How to Access Your Batocera System Remotely (Full Guide)

If you’re running Batocera — one of the best retro gaming operating systems — you might want to manage your files, install ROMs, or tweak settings without plugging in a keyboard or monitor.

Good news: Batocera supports remote access right out of the box. In this guide, we’ll show you three easy ways to connect to your Batocera device from another computer — using SSH, file sharing (Samba/SMB), or remote streaming.

What You’ll Need

• A device running Batocera (PC, Raspberry Pi, handheld console, etc.)
• A local Wi-Fi or Ethernet network
• Another computer (Windows, macOS, or Linux)
• Your Batocera IP address

Step 1: Find Your Batocera IP Address

1. Boot up your Batocera system.
2. Go to Main Menu → Network Settings → IP Address.
3. Write down the number you see — for example: 192.168.1.42.

Step 2: Access Batocera via SSH (Command Line)

SSH lets you connect to Batocera’s terminal to manage files or settings using simple text commands.

Enable SSH in Batocera

1. On your Batocera device, open Main Menu → System Settings → Developer → Enable SSH → turn ON.

Connect from another computer

On your PC or Mac, open a terminal and type:

ssh root@192.168.1.42

Replace 192.168.1.42 with your Batocera’s IP address.

When prompted for a password, enter:

• Username: root
• Password: linux

Step 3: Access Batocera Files (Samba/SMB Network Share)

If you’d rather just drag and drop ROMs or BIOS files — this is the easiest option.

On Windows

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type \\batocera or use its IP: \\192.168.1.42.
3. Hit Enter.

You’ll see shared folders like:

• roms/ – add your games here
• bios/ – place BIOS files here
• screenshots/ and saves/

On macOS or Linux

1. Open Finder → Go → Connect to Server.
2. Type smb://batocera or smb://192.168.1.42.
3. Click Connect.

Now you can browse and copy files to your Batocera system directly.

Step 4: Play Games Remotely (Optional)

Batocera also supports remote game streaming — perfect if you want to play from another device on your network.

Option 1: Moonlight / Sunshine

If your main gaming PC has an NVIDIA GPU, you can use Moonlight to stream Batocera.

1. Enable Moonlight in Batocera’s settings: Main Menu → Network Services → Moonlight Service → ON.
2. Pair it with your PC using the Moonlight app.

Option 2: Steam Link

You can also use Steam Remote Play:

1. Install the Steam Link app on your client device.
2. Make sure Steam is running on the same network.
3. Connect and play Batocera through your Steam library.

Advanced: Access Batocera Over the Internet

By default, Batocera is only reachable inside your local network. If you want to connect remotely (for example, from outside your home), you have two safe options:

1. VPN Access: Use a router-based VPN (e.g., WireGuard, OpenVPN). Once connected to your home network, access Batocera exactly like you do locally.
2. Port Forwarding (Not Recommended): You could forward port 22 (SSH) to Batocera, but this is risky unless you use a strong password and firewall rules. VPN is always the safer choice.

Quick Reference

Final Thoughts

With SSH, Samba, and streaming options, Batocera makes it simple to manage and enjoy your retro gaming setup — no extra monitor or keyboard needed.

Whether you just want to drop in new ROMs or remotely fine-tune your configuration, you can now do it all from any computer in your home network.