Nova
Nova is the Android game-streaming client built alongside Polaris. It works with any Moonlight-compatible host for normal streaming, and when the host is Polaris it stops guessing: the host tells the client which launch modes exist, who owns the current session, what tuning is active, and what is safe to do next.
Nova ships on Android today. It is not on the Play Store — the install paths are GitHub Releases, Obtainium, and GitHub Store.
Start here
Section titled “Start here”- Nova quick start — pick the right APK, add a host, pair, and take your first stream.
- Nova compatibility — devices, hosts, controllers, and the current limits.
- Nova on papi-ux.com — the product overview, screenshots, and download links.
What Polaris adds
Section titled “What Polaris adds”Nova is a complete Moonlight-compatible client on its own. Pairing it with Polaris changes what the client can explain, not whether it works.
| Capability | With Polaris | With other Moonlight-compatible hosts |
|---|---|---|
| Standard GameStream launch, pairing, input | Yes | Yes |
| Wake-on-LAN | Yes | Yes, when host and network metadata allow it |
| Library with metadata, art, source badges, launch context | Yes | No |
| Private Stream / Host Virtual Display / Mirror Desktop choice | Yes | No |
| Watch or resume owner-aware active sessions | Yes | Limited or none |
| Command Center session truth and host actions | Yes | Partial |
| NovaHUD host-health truth | Yes | Limited |
| Polaris Sync and tuning provenance | Yes | No |
| AI Auto Quality surfaced in the client | Yes, when enabled on Polaris | No |
Launch modes in plain English
Section titled “Launch modes in plain English”Nova shows these as explicit choices rather than unlabeled buttons, because launch intent changes what happens to the host. Private Stream is usually the safest first pick; Mirror Desktop is powerful but should be deliberate.
| Mode | What Nova asks Polaris to do | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Private Headless Stream | Launch into the isolated Polaris stream runtime | You want handheld play without touching the host desktop |
| Host Virtual Display | Use a separate virtual-display style host path when available | You want display-backed behavior but not the physical monitor |
| Mirror Desktop | Stream the current host desktop session | You intentionally want to see or control the real desktop |
| Steam or Direct Launch | Start a specific Steam app or configured game path | You know exactly what should start |
| Watch Stream | Join a compatible active session as a viewer | Another device owns the session and you do not want to take it over |
The host side of these modes is documented in Runtime and Streaming Model.
Controller shortcuts
Section titled “Controller shortcuts”| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Guide/Mode + Start/Menu | Opens Command Center during a stream |
| Guide/Mode + Y | Shows or cycles NovaHUD |
During a stream
Section titled “During a stream”Command Center is where tuning, overlays, controller actions, and the exit controls live. Disconnect and End session are deliberately separate: disconnecting leaves the host session running so you can resume it, while ending it stops the session on the host.