Technical issues

Stuck on Preparing your PC or in a long queue

If your session is stuck on Preparing your PC or you're sitting in a long queue, this article tells you what's normal, what's broken, and what to do next. What you're seeing The session-start flow has three stages, in order: 1. Queue. You're waiting for a free virtual PC. The launcher shows your position in the line. 2. Preparing your PC. A machine has been assigned to you. The system is loading drivers, mounting your installs, and starting the streaming service. 3. Connected. The session is live, the Catalog opens. Each stage shows a different message in the launcher. If you've been on one stage for a long time, the diagnosis depends on which stage. Queue times — what's normal Queue is busy when usage is high. Rough expectations (in US Eastern time): | Window | Typical queue | |--------|---------------| | Overnight to early morning (00:00–10:00 ET) | 0–10 min | | Daytime (10:00–17:00 ET) | 5–15 min | | Peak evening (17:00–23:00 ET) | 15–30 min | Queue is not charged — your balance only ticks down once Stage 3 (Connected) starts. So a long queue is annoying but not expensive. If you've been in queue for more than 45 minutes, that's outside the normal range — see "Queue is too long" below. Preparing your PC — what's normal This stage takes about 1–3 minutes on a healthy machine. If you've been on Preparing your PC for more than 5 minutes, something is wrong. What's happening behind the scenes: the assigned machine is being prepared (drivers, last-session cleanup, your Steam/Epic install volumes mounted). Most failures here are because a specific machine is misbehaving — not your account. What to do if it's stuck Press F5 in the launcher. This refreshes the connection. It often kicks the session back into motion. Wait 5 minutes, then click the recycle bin icon next to the start button. This deletes the assigned (broken) virtual PC and asks for a new one. You'll go back into queue, but on a fresh machine — usually the second machine works fine. Restart the launcher. Close it completely, reopen, sign in, try again. This forces a clean handshake with the server. Check the dashboard for an Active Session Card. If you restarted the launcher and the session was already partway through, there might be an Active Session Card with a Resume button — click that instead of starting a new session, otherwise you'll queue twice. If none of these work after about 20 minutes from your first attempt, write to help@loudplay.io with the date and approximate time. We can look at the session record on our side. Queue is too long (45+ minutes) A genuine 45+ minute queue is outside the normal range. Two things to try: - Refresh the launcher (F5). Sometimes the queue display lags behind the actual position. - Close and reopen the launcher. Re-handshake with the server. If the queue display was wrong, this resets it. If neither helps and you're definitively in a 1+ hour queue, that's something we want to know about — write to support with the time you started queueing. Why does this happen at all? Each virtual PC is real hardware. We have a finite number of them. When more users want to play than there are free machines, you queue. We add capacity in response to demand, but capacity changes are slow (we have to provision real GPUs in a real data centre), so peak hours sometimes squeeze. This isn't going to be solved by any setting on your side — it's a supply problem. The reliable workaround is to play during off-peak hours when possible. If you have flexibility, a Tuesday afternoon session has near-zero queue. "I closed the launcher while preparing — did I lose my time?" No. You haven't been charged because the session never reached Stage 3. Reopen the launcher, the dashboard usually offers Resume on the same in-progress session, or you can start fresh — either is fine. Refunds for stuck sessions If you got past Preparing your PC into a Connected session that was unusable (frozen, broken streaming, repeated disconnects) — that's a normal refund case, see "Refunds — when we issue them and how to request one". If you never got past queue or preparing, no time was charged in the first place — there's nothing to refund. The cost was your time, not your money.

The app crashes at launch on Windows or macOS

The Loudplay launcher crashes when you try to start it, before you even get to sign in. Or it opens, you click Sign in, and the window disappears. This is usually a fixable local problem — Windows permissions, drivers, antivirus, or a missing runtime. Below is a checklist that handles 90% of cases, in order of how often each fix actually works. Windows 1. Run as Administrator Right-click the Loudplay shortcut → Run as administrator → confirm the UAC prompt. If it works as Administrator but not as a normal user, the launcher is hitting a permissions issue with one of its directories. To fix it permanently: right-click the shortcut → Properties → Compatibility tab → check Run this program as an administrator → OK. 2. Update your GPU drivers Outdated drivers cause crashes during startup more often than any other single issue. Open your GPU vendor's tool — NVIDIA GeForce Experience, AMD Adrenalin, or Intel Driver & Support Assistant — and let it update. A reboot after the driver install is recommended. Don't skip it; some driver updates only take effect after a restart. 3. Check antivirus and Windows Defender Some antivirus products quarantine parts of the launcher silently. Two things to check: - Your antivirus quarantine list — is anything from Loudplay in there? - Windows Defender → Virus & threat protection → Allowed threats / History — same. If nothing is quarantined but you suspect interference, add the Loudplay install folder (typically C:\Program Files\Loudplay\ or %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Loudplay\) to your antivirus exclusion list, and try launching again. 4. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable The launcher depends on Visual C++ runtime libraries. If they're corrupted or missing, the launcher crashes silently. Download the latest Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015–2022 from Microsoft, run the installer, reboot, try Loudplay again. Both x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) versions can be installed side by side. If you're not sure which you need, install both. 5. Reinstall the launcher If everything above fails, fully reinstall: 1. Close the launcher (check Task Manager — kill any Loudplay.exe processes). 2. Uninstall Loudplay from Settings → Apps. 3. Delete the leftover folder %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Loudplay\ if it's still there. 4. Download a fresh installer from loudplay.io/download. 5. Install, reboot, try again. This wipes any corrupted local state and is what we'd ask you to do anyway before opening a support ticket. macOS macOS has fewer failure modes — most crashes are about Gatekeeper or accidentally running an old version. 1. Allow the app in Privacy & Security If macOS blocks the launcher with a "cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" message, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down to the Security section, and click Open Anyway next to the Loudplay entry that appears after your blocked attempt. On Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3 Macs), you may also need to right-click the app → Open → confirm the prompt. 2. Make sure it's in /Applications Drag the Loudplay app into the Applications folder, then launch from there. Running directly from Downloads or the disk image causes occasional crashes because of macOS quarantine rules. 3. Update macOS If you're on macOS earlier than 10.15 (Catalina), the launcher won't work — that's the minimum. If you're on a more recent macOS but haven't updated point releases in a long time, an update sometimes fixes app crashes. 4. Reinstall Same steps as Windows: drag the app to the Trash from Applications, download a fresh build from loudplay.io/download, drag the new one to Applications, launch. ⚠️ Auto-update on macOS doesn't exist: unlike Windows, the macOS build doesn't auto-update. If you've been using the same install for months and it suddenly stopped working, manual reinstall from the download page is the fix. When to write to support If the checklist above didn't help: 1. Note your OS version (Windows version + build, or macOS version). 2. Note your launcher version (look in About if you can open the launcher; the file name of the installer otherwise). 3. If on Windows, look for log files at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Loudplay\Logs\ — zip the latest one. 4. Email help@loudplay.io with all of the above plus a description of when the crash happens (immediately on launch, after sign-in, etc.). We can usually pinpoint the issue from the logs within a day.

Gamepad doesn't work on Android

Most gamepads work on the Android Loudplay app — Xbox controllers, PlayStation controllers, generic XInput pads, all detected automatically. If yours isn't being seen by the game, the fix is usually about when you connect it, not what you connect. The single most useful tip Connect or reconnect the gamepad during an active session, not before. If you connect the gamepad before starting the session, the streaming protocol sometimes initialises without registering the controller properly. The game then doesn't see your inputs even though Android does. Procedure that works reliably: 1. Start the Loudplay session, get to the Game Catalog or game. 2. Connect the gamepad (Bluetooth pair, or plug in USB). 3. Wait 2–3 seconds for the device to register. 4. Press a button — the virtual PC should respond. If it doesn't respond, briefly disconnect and reconnect. The first reconnect during an active session almost always fixes it. What's supported - Bluetooth gamepads — Xbox Wireless Controller, DualSense (PS5), DualShock 4 (PS4), 8BitDo Pro 2, most generic Bluetooth pads. They all appear inside the virtual PC as Xbox controllers, regardless of the actual brand. Games that support Xbox controllers see them; games that look for specific PS-button glyphs may show Xbox prompts. - USB gamepads via USB OTG — if your phone supports USB OTG (most modern Android phones do), you can plug in a wired Xbox or generic USB controller through an OTG adapter. Same caveat: connect during the session. - Multiple gamepads — if you connect two pads, the virtual PC sees them as one controller. We don't currently support local multiplayer with two distinct controllers. What's not supported - Racing wheels (Logitech G29, Thrustmaster, Fanatec) — the streaming protocol doesn't pass through wheel and pedal axes correctly. Same for force feedback. - Flight sticks and HOTAS systems (Thrustmaster Warthog, etc.) — same reason. - Side mouse buttons. Mice work as keyboards/mice fine, but the side buttons (back/forward) aren't passed through the protocol. - Vibration / rumble. Most gamepads connect for input only. Force feedback is hit-or-miss depending on the protocol — assume it won't work. - Native triggers as analog axes. L2/R2 work as buttons; the analog pressure value isn't always passed through. This affects driving games particularly. Bluetooth pairing — common problems Phone says paired but game doesn't see input. Most often this is the "connected before session" issue above. Disconnect, start session, reconnect. Pad keeps disconnecting. Bluetooth gamepads have a battery; they sleep when idle and sometimes don't wake fast enough for the streaming protocol to keep them. Make sure the pad is charged. If the issue persists, try a USB OTG connection instead — wired is more stable. Two paired pads, app uses the wrong one. Android's Bluetooth gamepad handling is system-level. Open Android Settings → Connected devices → forget the pad you don't want, then re-pair only the one you want for this session. Xbox Wireless Controller refuses to pair. The original Xbox Wireless Controller (with the older non-Bluetooth dongle) doesn't pair with Android over Bluetooth. The Xbox Wireless Controller series 2 (Xbox One S+) does. If you have the original, you'll need a USB OTG cable instead. Testing the gamepad outside Loudplay first If you're not sure whether your gamepad works on Android at all, install Gamepad Tester (free, on Google Play) and check that all buttons and axes register. If they don't show in Gamepad Tester, the problem is between the pad and Android — solve that first before bringing Loudplay into the picture. On Desktop, gamepads "just work" This article is Android-specific because Android is where pairing complexity lives. On Desktop (Windows, macOS), connect the gamepad to your computer the same way you would for any local game — Loudplay passes the input through without needing to be told.

Stream is laggy or blurry — settings to try

If the stream stutters, freezes, looks pixelated, or shows obvious frame drops, the cause is almost always one of three things: your network can't sustain the bitrate, the streaming settings aren't matched to your connection, or your local display has a scaling mismatch. Below is the order to check them in. Step 0. Identify the symptom Different symptoms mean different fixes: - Pixelated, "soup-y", low-detail picture → bitrate too low, or compression artefacts because bandwidth is dropping. - Sharp picture but stuttering / frame drops → network jitter; intermittent packet loss. - Long freezes (1+ second) → network drop, Wi-Fi handover, or the server dropped a frame burst. - Whole picture is fuzzy, especially text → display scaling on your local machine. - Streaming window won't start at all → hardware decoding issue. Pick the one that matches you and skip ahead. Pixelated / low-detail picture You don't have enough bitrate. Two paths: If your connection is genuinely slow, lower the resolution. In the floating Quick Menu inside the session: Resolution → 720p. Less detail to encode means the bitrate you have is enough. Your monitor will upscale. If your connection is fast but the bitrate cap is low, raise it. Quick Menu → Bitrate → set 15–25 Mbit/s (or Auto). Auto picks the highest sustainable bitrate; manual lets you override. Recommended: use Auto unless you have a specific reason. Auto adapts to your live conditions; a manual setting can't. Stuttering / frame drops Network jitter — the bandwidth is mostly fine but unstable. The single biggest fix is: Switch from Wi-Fi to Ethernet. A wired connection has dramatically less jitter than even a strong Wi-Fi link. Most "Loudplay is unplayable" reports turn out to be 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, sometimes through a wall or two. If Ethernet isn't possible: - Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi, not 2.4 GHz. Check your phone or laptop's Wi-Fi settings — make sure you're connected to the 5 GHz network (often named with _5G or similar suffix), not the legacy 2.4 GHz. - Move closer to the router, or move the router to a less obstructed spot. - Restart the router. Power-cycle it for 30 seconds. Routers degrade after weeks of uptime. Inside the session, also try: - Quick Menu → Lag Resilience → Medium (or High for very unstable connections). This adds a small input-lag buffer in exchange for fewer visual stutters. - Quick Menu → FPS → 30 if you can't sustain 60. Stable 30 plays better than dropping frames at 60. Long freezes (1+ second) These are full network drops, not jitter. Usual causes: - Wi-Fi handover (phone moved between access points) - Router rebooted itself - Background app started a large download - ISP hiccup Most of these resolve on their own within 5–10 seconds. If they happen every minute or two, your connection isn't stable enough — Ethernet is the fix. If freezes are happening for everyone simultaneously (e.g. a service-side outage on our side), the launcher usually shows a "Technical work" message. Press F5 in the launcher; if it persists for more than a few minutes, check our status or contact support. Whole picture fuzzy, especially text This is local display scaling, not a streaming problem. The streaming protocol delivers a specific resolution; if your OS is scaling that picture by a non-integer factor, fonts and edges blur. Windows fix: right-click the desktop → Display settings → set Scale and layout to 100% while playing Loudplay. Higher scale (125%, 150%) on a high-DPI display causes the blur. macOS fix: macOS scaling is automatic and harder to override. If your Mac display is high-DPI (Retina) and the stream looks fuzzy, try the streaming-side fix: Quick Menu → Resolution → match your monitor's native pixel resolution (e.g. 2560x1600 for a 13" MacBook), not the "Default" scaled resolution. Streaming window won't start at all The launcher connects, then the stream window stays black or never appears. This is usually a hardware video decoder problem. Fix: in the launcher's Advanced Settings → Video, find Hardware decoding and turn it OFF. The launcher will fall back to software decoding, which is slower but more compatible. Restart the session. If software decoding works, your GPU's driver hardware decoder is the issue — update GPU drivers (see "The app crashes at launch on Windows or macOS" for the driver update steps), then turn hardware decoding back on. Specific quick fixes | Problem | One-line fix | |---------|--------------| | Steam shows "connect server unreachable" inside the session | Open Steam → Settings → Downloads → Clear download cache | | Rockstar launcher says "Play on Steam" instead of launching | Sign into Steam in another tab, then delete the game from your Steam library and re-add via Rockstar | | CS2 cursor stuck on screen after a click | Press Alt + ~ (tilde) to hide it. Bug we know about, fix in progress. | | Browser inside the VM won't open | Set a default browser in Windows Settings inside the VM | | Payment didn't credit | Wait 10 minutes, then press F5. See "Cross-platform balance" if still missing. | What to do if none of this helps If you've tried the relevant section and the stream still isn't usable: 1. Note the exact symptom (pixelation, stutter, freeze, all of the above). 2. Note your connection type (Ethernet / 5 GHz Wi-Fi / 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi / cellular) and approximate speed (run a speed test, write down download Mbit/s and ping). 3. Note your device (computer or phone model). 4. Email help@loudplay.io with all of the above. If the issue is on our infrastructure, we can refund the affected session — see "Refunds — when we issue them and how to request one".