An open-source desktop client for GeForce NOW.
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Desktop Home, from the OpenNOW Paper design.
OpenNOW is a community-built GeForce NOW client. The desktop app uses Qt Quick for the interface and Rust for account services and streaming. Use a keyboard and mouse, or switch to the console layout for a controller. Both layouts run in the same app.
Note
OpenNOW 1.0.0 rebuilds the desktop client with Qt Quick and a native Rust streaming engine. It replaces the retired Electron app. See the announcement post for a first look at the new UI.
Important
You need your own GeForce NOW account. Your subscription, region, and hardware determine which games and stream settings you can use. OpenNOW is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NVIDIA. NVIDIA and GeForce NOW are trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation.
Warning
The Qt app is still under development. Expect bugs, including platform-specific streaming and GPU issues. It has no Chromium/WebRTC fallback. Publishing a build does not mean it has passed every check in the acceptance checklist.
Look for packages starting with OpenNOW-Qt- in
GitHub Releases. Older releases
may contain the retired Electron app, so check the release notes before downloading.
If there's no published Qt nightly, sign in to GitHub and download the artifacts from a successful
qt-ci run on dev.
| Platform | Qt package | How to run it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows x64 / ARM64 | .msi, portable .zip |
Install the MSI, or extract the entire ZIP and run bin/OpenNOW.exe. |
| Linux x64 / ARM64 | .AppImage, recommended |
Make the file executable, then launch it. |
| Linux x64 / ARM64 | .deb |
Your distribution must provide Qt 6.8+ and SDL3. Use the AppImage on stock Ubuntu 24.04. |
| macOS Apple Silicon, macOS 13+ | .dmg, nightlies |
Open the DMG and drag OpenNOW into Applications. Intel Macs are not included. |
Nightly platform packages are unsigned. Windows may show an unknown-publisher warning. The macOS app is not notarized; if Gatekeeper blocks it, use System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway when offered. Do not disable Gatekeeper globally. Published update-enabled nightlies use signed update manifests. Older builds without a pinned signing key need one manual upgrade. Checksums alone detect corrupted downloads; they do not verify who published a package.
The nightly guide covers these packages. The signed 1.0.0 candidate workflow currently builds Windows and Linux only; see the release-candidate guide. The separate OpenNOW-Mac project is also available.
These projects are separate from the Qt desktop app.
- Try the iOS beta through TestFlight.
The SwiftUI prototype is on the
kief5555/iosbranch. - Get the Android app from Google Play.
- Get OpenNOW-Switch for a modded Nintendo Switch. It runs as native Horizon OS homebrew.
These images come from the OpenNOW Paper design. The boards follow the current Qt layouts, but they aren't app screenshots. The games, account details, and statistics are sample content, not proof of game availability or performance.
You can:
- Browse the catalog, save favorites, and organize your library into collections.
- Set the resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and codec your account and device support.
- Open stream menus and statistics without leaving the video.
- Take screenshots and record the source stream to Matroska files. Find both in Media.
- Export a diagnostic report through Settings → About → Copy diagnostics when something breaks.
The Qt app guide lists hardware requirements, experimental features, and platform limitations.
Qt draws the interface and handles windows, navigation, focus, and overlays. The Rust core runs in a separate process. It manages accounts, settings, and catalog requests, then prepares the session. Qt talks to it over a versioned JSON protocol.
The native Rust streamer handles NVST transport, decoding, audio, gameplay input, and recording. Qt loads it in the desktop process through a versioned C ABI. Video stays on the GPU, and Qt draws menus over it in the same window. The app doesn't embed a browser or open a separate video window. The streamer guide explains the graphics backends and how Qt uses them.
Use main for the release source or dev for ongoing development. Before building, install:
- Qt 6.8+ with Quick, Multimedia, and ShaderTools.
- CMake 3.24+ and a C++20 toolchain.
- SDL3, Cargo, and the media dependencies for your platform.
Linux also needs pkg-config, libwayland-dev, and wayland-protocols, even for
X11 builds. Check the build guide for platform-specific details.
git clone --branch main https://github.com/OpenCloudGaming/OpenNOW.git
cd OpenNOW
cmake -S opennow-qt -B build/opennow-qt -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
cmake --build build/opennow-qt
ctest --test-dir build/opennow-qt --output-on-failureYou don't need Node.js or npm to build or run the desktop app. The repository uses JavaScript for tools such as the localization checker.
Testing login and gameplay requires a GeForce NOW account. Without one, you can run the smoke tests, screenshot fixtures, and performance checks in the Qt app guide and acceptance runbook.
Start at opennow.zortos.me for setup and configuration help.
| For players | For contributors |
|---|---|
| Getting started | Development guide |
| Configuration | Qt application |
| Native streamer | Protocol, release, and acceptance docs |
opennow-qt/ Qt Quick desktop app, C++ integration, and Qt tests
native/opennow-core/ Rust accounts, settings, catalog, and session services
native/opennow-streamer/ Native NVST transport, media, input, and Qt FFI
locales/ English source and Crowdin-managed translations
docs/ Architecture, protocols, acceptance, and release guides
scripts/ Repository-only localization tooling
.github/ CI workflows and contributor guidance
For code changes, read the contributing guide and
repository guidance. Keep pull requests focused on one change.
For translations, edit only locales/en.json. Crowdin manages the other locale files.
Found a bug? Open a GitHub issue with your build, OS, GPU, and steps to reproduce it. For streaming bugs, include a diagnostic export. Check attachments for personal information before posting them. You can also ask for help on Discord.
Blacksmith sponsors OpenNOW's CI.
OpenNOW uses the MIT License.