The present invention relates to the technical field of communications. Disclosed are a stream media playing method, device and system, the method comprising: a virtual desktop server receives a stream media play request transmitted by a virtual desktop client side, acquires the stream media receiving address of the virtual desktop client side, transmits to a media source a media source connection establishment request containing the stream media receiving address, receives a stream media transmitting address returned by the media source, and forwards the same to the virtual desktop client side, allowing the virtual desktop client side to establish a connection with the media source and receive the stream media for playing. A virtual desktop server, comprising a first acquisition module, a second acquisition module and a forwarding module; a virtual desktop client side, comprising a request module, a transmitting module, a receiving module and a play module. The system comprises the virtual desktop server and the virtual desktop client side. The present invention reduces CPU resource occupation and bandwidth occupation of the virtual desktop server, thus reducing the burden of the virtual desktop server.