PS4 remote play: how to play console games on your PC

News by Sherif Saed Contributor

Published on April 7, 2016

With just a few easy steps, you can play your PlayStation 4 games on your laptop or PC.

PS4 remote play: how to play console games on your PC

With the release of firmware update 3.50 for PS4, Sony has added the ability for users to stream games from the console to PC or Mac.

Before we get started, make sure your PC is running Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit), has a 2.67 GHz Intel Core i5-560M Processor or better, 2 GB of RAM, and 1024 x 768 or higher display resolution.

For Mac users, you need OS X Yosemite or OS X El Capitan, a 2.40 GHz Intel Core i5-520M Processor or better, and 2 GB of RAM.

To complete the initial set-up process, both the PS4 and target computer must be on the same network. You'll be able to remote play over the internet in a later update.

On your PC or Mac

Install the Remote Play App, which you can download here here for Windows PC, and here for Mac
After installing, connect any DualShock 4 controller using a USB cable

On your PlayStation 4

-First, make sure your PS4 is set as your primary system (home console), skip the first step if you know it is.

Go to Settings > PlayStation Network/Account Management near the top. Choose Activate as Your Primary PS4. It'll say at the bottom whether or not it's activated as your primary PS4. If it isn't, click Activate.
Go to Settings > Remote Play Connection Settings about halfway through. Click that, and make sure there's a check mark next to Enable Remote Play

Back on your PC, launch the Remote Play App and click Start. It'll ask you to log-in using the same details you're using on PS4 (same PSN account), put in your details and wait a few moments and voila!

You can also adjust the stream resolution and quality settings, but not mid-session.

Simply start the app, go to Settings on the left and select your resolution, up to 720p. You can select the frame-rate from the menu below that, Standard is 30fps and High is 60fps, you'll need more bandwidth for higher settings though.

Bonus: If you want to be able to stream games any time without having to manually turn on your PS4. Go to Settings > Power Saving Settings near the bottom. Choose Set Features Available in Rest Mode, and make sure both Stay Connected to Internet and Enable Turning On PS4 from Network are enabled.