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PS4, PC, sony, gaming, how to, setup, remote play, guide

PS4 Remote Play: How to Set Up and Use It on PC and Mac

PS4 gaming on the go!
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

The latest PS4 update released today and gave PlayStation fans the chance to access their consoles even when they’re not right by it through Remote Play. Of course, this kind of thing requires a bit of setting up and it’s easy to get lost in all of the different requirements and instructions you’re tasked with. So we’re here to guide you through it.

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First things first, you’re going to want to make sure your PS4 is updated to updated 3.50. If your console is connected to the internet, you should have a notification letting you know it’s ready to download or update. Simply allow the update to download and then apply the update by hitting X on the notification.

Once this is done and your console has finished updating, you’ll probably notice a couple of new changes to your home screen. You can also make sure you’re updated to version 3.50 by jumping into the system settings and heading over to System Information under the System menu.

Now we’re going to move over to your computer. First off, make sure your PC or Mac will be capable of using the Remote Play feature. You can check the system requirements out below.

Windows PC

  • A computer with either of the following operating systems.
    • Windows 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit)
    • Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit)
  • Intel Core i5-560M Processor 2.67 GHz or faster
  • 100 MB or more of available storage
  • 2 GB or more of RAM
  • 1024 x 768 or higher display resolution
  • Sound card
  • USB port

Mac

  • A computer with either of the following operating systems.
    • OS X Yosemite
    • OS X El Capitan
  • Intel Core i5-520M Processor 2.40 GHz or faster
  • 40 MB or more of available storage
  • 2 GB or more of RAM
  • USB port

Now that you’ve checked these, go ahead and download the installation tool for Remote Play here. Run the installation and follow the steps until you find the PS4 Remote Play icon on your desktop. Open this and it’ll ask you to connect a DualShock 4 controller to your PC or Mac via USB.

Next, we’ll need to enable Remote Play on your PS4. Head into your system settings and choose the ‘Remote Play Connection Settings’ option. Then select the checkbox for ‘Enable Remote Play’. Once this is done, head into the ‘PlayStation Network/ Account Management’ option from the system settings and activate this system as your primary PS4 through the option in this menu. The final setting we need to make sure is set up right is under the ‘Power Save Settings’. You need to head into ‘Set Features Available in Rest Mode,’ and then select the checkboxes for ‘Stay Connected to the Internet’ and ‘Enable Turning On PS4 from Network’.

Switching back over to your computer now, hit the Start button in the PS4 Remote Play program. This should then prompt you to sign in with your PSN account you use on your PS4. When you’ve entered these details you should now find that the Remote Play program should start searching for your console. With any luck, it’ll pick it up and you’ll be shown whatever your PS4 is currently displaying.

From this point simply use your DualShock 4 to control your PS4 just as you would if you weren’t using remote play. It’s that simple. Obviously, if you’re going traveling make sure that you put the game disc you want to play into your system before you go. Oh, and don’t forget not all games have Remote Play functionality.

PS4 Remote Play, PC, guide, how to

If, for some reason it hasn’t worked, you can pair your PS4 and computer manually. Connect your computer and PS4 over the same network, and then follow the on-screen instructions. Simply go into your PS4’s Remote Play Connection Settings, select Add Device and then enter the number displayed on the screen in the empty box on the PS4 Remote Play program on your computer. Hit the register button and you should be all linked up and ready to roll.

If you’re having some sort of technical issue, then it may be down to your internet connection. Sony recommends a high-speed connection with upload and download speeds of at least 5 Mbps. You may also want to change the Resolution and Frame Rate settings within the PS4 Remote Play program on your PC. To do this, hit the settings option in the bottom left corner of the window before you try and connect to your PS4. Here you can change your resolution to either Standard (540p) or Low (360p), as well as the Frame Rate to either a Standard or High option. Playing around with these may help you to smooth out any stability issues when using remote play.

To change these on Mac, launch the PS4 Remote Play program, then choose PS4 Remote Play > Preferences> Video Quality for Remote Play from the menu bar. Then alter the settings as required.

And that’s all there is to it. Have you got the Remote Play app set up on your PC or Mac? Let us know in the comments below.


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Author
Image of Chris Jecks
Chris Jecks
Chris Jecks has been covering the games industry for over eight years. He typically covers new releases, FIFA, Fortnite, any good shooters, and loves nothing more than a good Pro Clubs session with the lads. Chris has a History degree from the University of Central Lancashire. He spends his days eagerly awaiting the release of BioShock 4.