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Although Shadow automates much of the setup process, we recommend looking through the settings for any modifications you may need.
To modify your settings, open the application, then click on the Settings icon icons8-settings-24.png.

In the settings, you'll see several categories to the left, which will be covered in this article:

 

Some settings in this article vary depending on your device's operating system and your version of Shadow. This article covers the settings available on most Shadow apps.

 

General

Turn off my Shadow when closing the stream

 

Have Shadow and Windows shut down whenever you close the application window.
If this setting is turned off, Windows will continue to run, but will automatically shut down if your session is idle.

 

Language

 

This setting changes the Shadow app language, but it does not affect the language on the Shadow desktop.

 

To change the language of your Shadow desktop, please refer to this article: Change the language for Windows 10

 

Enable Quick Menu

 

To see this option, you will need to click on "Advanced Settings"

 

This setting allows access to au the Quick Menu and its features when you've started Shadow.

 

We recommend disabling this feature on low-end devices.

 

Video & Display

Streaming window mode at start

 

Choose whether Shadow should stream in full screen or windowed mode after you click Start.

 

High Efficiency Video Coding (H.265)

 

To see this option, you will need to click on "Advanced Settings"

 

If Shadow is slow or refuses to start, try turning on H.265.
When turned on, High Efficiency Video Coding (or H.265) provides higher quality streaming for users who have unstable download speeds that don't always meet or exceed 15Mb/s.

 

To set up your Shadow according to your internet connection and check the latter, please refer to this article: How to troubleshoot your internet connection
If your device was made before 2014, it may not support H.265 encoding and must be disabled.
If issues persist or worsen, H.265 may not be compatible with your device. Turn H.265 off, then try lowering your maximum bit rate. 

 

Color Enhancement (4:4:4)

 

To see this option, you will need to click on "Advanced Settings"

 

Have Shadow stream more colors using 4:4:4 technology. 
For more information, you can see this article: Using Color Enhancement on Shadow.

 

This setting will require more power from your CPU and should be disabled if you notice any poor performance or overheating after it has been enabled.

 

Limited frame rate

 

To see this option, you will need to click on "Advanced Settings"

 

Allows you to lower the maximum frame rate allowed to stream.
This setting can be helpful on low-end configurations, but it may not solve issues caused by slow or unstable internet connections.
You can choose from unlimited, 60, or 50 frames per second.

 

Audio

Audio quality

 

This setting is set to "Regular" by default.
You can use the arrows to change this setting to "High" for lossless sound quality, but this will require more bandwidth.

 

Switch back to "Regular" if you were to notice latency or degradation of your audio such as stuttering.

 

Controllers & USB

Use my USB devices on my Shadow

 

If you want Shadow to detect or enhance its compatibility with your mouse, keyboard, or other USB devices, turn on USB Peripherals.
For more information, you can see this article: How to connect a USB device to Shadow .

 

Network

Maximum bit rate

 

By default, Shadow's maximum bit rate is set to "Auto detect", but you can also choose a "Custom" bit rate. Your bit rate is the maximum amount of data that can be transferred using your internet connection.

 

To set up your Shadow according to your internet connection and check the latter, please refer to this article: How to troubleshoot your internet connection

 

If you want to manually choose your bandwidth, we recommend setting Shadow's bit rate to 10Mb/s less than your current internet speeds to avoid exceeding your available bandwidth.
For example, if your lowest speeds are 42Mb/s, Shadow's maximum bit rate should be about 30Mb/s.

 

Adapt max bit rate to network conditions

 

If you'd like to have Shadow continue to choose your bit rate automatically, check the box next to "Adapt max bit rate to network conditions".

 

Streaming preferences

 

To see this option, you will need to click on "Advanced Settings"

 

This setting allows you to switch between two streaming protocols:

  • Prefer speed (UDP)
  • Prefer reliability (TCP)

 

UDP protocols ignore the need to establish a connection. UDP sends data in the quickest way possible, maximizing fluidity.
TCP protocols provide error-checking to ensure data is sent in the correct order, minimizing errors.