Watch the video below to see how to set up your Windows 10 and 11 devices for digital signage or follow the steps below.

Using media players running Microsoft's Windows 10 and 11 operating systems to power your digital signage displays has a lot of benefits. They come at various prices, sizes, specifications, and form factors so if your budget allows, it’s very likely you’re going to find one that suits your business needs. As Windows 10 and 11 are a fully-featured desktop operating system, you have a wide variety of apps that you can choose to run alongside ScreenCloud, including several remote device management options. Depending on the model you choose, you also have the option to power multiple screens from only one main device.

Now there are many devices in this category that we recommend, you can check them out on our hardware page at https://screen.cloud/hardware. Many of these devices come with Microsoft Windows 10 or 11 preinstalled, but if the one you choose does not come with Windows, or if you have the need to reinstall Windows 10 or 11, we suggest you consult with the reseller you purchased your device from or refer to the documentation on Microsoft's own website.

Setting up ScreenCloud on Windows-powered media players is very easy. In this guide, we are going to use an Intel NUC, but the process should be very similar for any device you have.

1.1.1. After you've completed the initial setup process, there are two key configurations we'd recommend you do if your Windows-powered media player is going to be used solely for digital media purposes.

1.1.2. First, we recommend to disable all notifications. You can do this by selecting the Start Menu at the bottom left corner of your main desktop, selecting the settings icon, and then selecting System.

1.1.3. From the menu tab on the left-hand side of the screen, select "Notifications & Actions" and turn "Off" all notifications from apps and other senders.

You can also uncheck all the remaining boxes. Please note, that this will only work for core apps within the Windows operating system. For custom apps, you will have to disable notifications from within the app itself.

1.1.4. Next, you want to make sure that your Windows Media Player does not go to sleep during the hours of operation. You can do this by selecting Power & Sleep from the menu tab and selecting Never for both the screen and sleep options.

1.1.5. Now that you are ready to install the ScreenCloud Player app, head over to our download page by entering in your browser search, https://screen.cloud/download.

Scroll down until you see the Windows option. Select the most suitable version listed under Windows or select the "Direct Download" button if you're not sure.
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When the download is finished, click on the installation file to start the installation process.

1.1.6. When the app starts up for the first time you will have the option to launch the ScreenCloud Player app every time the system starts up. If you prefer this, select the option to "Start at boot".

If you're not sure what to do yet, don't worry, you can change this later in the settings menu.

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The setup for a media player running Windows 11 is very similar to the steps above; the only difference is the user interface, which is why we will provide instructions with photos to show the exact steps.

2.1.1. After you've completed the initial setup process, there are two key configurations we'd recommend you do if your Windows-powered media player is going to be used solely for digital media purposes.

2.1.2. First, we recommend to disable all notifications. You can do this by selecting the Start Menu at the bottom of your main desktop, selecting the settings icon, and then selecting System.

2.1.3. Select Notifications and turn Off the Notifications button and Do not disturb. This will automatically silence all notifications from apps and other senders.

2.1.4. Next, you want to make sure that your Windows Media Player does not go to sleep during operation hours. You can do this by selecting Power from the menu. Then under the Screen & Sleep option, select Never for both the When plugged in, turn my screen off, and When plugged in, put my device to sleep after options.

2.1.5. Now that you are ready to install the ScreenCloud Player app, head over to our download page by entering in your browser search, https://screen.cloud/download.
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Scroll down until you see the Windows option. Select the most suitable version listed under Windows or select the Direct Download button if you're not sure.

When the download is finished, click on the installation file to start the installation process.

2.1.6. When the app starts up for the first time you will have the option to launch the ScreenCloud Player app every time the system starts up. If you prefer this, select the option to Start at boot.

If you're not sure what to do yet, don't worry, you can change this later in the settings menu.
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Now you'll see the custom pairing code, you can then use this to pair your Amazon Fire TV Stick by logging into your ScreenCloud account here from the web browser on your computer.

Once you log into your account, select the "New Screen" button on the top right corner, input the unique pairing displayed on your TV, and enter the name of your device.

And that's it, you are now ready to set any content you'd like to show on your screen. Learn how to use ScreenCloud with our full walkthrough article, follow step-by-step to get started on how to use ScreenCloud for digital signage. This will help you become comfortable with the setup process and the main features of using ScreenCloud.

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The steps below can be used for both Windows 10 and 11 devices, but for demonstration purposes, we will be using the Windows 10 device.
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4.1.1. Click anywhere on the app to open the settings sidebar (it will slide in from the right).

4.1.2. Alternatively, you can also right-click on the app and select Toggle Setting Menu from the context menu.

If you want to pair your Windows device with a different ScreenCloud account, or if you need to reset the pairing for any other reason;

4.2.1. Open the settings sidebar and select Reset pairing.

4.2.2. This will reset the player pairing and give you a new code to pair with. If your Studio account contained this screen previously, you won't see it in your account anymore.

4.3.1. While minimized, right-click on the player and select Toggle Fullscreen from the context menu. This will switch the app from windowed mode to fullscreen mode and vice versa. Do not use the maximize button for this action.

4.3.2. To minimize, you can hit the Esc key on your keyboard while the ScreenCloud player app is open at fullscreen.
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​4.3.3. To ensure the ScreenCloud Windows player constantly starts in full screen, for example when it boots up, please toggle on the Always fullscreen option, as well as the Launch on Startup switch.

Simply exiting the app by clicking the close button on the top right corner won't keep the app closed due to the app's 'resurrection' feature, as the app will just continue to relaunch. This setting is to ensure that the app re-opens after crashes or 'accidentally' closes. There are two ways to close the app for good:

4.4.1. Open the settings sidebar and then select Exit Player.

4.4.2. You can also right-click on the app and select Close action from the context menu.

4.5.1. How to silence your notification alerts

First, locate your Settings > then find Notifications & Actions and select the option to OFF.

4.5.2. How to silence notifications from one specific app

Open the Notifications & Actions settings again and scroll down until you can see the Get notifications from these senders list and select which apps you would like to silence.

Note that silencing the apps below will only work for core apps within the Windows operating system. For custom apps, you will have to disable notifications from within the app itself.
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4.6.1. Open Settings and locate Accounts.

4.6.2. Select Sign-in Options located on the sidebar. Under the Password section, select change, and type in your current password to verify you are the current user.

4.6.3. Select Next and skip the new password creation to remove the password entirely.

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The ScreenCloud player has touchscreen capabilities if you have a touchscreen display connected to your Windows device. The ScreenCloud Touch feature is only available if you are on the Pro Plan or higher.

4.7.1. Create a Channel that is set up for touch interactive control by following the steps from this guide.

4.7.2. Once this is complete, open the ScreenCloud player's side menu, and toggle on UI Interaction.

4.7.3. With UI Interaction enabled for the player, you will only be able to open the side menu by clicking the button that appears on the top right - This button will appear as you click anywhere on the ScreenCloud player.

​4.7.4. Pair to the ScreenCloud player, cast your newly created interactive Channel, and make sure that Touch is enabled for your screen in Studio. You and any viewers will now be able to interact with the screen!
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To ensure you get the latest features and security improvements, you'll want to make sure that auto-update is enabled. Please note that if you have installed the ScreenCloud player app manually (for example via Microsoft Intune) you will need to update it manually.

4.8.1. Open the settings sidebar.

4.8.2. Ensure the Auto update option is enabled. Once it is the player app will regularly check if there are any new updates and if they are they will install them automatically.

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If you would like to learn how to set your Windows device to astart upally start-up and shut down at a scheduled time click on this article here.

There are many beneficial reasons why one would want to schedule daily shutdowns or startups for their digital signage devices, whether you work in an office or restaurant, it is def a great feeling seeing all of your screens up and running the moment you walk through that door as it takes away the hassle of having to go around and turn on ever individual screen.

Good job! You have successfully set up your Windows devices with ScreenCloud.

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