1080p, not 720p. On a Raspberry Pi, 60 FPS isn’t realistic—it won’t be smooth. 30 FPS is enough.

You can increase the video bitrate if your network is good. I use 1080p at 30 FPS and set the bitrate to 150 Mbps.

My Xbox One controller (via Bluetooth) and Xbox 360 controller work fine. I’m not a heavy gamer, so I can’t say if this setup is ideal for fast-paced shooters.

Statistics: Posted by Wobbo — Sun May 18, 2025 8:17 pm

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