To control Streamlabs Desktop without reaching for its controls, assign keyboard shortcuts under Settings > Hotkeys. For phone control, use the separate Streamlabs Controller app: its standard QR-code setup connects over the same local network. You can also trigger Desktop hotkeys from a compatible physical control console, but that is optional.
Set up hotkeys in Streamlabs Desktop
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Open Streamlabs Desktop and click the Settings cog.
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Select Hotkeys.
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Find the action you want and assign a key combination in the Hotkeys panel. The available actions can include starting or stopping a stream or recording, muting a microphone, saving a replay, skipping alerts, controlling scenes and sources, and creating recording markers. The exact assignments available to you are shown in your current panel; check there rather than relying on a default-key list.
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Choose combinations that are unlikely to be used by another application. Streamlabs recommends “a combination of at least two or more keys.”
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Save or apply changes if the interface prompts you, then try each shortcut and confirm it triggers the intended action.
These shortcuts are configured in Desktop. They provide keyboard control; they do not by themselves connect a phone or provide access over the internet. See Streamlabs’ hotkey setup guide for its current instructions.
Control Desktop from the Streamlabs Controller app
The phone app is a distinct option from Desktop hotkeys. Streamlabs’ documented QR-code setup connects the phone and computer on the same local network.
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Update the Streamlabs Controller app and connect the phone to the same local network as the computer running Streamlabs Desktop.
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Check that the router does not isolate wireless clients from the local network. If the phone is on guest Wi-Fi, guest clients must be allowed to reach local devices.
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Allow Streamlabs Desktop through the computer’s firewall.
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In Desktop, open Settings > Remote Control and display the QR code.
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In the Controller app, open Remote Control and scan the QR code.
If the connection still fails, Streamlabs’ support instructions suggest generating a new API key in Remote Control settings, rebooting, and trying each Wi-Fi band if your router has more than one. These are troubleshooting suggestions, not guaranteed fixes. See the Controller app connection guide.
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Use hotkeys with a physical controller
Streamlabs says its hotkeys can be used with creator consoles such as a Stream Deck or Loupedeck. This is an optional way to trigger assigned shortcuts from physical controls; you can configure Desktop hotkeys without buying a console. The cited Streamlabs guide does not establish compatibility for every model, so confirm the current setup instructions and compatibility for the exact device you intend to use.
Choose the control method that fits
| Method | Where control happens | Connection scope | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop hotkeys | Keyboard shortcut | On the computer running Desktop | Quick actions from the computer, provided the action appears in the Hotkeys panel |
| Physical console | Buttons trigger assigned hotkeys | Used with the Desktop computer; device setup varies | Hands-on controls, after confirming the chosen model’s compatibility |
| Controller app QR setup | Phone app | Same local network for the documented QR connection | Phone control without using the computer’s keyboard |
| Controller app manual connection | Phone app | Internet access configured with router port forwarding | Access from beyond the local network when you can manage the network setup |
The official instructions do not establish comparative latency, reliability, or measured performance for these methods. The key practical distinction is whether you want keyboard shortcuts, physical buttons, or a phone interface—and whether the desired action is available in Desktop’s current Hotkeys panel.
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Use the Controller app beyond your local network
Remote access over the internet is a separate, more advanced setup than scanning a QR code on local Wi-Fi. Streamlabs documents first establishing a local connection, then forwarding external router traffic to port 59650 on the Desktop computer. In the mobile app, use Remote > Manual Connection and enter the network’s public IP address.
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Router configuration may require networking knowledge. A public IP address assigned dynamically by an internet provider can change, so a connection configured with that address may stop working after it changes. Do not treat port forwarding as a step required for ordinary same-network QR setup.
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