Learn about internet connection and hardware requirements, as well as how to check network connections and change data usage options to enhance and help troubleshoot your experience on Stadia.
Bandwidth requirements and data usage
An internet connection speed of 10 megabits per second (Mbps) or greater is the minimum recommended to use Stadia at up to 1080p resolution. A slower network speed can cause issues while you play games.
To play at up to 4K resolution, you'll need an active Stadia Pro subscription and a network speed of 35 Mbps or greater. Check below for hardware requirements.
| Resolution | Data usage |
|---|---|
| Up to 4K (Stadia Pro only) | Typically under 20 GB/hr |
| Up to 1440p (Stadia Pro only) | Typically under 14.4 GB/hr |
| Up to 1080p | Typically under 12.6 GB/hr |
| Up to 720p | Typically under 4.5 GB/hr |
Check your connection
Even if your internet plan is for 10 Mbps or greater, we recommend you test your connection on the device you'll use in the location you play.
Hardware requirements for Stadia Pro features
If you have an active Stadia Pro subscription, a network speed of 35 Mbps or greater, and you've selected Up to 4K and HDR in your Performance settings, but the 4K or HDR icons don't show up in your Connection menu, check below to make sure your hardware is compatible with these features.
On a TV
- If you don't have an AV receiver or soundbar: A TV using Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, or a 4K-compatible Android TV device or smart TV.
- If you have an AV receiver or soundbar: An AV receiver or soundbar connected to Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, or a 4K-compatible Android TV device or smart TV, and your AV receiver or soundbar connected to your 4K TV with a high-speed HDMI cable.
On stadia.com
- A Windows® computer, Mac® computer, or Chromebook that supports VP9 hardware decoding.
- If you want to play in up to 4K on a Mac, make sure you have macOS® version 11 or greater and the latest version of Google Chrome. If you don't have an external display, you might need to go into your Mac's system settings to adjust your screen resolution to at least 1440p or 4K.
- A 4K monitor connected to your computer.
VP9 hardware decoding
To check if your computer supports VP9 hardware decoding:
- In your Google Chrome address bar, type chrome://gpu and press Enter.
- Scroll down to "Video Acceleration Information".
- Check for ""Decode vp9", which means your computer supports VP9 hardware decoding.
Stadia Pro subscribers with a network speed of 32 Mbps or greater can select Up to 1440p. This setting is available on the following devices:
- A Stadia-compatible TV (Android TV, Google TV, smart TV, Chromecast Ultra) that supports at least 1440p resolution.
- A computer that supports VP9 hardware decoding connected to a display that supports at least 1440p resolution.
- A web browser on a mobile device that supports at least 1440p resolution.
On a TV
- If you don't have an AV receiver or soundbar: A TV that supports the HDR10 standard with Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, or an HDR-compatible Android TV device or smart TV.
- If you have an AV receiver or soundbar: Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, or HDR-compatible Android TV device or smart TV connected to your AV receiver or soundbar, and your AV receiver or soundbar connected with a high-speed HDMI cable to a TV that supports the HDR10 standard.
Requirements for 5.1 surround sound
On a TV
Note: Surround sound on Stadia is not currently supported on Samsung® Smart TVs.
- If you plug your Chromecast into your TV: A Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, or Android TV device or LG Smart TV. You must connect your device to a TV that supports HDMI eARC, and the TV must be plugged into an AV receiver (connected to your 6-channel home speaker system) that also supports HDMI eARC.
- If you plug your Chromecast directly into your AV receiver: A Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, or an Android TV device or LG Smart TV plugged into an AV receiver that is connected to a 6-channel home speaker system.
- If you use a Stadia app on your LG Smart TV: Plug your TV into a 5.1 surround sound AV receiver or soundbar through HDMI eARC. LG® webOS Smart TVs also support surround sound when connected through ARC or optical audio connections.
On stadia.com
- A computer connected to a 6-channel speaker system.
Change performance settings
Performance settings affect the visual and sound quality of your games, as well as how much data you use. You can choose your performance settings on stadia.com, on a TV, or in the Stadia app .
Note: The performance settings you select will only take effect on the device you set them on, and won't take effect until the next time you launch a game.
On a TV
- Launch Stadia on your TV.
- On your Stadia Controller, press the Stadia button
.
- On a third-party controller, press the Home button.
- Select Options
.
- Under "Performance", select your data usage option.
On stadia.com
- On your computer with Google Chrome, go to stadia.com.
- In the top right, select your avatar
Stadia settings.
- Select Performance.
- Select your data usage option.
In the Stadia app
- On your mobile device, open the Stadia app
.
- In the top right, tap your avatar.
- Tap Performance.
- Select your data usage option.
Stadia Pro display and audio features
These features are only available during gameplay. When enabled, icons for each of them will be visible in the connection menu. To access it, press the Stadia button or Shift + Tab
select Connection
.
|
Stadia Pro display and audio |
|
|
|
5.1 surround sound |
|
|
4K |
|
|
High Dynamic Range (HDR) |
|
Note: The above features require compatible hardware and network speeds. |
|
Check your stream quality
Your connection status helps you understand the quality of your stream, based on your network connection and the Performance settings you select. To check your connection status, press the Stadia button or Shift + Tab during gameplay
select Connection
.
Connection statuses include:
|
Connection status |
What this means |
|---|---|
|
Excellent |
Your internet connection is strong and games should run smoothly. Stadia Pro subscribers who play on a 4K TV or a computer capable of VP9 hardware decoding might experience up to 4K gameplay for supported games. |
|
Fair |
Your internet connection might have less than ideal bandwidth, or might be experiencing network congestion. You might or might not notice a slight drop in resolution or framerate. To improve your connection, refer to our troubleshooting steps. |
|
Game might stop |
Your internet connection might have low bandwidth or is experiencing significant network congestion. Gameplay is degraded and games might stop. To improve your connection, refer to our troubleshooting steps. |
|
You have enabled the Use mobile data option on your mobile device, and are using a cellular internet connection instead of a Wi-Fi connection. You can enable or disable this option in your Performance settings in the Stadia app Gameplay on Stadia might use a significant amount of data. You are responsible for any access or data fees incurred from your Internet provider or mobile carrier. If you enable the Use mobile data option on your mobile device, it is strongly recommended that you track your data usage to avoid unexpected data charges.
|
Improve your stream quality
Slow game responses, degraded visual quality, or frequent disconnects might mean a problem with network congestion exists, or your device might have difficulty with gameplay at higher resolutions.
Adjust the performance settings on each device you use for the best quality. If that doesn't help, troubleshoot connection and stream quality issues.
Note: If a setting is unavailable, it means either your device doesn't support it, or you don't have an active Stadia Pro subscription.
Lower your resolution setting
On a TV
- Launch Stadia on your TV.
- On your Stadia Controller, press the Stadia button
.
- On Google TV, Android TV, or compatible smart TVs, you can also use your TV remote or a Bluetooth controller to select your avatar at the top of the screen.
- Select Options
.
- Under "Performance", select Up to 1080p or Up to 720p.
On stadia.com
- On your computer with Google Chrome, sign into your account at stadia.com.
- In the top right, select your avatar
Stadia settings.
- Select Performance.
- Under "Resolution", select Up to 1080p or Up to 720p.
Turn off High Dynamic Range (HDR)
On a TV
- Launch Stadia on your TV.
- On your Stadia Controller, press the Stadia button
.
- On Google TV, Android TV, or compatible smart TVs, you can use your TV remote or a Bluetooth controller to select your avatar at the top of the screen.
- Select Options
.
- Turn off High Dynamic Range (HDR).
Turn off mobile data usage
- On your mobile device, open the Stadia app
.
- In the top right, tap your avatar.
- Tap Performance.
- Turn off Use mobile data.
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