GuidesPage 03 of 14
Ports & team
Every OpenNOW port, who maintains it, how far along it is, and where to get it
On this page4 sections
OpenNOW started as a desktop client and now runs on phones, handhelds, and consoles. Most ports are separate projects with their own repository, release schedule, and maintainer. This page lists each one with its status, source, download, and the minimum hardware its repository states.
Independent community projects
None of these ports are affiliated with NVIDIA, Sony, Nintendo, Apple, or Google. Every port needs your own GeForce NOW account. Console and handheld ports run as homebrew.
Status levels#
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stable | Published as a stable release and recommended for everyday play. |
| Beta | Published builds you can install today. Expect rough edges and fast-moving changes. |
| Experimental | A working prototype, or code without a published build. Expect bugs and missing features. |
| Coming soon | Announced and in development. No release has been published yet. |
Ports#
| Port | Maintainers | Status | Source | Install | Minimum hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) | zortosofficial1 | Stable | OpenNOW | Latest release · Getting Started | Packages for Windows x64 and ARM64, Linux x64 and ARM64, and macOS on Apple silicon (Intel x64 on dev) |
| Raspberry Pi 4/5 | zortosofficial1 | Beta | OpenNOW docs/raspberry-pi.md | Linux ARM64 .AppImage or .deb from the latest release | Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 on Raspberry Pi OS Desktop, 64-bit (Trixie), with Mesa V3DV 25.1.6 or newer. The 32-bit OS is not supported. |
| OpenNOW Mac | anderson.oki | Beta | OpenNOW-Mac | Mac releases (.dmg or .zip) | macOS 15.6 or later. AV1 hardware decoding needs an M3 or later Apple silicon Mac. |
| Android | printedwaste | Stable | OpenNOW android-native branch | Google Play · beta APK | Android 7.0 (API 24) or later |
| iOS (iPhone and iPad) | printedwaste | Beta | Not public | TestFlight beta | Not stated |
| Nintendo Switch | zortosofficial1 | Beta | OpenNOW-Switch | Latest release · Nintendo Switch guide | A modded Switch with custom firmware and Homebrew Menu |
| PlayStation 5 | zortosofficial1, koi_sats | Experimental | OpenNOW-PS5 | PS5 releases (directory package, not a PKG) | A PS5 that can run native homebrew, with a native homebrew directory loader such as ShadowMountPlus |
| PS Vita | josephinoo | Beta | OpenNOW-vita | Latest release (.vpk) | Not stated. Confirmed working on an original PS Vita and in the Vita3K emulator. |
| DualScreen | zortosofficial1 | Experimental | OpenNOW android-dual-screen branch | No build published | An Android handheld with a built-in second display, such as the AYN Thor |
| 4Handhelds | dpadguy__ | Stable | OpenNOW-4Handhelds | 4Handhelds releases (.zip) | An R36S or other RK3326 handheld running dArkOS. Tested on an R36S clone with 1 GB of RAM. ArkOS is not supported. |
About each port#
Desktop. The Qt Quick app with the in-process native streamer. Getting Started covers every package, and Troubleshooting covers common problems.
Raspberry Pi 4/5. The desktop app's Linux ARM64 build. Pi 4 decodes H.264 and HEVC in hardware. Pi 5 decodes HEVC in hardware and has no H.264 hardware decoder. Both decoder paths support 8-bit 4:2:0 SDR only. For a first check, select the V4L2 backend, HEVC, 8-bit 4:2:0, HDR off, and 1920×1080 at 60 FPS. The upstream guide still lists the per-board acceptance matrix that must pass before Pi support counts as hardware-validated.
OpenNOW Mac. A separate native SwiftUI client with its own NVST transport, upscaling, ultrawide modes, and Steam Controller support. The README credits Jayian1890 for the base and core functionality.
Android and iOS. The Android app ships on Google Play, with a direct beta APK for previews. The iOS app is in beta on TestFlight.
Nintendo Switch. A native Borealis homebrew client derived from SwitchNOW by Blade-Punisher. Follow the Nintendo Switch guide to install it.
PlayStation 5. A console-tested experimental alpha with hardware H.264 and HEVC Main10 decoding, GPU presentation, DualSense input, and an in-game keyboard. It is not a retail PlayStation application. Portablelle created the original PS5 port that this project continues.
PS Vita. A native Rust homebrew client that uses the Vita's hardware H.264 decoder. josephinoo also maintains rtc-vita, a fork of the webrtc-rs rtc stack with PS Vita network-interface support and a direct H.264 path.
DualScreen. On handhelds with a second built-in screen, OpenNOW runs a companion deck on the bottom screen: account and hours, search, presets, the queue, live stream statistics, a touch keyboard, and a trackpad. It turns on only when the second screen is built in. It lives on a development branch and has no published build yet.
4Handhelds. A controller UI that runs the OpenNOW core and native streamer on RK3326 handhelds, with Rockchip MPP video decoding. Its first stable release, v0.1.0, streams H.264 smoothly at 60 FPS with a 640×480 render resolution, tracks your playtime in Settings, and starts a game straight from your library. Download the release ZIP, extract it into the ports folder, and launch OpenNOW on the handheld; dArkOS is required.
Help bring OpenNOW to more devices#
Want to help bring OpenNOW to more devices? Reach out to the team on the OpenNOW Discord. Tell us which device you want to target and what you have built so far.
Platform names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners.