Windows Host

Stream a Windows 11 PC's desktop or games to any Punktfunk client, at the client's exact resolution and refresh, HDR included, with no second monitor or dummy plug. To stream to a Windows PC, see the Windows client.

The host runs as a LocalSystem service, so it can capture UAC prompts and the lock screen and stream with nobody signed in. That makes it a high-privilege component: keep it on a trusted network and read Security & Safe Use.

What you needCopy Anchor Link

• Windows 11 22H2 (build 22621) or newer, x64. Setup refuses anything older, Windows 10 included: the virtual-display driver needs IddCx 1.10, which first shipped in 22H2. ARM64 is a canary build only, with video but no audio, and Media Foundation as its only encoder.
• A GPU with a hardware encoder: NVIDIA (NVENC), AMD (AMF) or Intel (QSV), picked automatically. Windows has no software encoder.
• Steam installed and opened once for game audio and the microphone. After that it never has to run. Without it the host streams video only, and picks Steam up within minutes of its first start.
• Windows Server 2025 takes the same setup, for seats. Prepare the server first.

InstallCopy Anchor Link

Download punktfunk-host-setup-<ver>.exe from the latest release and run it, or install with winget from an elevated terminal:

winget source add -n punktfunk https://winget.punktfunk.unom.io -t Microsoft.Restwinget install unom.PunktfunkHost

The wizard's Configure step lists what it sets up. The defaults suit most PCs:

• Network set to Public? The wizard offers to make it Private or to open the firewall there. Skip both and clients can't connect (Windows firewall).
• Sunshine, Apollo, Vibeshine, Vibepollo or LuminalShine set to start on its own? Setup moves Punktfunk's management API to TCP 47991 and keeps Moonlight compat off (Switching from Sunshine).

wingetCopy Anchor Link

winget runs setup silently with the wizard's defaults. Before it downloads anything it asks you to accept two notes: audio needs Steam, and Moonlight compat is off. Add --interactive for the wizard. winget carries stable releases only; canary builds come as the setup .exe.

Unattended installCopy Anchor Link

punktfunk-host-setup-<ver>.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES

Change a default with /MERGETASKS and the task names above: a bare name turns a task on, !name turns it off. /WEBBIND=localhost keeps the console on this PC (lan or an address also work). With winget, pass the whole line through --override; --custom appends and leaves two /MERGETASKS:

winget install unom.PunktfunkHost --override "/VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /MERGETASKS=gamestream"

An upgrade always updates both drivers and keeps your earlier Moonlight, firewall, console, HDR-layer and tray choices. A silent install shows no console password: print it from an elevated PowerShell with punktfunk-host web password before your first sign-in.

About the signaturesCopy Anchor Link

Setup and the Punktfunk programs are signed with a publicly trusted certificate. SmartScreen may still show "Windows protected your PC" for a new release: choose More info → Run anyway. The drivers carry a separate self-signed certificate (CN=punktfunk-driver, SHA-1 4B8493E7CD565758D335F8F4F05C5A7261A13E02). Setup adds it to the machine's Trusted Root and Trusted Publishers stores, and uninstalling removes it.

PairCopy Anchor Link

1. Open https://<this-PC>:47992 from any browser on your network. It warns once about the certificate; continue.
2. Sign in with the console password. Lost it? See Login password.
3. Go to Devices → Pair a device and enter the PIN on your client.

Good to knowCopy Anchor Link

• Status icon. It shows whether the host is running. Its menu opens the console and the logs folder, approves pairing, and starts, stops or restarts the host, each behind a UAC prompt. While Tray autostart is on, the service restarts the icon if it closes; punktfunk-host tray controls it by hand. Punktfunk Host in the Start menu opens it and starts a stopped host.
• Settings. Change them in the console under Host; Moonlight compat is GameStream there. A line in %ProgramData%\punktfunk\host.env pins a setting. After editing it, run punktfunk-host service restart from an elevated prompt. See Configuration.
• Encoder. PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER in host.env forces nvenc, amf, qsv or mf (Media Foundation). A pin that doesn't match the selected GPU's vendor is ignored. When the native encoder can't open, an 8-bit SDR session falls back to Media Foundation. NVENC has the most field time; AMF and QSV see less.
• HDR. For a 10-bit session the host turns HDR on for its virtual display; you never touch Use HDR in Windows. See HDR → Windows.
• Logs. %ProgramData%\punktfunk\logs\ holds service.log and host.log, each rotated at 10 MB. Only Administrators can read them, so use an elevated PowerShell or the console's Troubleshooting page. RUST_LOG=debug in host.env adds detail.
• Seats for several people. A seat per person needs Windows Server and a Remote Desktop Services CAL for every player. Windows 11 runs one desktop at a time. See Seats on Windows.
• Two processes. Task Manager shows two punktfunk-host.exe: the service and the worker it starts in your session. Ending the worker only makes the service start another; stop the host from the status icon or with punktfunk-host service stop.

UpdatingCopy Anchor Link

Press Update now on the console's Updates card, run winget upgrade unom.PunktfunkHost, or run a newer setup over the old one. All three keep your config, pairings and console password. See Updating.

UninstallingCopy Anchor Link

Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Punktfunk Host → Uninstall, or run winget uninstall unom.PunktfunkHost. It turns seats off and removes the service, the status icon and its Start menu entry, the virtual display, gamepad and audio devices with the driver certificate, the scheduled task, the firewall rules, the HDR layer and the PATH entry. %ProgramData%\punktfunk stays, so a reinstall keeps your identity and pairings; Uninstall → Windows host clears it.