> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.streampixel.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> From zero to a live, shareable Unreal Engine stream in 10 minutes.

The fastest path from a fresh account to a live URL anyone can open. For a stepped walkthrough with screenshots, use the full [Get Started](/resources/quick-start-guide/register-and-sign-in) flow instead.

## Before you begin

| Requirement           | Notes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Streampixel account   | Sign in with Google, Microsoft, or email at [dashboard.streampixel.io](https://dashboard.streampixel.io).                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| Packaged Unreal build | A `.zip` of a Windows package. See [Prepare your Unreal build](/resources/quick-start-guide/prepare-your-unreal-engine-project-for-windows) — and [Prepare a VR experience](/resources/quick-start-guide/prepare-your-unreal-engine-project-for-vr) for the extra in-engine steps if you're building for VR. |
| Public download URL   | Required only if you upload via the API. Any direct-download link works (S3, GCS, etc.).                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in">
    Open [dashboard.streampixel.io](https://dashboard.streampixel.io) and sign in. See [Register and sign in](/resources/quick-start-guide/register-and-sign-in) for the available methods.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a project and pick a region">
    From the dashboard, click **New Project**. Choose one of three deployment regions:

    | Region       | Code           | Best for      |
    | ------------ | -------------- | ------------- |
    | US-East-1    | `us-east-1`    | North America |
    | Europe       | `europe`       | EMEA          |
    | Asia Pacific | `asia-pacific` | APAC          |

    Pick the region closest to most of your end users. Region is fixed for the life of the project — see [Regions](/resources/concepts/regions) for details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Package an Unreal build">
    From the Unreal Editor, package your project for Windows. (For VR experiences you still package for Windows — the difference is in-engine setup, see [Prepare a VR experience](/resources/quick-start-guide/prepare-your-unreal-engine-project-for-vr).) Compress the resulting folder into a single `.zip` file.

    <Tip>
      The default build cap is **24 GB** — a soft limit to discourage accidental abuse. If your build is genuinely larger, [open a support ticket](https://dashboard.streampixel.io) and we'll raise it at no extra cost. Cooked content, unused plugins, and editor symbols are the usual culprits when builds bloat.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload the build">
    You can upload through the dashboard or directly via the REST API.

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Dashboard">
        1. Open your project's **Builds** tab.
        2. Click **Upload Build** and either drag the `.zip` in or paste a public download URL.
        3. Submit. The build immediately enters the [build lifecycle](/resources/concepts/build-lifecycle).

        Walkthrough: [uploading your build](/resources/quick-start-guide/uploading-your-build).
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="REST API">
        ```bash theme={"dark"}
        curl -X POST https://api.streampixel.io/pixelStripeApi/projects/upload-file \
          -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
          -d '{
            "apiKey": "[YOUR_API_KEY]",
            "userId": "[YOUR_USER_ID]",
            "projectId": "[YOUR_PROJECT_ID]",
            "fileUrl": "https://your-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/MyBuild.zip",
            "autoRelease": true
          }'
        ```

        Full reference: [Upload File API](/resources/api-reference/upload-file-api).

        <Note>
          Upload and distribute calls are rate-limited to **1 request per 2 minutes per user**.
        </Note>
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for approval">
    The build moves through several states — `pending`, `Downloading Files`, `Extracting & Scanning`, `Saving to Repository`, `Distribute`, then `Approved` (or `Reject`). Watch progress on the dashboard or subscribe to webhooks.

    <Tip>
      Configure a webhook URL in **Project Settings** to get notified when the build hits `build.approved`. See [Webhooks](/resources/api-reference/webhooks).
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open your share link">
    Once approved, the project's **Share** panel exposes a hosted URL like `https://share.streampixel.io/{projectId}`. Open it in any browser — desktop, mobile, or VR headset — and your stream is live. That URL is all you need to send to viewers.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Verify the stream

Open the share URL in Chrome on a desktop machine. You should see:

* A loading screen while your stream is set up.
* The Unreal Engine viewport, streaming live in the browser.
* Mouse, keyboard, and touch input flowing back into the build.

If you see a queue or "no worker available" message, your project's worker pool is busy — see [session lifecycle](/resources/concepts/session-lifecycle).

## What's next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Embed in your site" icon="browser" href="/resources/iframe-integration/overview">
    Drop the share link into an iframe on your own page.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build a custom player" icon="code" href="/resources/web-sdk/getting-started/overview">
    Use the Web SDK for full programmatic control: events, JSON messaging, custom UI.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Tune your project" icon="sliders" href="/resources/quick-start-guide/codec-settings">
    Codec, resolution, AFK timeouts, security.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Webhooks" icon="bell" href="/resources/api-reference/webhooks">
    Get notified at every stage of the build pipeline.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>