Audio & Video Configuration

Configure encoders, resolution, bitrate, HDR, and audio settings

Audio and video settings control the quality and performance of your stream. Sunshine supports multiple hardware encoders (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and software encoding.

Audio Configuration

audio_sink · string · default: "Default audio device"

The name of the audio sink used for audio loopback.

Windows

Use the included tool to find audio device names:

%ProgramFiles%\Sunshine\tools\audio-info.exe

Example:

audio_sink = Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)

For devices with identical names, use the Device ID instead.

Linux (PulseAudio)

Find audio sink names:

pacmd list-sinks | grep "name:"

Example:

audio_sink = alsa_output.pci-0000_09_00.3.analog-stereo

Linux (PipeWire)

Find audio sink names:

pactl info | grep Source
# If Source doesn't work, try:
pactl info | grep Sink

macOS

Sunshine can only access microphones on macOS. To stream system audio, use:

• Soundflower
• BlackHole

Example:

audio_sink = BlackHole 2ch

virtual_sink · string · default: "None"

A virtual audio device that allows streaming audio while muting speakers.

Virtual Audio Options:

• Steam Streaming Speakers (all platforms) - requires Steam installation
• Virtual Audio Cable (Windows/macOS)

virtual_sink = Steam Streaming Speakers

stream_audio · boolean · default: "enabled"

Whether to stream audio. Disable for headless displays used as second monitors.

stream_audio = disabled

install_steam_audio_drivers · boolean · default: "enabled"

Install Steam Streaming Speakers driver (if Steam is installed) for surround sound and host audio muting.

Windows only

install_steam_audio_drivers = enabled

Display Selection

adapter_name · string · default: "Default video card"

Select the video card to use for encoding.

Windows

Use the included tool to find adapter names:

%ProgramFiles%\Sunshine\tools\dxgi-info.exe

Example:

adapter_name = Radeon RX 580 Series

Linux (VA-API)

List VA-API capable devices:

ls /dev/dri/renderD*

# Check device capabilities
vainfo --display drm --device /dev/dri/renderD129 | \
  grep -E "((VAProfileH264High|VAProfileHEVCMain|VAProfileHEVCMain10).*VAEntrypointEncSlice)|Driver version"

Example:

adapter_name = /dev/dri/renderD128

Device must support at minimum: VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSlice

output_name · string · default: "Default display"

Select the display to stream.

Check Sunshine logs during startup to see detected displays and their IDs.

Windows

Use the device_id value from startup logs:

output_name = {daeac860-f4db-5208-b1f5-cf59444fb768}

Linux/macOS

Use the numeric id value from startup logs:

output_name = 0

Video Encoder Selection

encoder · string · default: "Auto"

Force a specific encoder. Sunshine uses the first available encoder by default.

Options:

• nvenc - NVIDIA graphics cards
• quicksync - Intel graphics cards
• amdvce - AMD graphics cards
• vaapi - VA-API (AMD, Intel on Linux)
• software - CPU encoding

encoder = nvenc

capture · string · default: "Auto"

Force a specific screen capture method.

Options:

• nvfbc - NVIDIA Frame Buffer Capture (Linux, fastest for NVIDIA)
• wlr - Wayland/wlroots compositors (Linux)
• kms - DRM/KMS kernel capture (Linux, requires cap_sys_admin)
• x11 - XCB capture (FreeBSD/Linux, slowest)
• ddx - DirectX Desktop Duplication (Windows)
• wgc - Windows.Graphics.Capture (Windows, beta, not compatible with service)

capture = ddx

Video Quality

max_bitrate · number · default: "0"

Maximum bitrate in Kbps. Set to 0 to always use the bitrate requested by Moonlight.

max_bitrate = 5000

minimum_fps_target · number · default: "0"

Lowest effective framerate for bandwidth optimization.

• 0 - Use half the stream’s FPS as minimum
• 1-1000 - Specify custom value

minimum_fps_target = 30

qp · number · default: "28"

Quantization Parameter for devices without Constant Bit Rate support.

Higher values = more compression but lower quality

qp = 28

Video Codec Support

hevc_mode · number · default: "0"

Allow HEVC (H.265) video streams.

Options:

• 0 - Auto-detect based on encoder capabilities (recommended)
• 1 - Disable HEVC
• 2 - Enable HEVC Main profile
• 3 - Enable HEVC Main and Main10 (HDR)

HEVC is more CPU-intensive with software encoding

hevc_mode = 2

av1_mode · number · default: "0"

Allow AV1 video streams.

Options:

• 0 - Auto-detect based on encoder capabilities (recommended)
• 1 - Disable AV1
• 2 - Enable AV1 Main 8-bit
• 3 - Enable AV1 Main 8-bit and 10-bit (HDR)

AV1 is more CPU-intensive with software encoding

av1_mode = 2

NVIDIA NVENC Settings

NVENC Encoder Options

nvenc_preset · number · default: "1"

Performance preset (1=fastest, 7=slowest). Higher presets improve compression at the cost of latency.

nvenc_preset = 1

nvenc_twopass · string · default: "quarter_res"

Enable two-pass encoding for better bitrate distribution.

• disabled - One pass (fastest)
• quarter_res - Two passes, first at quarter resolution
• full_res - Two passes, first at full resolution

nvenc_twopass = quarter_res

nvenc_spatial_aq · boolean · default: "disabled"

Assign higher QP to flat regions. Recommended for low bitrate streaming.

nvenc_spatial_aq = enabled

nvenc_h264_cavlc · boolean · default: "disabled"

Use CAVLC entropy coding instead of CABAC. Requires 10% more bitrate but faster software decoding.

nvenc_h264_cavlc = disabled

Intel QuickSync Settings

QuickSync Encoder Options

qsv_preset · string · default: "medium"

Encoder preset.

Options: veryfast, faster, fast, medium, slow, slower, veryslow

qsv_preset = medium

qsv_coder · string · default: "auto"

Entropy encoding for H.264.

• auto - Let FFmpeg decide
• cabac - Better quality
• cavlc - Faster decode

qsv_coder = auto

AMD AMF Settings

AMD Encoder Options

amd_usage · string · default: "ultralowlatency"

Encoder usage profile.

• transcoding - Slowest, highest quality
• webcam - Slow
• lowlatency_high_quality - Fast
• lowlatency - Faster
• ultralowlatency - Fastest

amd_usage = ultralowlatency

amd_rc · string · default: "vbr_latency"

Rate control mode.

• cqp - Constant QP
• cbr - Constant bitrate
• vbr_latency - Variable bitrate, latency constrained
• vbr_peak - Variable bitrate, peak constrained

amd_rc = vbr_latency

amd_quality · string · default: "balanced"

Quality profile.

Options: speed, balanced, quality

amd_quality = balanced

amd_vbaq · boolean · default: "enabled"

Variance Based Adaptive Quantization for improved visual quality.

amd_vbaq = enabled

Software Encoder Settings

Software Encoder Options

sw_preset · string · default: "superfast"

Encoder preset. Slower presets provide better compression.

Options: ultrafast, superfast, veryfast, faster, fast, medium, slow, slower, veryslow

sw_preset = superfast

sw_tune · string · default: "zerolatency"

Tuning preset.

• film - High quality movie content
• animation - Cartoons
• grain - Old grainy film
• stillimage - Slideshow content
• fastdecode - Faster decoding
• zerolatency - Low-latency streaming

sw_tune = zerolatency

Windows Display Configuration

The following settings apply to Windows only

Windows Display Options

dd_configuration_option · string · default: "disabled"

Mandatory verification and configuration for display devices.

• disabled - No additional configuration
• verify_only - Verify display is active
• ensure_active - Activate if inactive
• ensure_primary - Activate and make primary
• ensure_only_display - Activate and disable others

dd_configuration_option = ensure_only_display

dd_resolution_option · string · default: "auto"

Resolution configuration.

• disabled - No configuration
• auto - Use client resolution
• manual - Use manual resolution (requires dd_manual_resolution)

Requires “Optimize game settings” enabled in Moonlight

dd_resolution_option = auto

dd_hdr_option · string · default: "auto"

HDR configuration.

• disabled - No HDR configuration
• auto - Match client HDR state

dd_hdr_option = auto

Next Steps

Input Configuration

Configure gamepad and input devices

Network Settings

Set up ports and network access