Remio's Windows host uses C++/WinRT with direct DXGI capture and Windows's hardware encoder pipeline (NVENC on NVIDIA, AMF on AMD, Intel Quick Sync on Intel). The Mac and iPad clients decode with VideoToolbox. End to end you get hardware encode on the PC and hardware decode on the Apple device — zero CPU overhead for the actual streaming.
Overview
You will install Remio Host on the Windows PC (one EXE installer), accept Windows Defender's one-time firewall prompt, install Remio Client on the Mac or iPad, and pair the two with a 4-digit PIN. For gaming, you will spend an extra 30 seconds in the client's quality menu setting frame rate, resolution, and codec.
Before you start
- Windows PC (host): Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11. Home edition works — you do not need Pro. x64 architecture (Arm64 PCs not yet supported).
- GPU on host: any GPU with a hardware encoder. NVIDIA Maxwell (GTX 900) or newer, AMD GCN 4 (RX 400) or newer, Intel HD Graphics 4000 or newer. AV1 requires NVIDIA RTX 40-series, AMD Radeon RX 7000, or Intel Arc.
- Mac client: macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple Silicon preferred.
- iPad client: iPadOS 18 or later, any iPad with A12 Bionic or newer.
- Network: shared 5 GHz Wi-Fi for sub-10ms latency, wired Ethernet for sub-3ms. 2.4 GHz works but adds 20-40 ms.
- Disk: ~150 MB for the Windows host installer including the virtual display driver.
01 · Install Remio Host on Windows
Download Remio-Host-Setup.exe from remio.net/download. Right-click the file and choose Run as administrator, or double-click and accept the UAC prompt. Admin is needed for two reasons: installing Remio Host to Program Files, and installing the virtual display driver that lets the host run headless or add a second display.
The installer asks once whether to Start Remio Host at login. For a dedicated streaming box, yes. For a desktop PC you sometimes lock up to game on locally, leave it off and start manually.
After install, Remio Host shows up in the system tray (bottom right). Right-click the tray icon for the pairing PIN, settings, and quit.
Remio Host for Windows is signed with an EV code-signing certificate, so SmartScreen does not warn. If you downloaded the EXE through a corporate proxy that re-wraps installers, SmartScreen may complain — re-download from remio.net/download directly.
02 · Accept the Windows Defender Firewall prompt
On first run, Windows Defender shows the standard firewall prompt: Allow Remio Host to communicate on these networks. You will see two checkboxes:
- Private networks — tick this. This covers your home Wi-Fi.
- Public networks — tick this only if you ever plan to stream from a hotspot or untrusted Wi-Fi. Many people leave it off.
Click Allow access. Remio Host now accepts incoming connections on the ports it needs. If you missed the prompt (clicked away too fast), open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall, find Remio Host, and tick the boxes manually.
For most home networks, this is all the firewall config you ever need. Remio uses UDP hole punching with ICE candidates; the outgoing connection from the Mac client establishes the path back.
03 · Install Remio Client on the Mac or iPad
On the Mac, open the Mac App Store and search Remio, or download RemioClient.dmg from remio.net/download. Either path gives you the same notarized universal binary; install is one click.
On the iPad, open the App Store and search Remio. Tap Get. The iPad version is a universal iOS/iPadOS binary; the same install works on iPhone if you want a smaller pocket controller.
On Windows-to-Windows scenarios, download Remio-Client-Setup.exe from remio.net/download. Same low-latency native renderer as the host.
On first launch the iPad shows a one-time Local Network permission — tap Allow. The Mac does not need any permissions to act as a client.
04 · Pair Windows host with Mac or iPad client
Right-click the Remio Host system tray icon on the PC and choose Show pairing PIN. A small panel opens with a one-time 4-digit code and a QR variant.
On the Mac, click Add device in the client and type the 4 digits. On the iPad, tap Add device and either type the PIN or scan the QR with the camera.
Pairing is instant. The Mac/iPad and the Windows PC establish a peer-to-peer encrypted channel over UDP; the cross-platform handshake is identical to the all-Apple flow. No Microsoft account, no Apple ID, no cloud middleman.
# Cross-platform pairing
windows host → publish PIN, listen on UDP
mac/ipad → enter PIN, exchange SDP
both → ICE candidates · best LAN path wins
session → AES-256-GCM, end-to-end encrypted05 · Tune for 4K 60fps gaming
Click the host name in the client to connect. The session opens at the host's primary display resolution. For gaming, open the client's Quality menu (gear icon in the toolbar) and set:
- Frame rate — 60 fps. The Mac client decodes 60 fps on any Apple Silicon Mac; the iPad client too.
- Resolution — match your gaming target: 1080p for lowest latency, 1440p balanced, 4K for visual fidelity (needs RTX 4060 / RX 7600 or better for sustained 60 fps + encode).
- Codec — HEVC is the default and works on every GPU. Switch to AV1 if your host GPU supports it (RTX 40-series, RX 7000, Intel Arc) — half the bandwidth at the same quality.
Remio Host auto-detects NVENC, AMF, and Intel QSV at startup and picks the fastest encoder available. You do not need to choose manually. The active codec is shown in the client's session HUD.
For controller-based games, pair your Xbox or PlayStation controller via Bluetooth to the Mac or iPad. Remio forwards every axis, button, trigger, and rumble event to the Windows PC.
Troubleshooting Windows-to-Mac sessions
- Mac client cannot find Windows PC — confirm Windows Defender Firewall has Remio Host allowed for the network category you are on (Private vs Public). Also check no third-party firewall (Bitdefender, Norton) is blocking inbound UDP.
- SmartScreen blocks the EXE — re-download from remio.net/download. If you still see a SmartScreen warning, click More info → Run anyway. The binary is signed with an EV certificate.
- Black screen in the Mac client — the Windows PC has no active display (laptop lid closed, no monitor attached). Either attach a display, open the lid, or rely on the virtual display driver: in the host tray menu, enable Always show virtual display.
- Choppy 4K stream — your GPU encoder is saturated. Drop to 1440p or HEVC if you were on AV1, or close other GPU-bound apps (OBS, video editor, browser with hardware accel).
- Game shows correctly but controller does not work — confirm the controller is paired to the Mac/iPad, not the Windows PC. Remio forwards client-side controllers; a controller attached directly to the host is invisible to the client.
- Audio missing from Windows side — open Windows Sound settings and confirm the default playback device is the same one the host is set to capture (in the Remio Host tray → Audio source).
Windows-to-Mac questions
Does Remio need a firewall exception on Windows?
Yes, but Windows Defender prompts for it automatically on first run. Tick both Private and Public networks (or just Private if you only stream from home) and click Allow access. The installer never modifies firewall rules silently — every change is consented.
Do I need Windows 11 Pro or does Home work?
Windows 11 Home works perfectly. Remio does not depend on the Remote Desktop feature that Microsoft restricts to Pro and Enterprise. Windows 10 22H2 also works. There is no upgrade required, no group policy edit, no licensing change.
Does Remio use my GPU's hardware encoder?
Yes. Remio Host auto-detects NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF, and Intel Quick Sync, then picks the fastest one available. On an RTX 4090 you get H.265 plus AV1 (NVENC ninth-gen); on a Radeon RX 7000 series, AMF AV1; on Intel Arc, Quick Sync AV1.
Why does my mouse cursor feel laggy?
Two likely causes. First, the cursor on the client renders the host cursor with a one-frame delay; switch on Predictive Cursor in the client View menu to bias toward instant local feedback. Second, if you are on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, move to 5 GHz — cursor latency on 2.4 GHz often exceeds 30 ms even on a fast router.
Does Remio forward an Xbox or PlayStation controller from the client?
Yes. Pair the controller via Bluetooth to the Mac or iPad client; Remio forwards all axes, buttons, and triggers to the Windows PC as if the controller were attached directly. Vibration feedback also passes back. Game-detect logic on Windows sees it as a standard XInput device.
Can the Mac client stream from a headless Windows PC?
Yes. Remio installs a virtual display driver during the Windows host install. If no monitor is attached, the virtual display becomes the primary; the Mac client receives it at the resolution you choose. Perfect for an always-on streaming box in a closet or under a desk.
Related guides
- Set up Mac to Mac — same flow within the Apple ecosystem.
- Set up Mac to iPad — for the iPad client side.
- Multi-monitor configuration — pick which Windows display to stream.
- Firewall and NAT — corporate firewall scenarios.
- Cloud gaming with Remio — full gaming-specific tuning guide.
