How to Install Snapcast on Windows 11

Snapcast is a multi-room audio player that allows you to synchronize multiple audio players on different computers, speakers, and devices in your home. This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing Snapcast on Windows 11.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation process, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• A Windows 11 computer
• An internet connection
• A web browser
• Administrative access to your computer

Step 1: Install Git

Git is a version control system that allows you to download and manage Snapcast from GitHub. You need to install Git on your computer by following the steps below:

1. Open your web browser and go to the Git official website: https://git-scm.com/download/win

2. Click the Download button for the latest version of Git for Windows.

3. Run the downloaded executable file and follow the installation wizard.

4. When the installation is complete, Git will be added to your command prompt.

Step 2: Download Snapcast

To download Snapcast from GitHub, follow these steps:

1. Open your web browser and go to the Snapcast official website: https://github.com/badaix/snapcast.

2. Click the green Code button on the right side of the page.

3. Click the Download ZIP option from the drop-down menu.

4. Save the ZIP file to your computer.

Step 3: Extract the Snapcast Files

Once you have downloaded the Snapcast ZIP file, you need to extract the files to a folder on your computer. Follow these steps:

1. Find the ZIP file you downloaded (snapcast-master.zip) and right-click it.

2. Select Extract All from the context menu.

3. Choose a destination folder where you want to extract the files.

4. Click Extract.

Step 4: Open the Command Prompt

You need to use the Command Prompt to navigate to the folder where you extracted the Snapcast files. Follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type cmd and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.

Step 5: Change the Directory

To execute commands in the Command Prompt, you need to change the current directory to the folder where you extracted the Snapcast files. Follow these steps:

1. Type cd and a space in the Command Prompt.

2. Drag and drop the folder where you extracted the Snapcast files into the Command Prompt.

3. Press Enter to change the directory.

Step 6: Start the Snapserver

To start the Snapserver, which is the server component of Snapcast, follow these steps:

1. Type snapserver.exe in the Command Prompt.

2. Press Enter to start the Snapserver.

Step 7: Start the Snapclient

To start the Snapclient, which is the client component of Snapcast, and connect it to the Snapserver, follow these steps:

1. Open a new Command Prompt window.

2. Type snapclient.exe in the Command Prompt.

3. Press Enter to start the Snapclient.

4. Type snapclient.exe -h "ip_address" in the Command Prompt, where "ip_address" is the IP address of the computer where the Snapserver is running.

5. Press Enter to connect the Snapclient to the Snapserver.

Step 8: Test the Installation

To test the installation, follow these steps:

1. Open a media player on the computer where the Snapserver is running.

2. Play an audio track.

3. Open a media player on the computer where the Snapclient is running.

4. Play the same audio track.

5. Verify that the audio is in sync on both computers.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Snapcast on Windows 11. You can now enjoy synchronized audio playback on multiple computers, speakers, and devices in your home.

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