How to Play Games on Google Stadia

Stream games to your web browser

by
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
our editorial process
Jennifer Allen
Updated on February 23, 2021


What to Know

  • Go to Stadia's site and sign in. Scroll down to Your library, click a game, then click the play button.
  • Google Stadia Pro subscribers: Scroll down to Pro games and click Claim all. Select the game and click the play button.

This article explains how to play purchased games on Google Stadia through your web browser and how to play games you've claimed through Google Stadia Pro

How to Play Purchased Games on Google Stadia

Playing games on Google Stadia is a great way to play many different games online, even if the system you're currently using isn't particularly robust. Follow these steps to play games within moments.

To purchase a game, click Store to find and purchase the game you wish to play first.

  1. Go to Stadia's site.

  2. Log into your account by clicking Sign in.

    The Google Stadia home page with Sign in highlighted

  3. Sign into your Google account.

  4. Scroll down to Your library.

  5. Click the game you own.

    Google Stadia with a game from Your Library highlighted

  6. Click the play button.

    Google Stadia with the Play button for a game highlighted

  7. Your game will now open in a full screen window and you can begin playing.

    Hold down Escape to exit full screen and quit the game.

How to Play Google Stadia Pro Games 

You can subscribe to Google Stadia Pro and play many games throughout the month in exchange for a monthly fee. Think of it as like Netflix for games. Here's how to play Google Stadia Pro games.

You'll need to sign up for a Google Stadia subscription first with a one-month free trial currently available.

  1. Go to Stadia's site.

  2. Sign in to your Google account.

  3. Scroll down to Pro games to claim.

  4. Click Claim all.

    Google Stadia with Claim All button highlighted for Google Stadia Pro membership

    You can click on individual games to claim them but clicking Claim all simplifies the process.

  5. Click the game you wish to play.

  6. Scroll down and click the play button.

    Google Stadia with the Play button for a game highlighted

  7. Your game will now open in a full-screen window and you can begin playing.

    Hold down Escape to exit full screen and quit the game.

How Does Google Stadia Work?

Wondering how Stadia works? We'd love to say it's magic, but it's actually fairly straightforward. Essentially, the Google platform and servers do all the hard work so that your PC or Mac doesn't have to worry about it.

Google has servers located worldwide that can transmit the game you wish to play straight to your web browser with (generally) limited lag. Any device that can run Google Chrome can serve as a client for Stadia games.

All you need is an internet connection fast enough to support sending high-definition graphics. It means you don't have to worry about having a low-specced PC or Mac as the Google servers dictate all the processing power and GPU work that you'd require if you were playing a game physically via your system. 

If you want to play games on your TV using Chromecast Ultra, you'll need a Google Stadia controller, which requires some setup.

Was this page helpful?