Help Desk

PSLS Help Desk – Remote Play PS4 on Your PC or Mac

Our goal with the PlayStation LifeStyle Help Desk is not only to help you when you have problems with your PlayStation devices, but also to provide interesting tips and tricks to get the most out your Sony consoles and accessories. One of the coolest things you can do easily with the PS4 is Remote Play, which is a fancy term for being able to play your PS4 remotely, hence the name. Normally for Remote Play, you would need a Vita, but there’s actually a very easy way to Remote Play through your PC or Mac, whether a desktop setup or laptop scenario.

There are a ton of useful scenarios for PS4 PC Remote Play, both at home on your own home network or out and about (I’ve even managed to get Remote Play to work from hundreds of miles away, Across state lines). Before you can Remote Play through your PC however, there are a few simple setup steps that we need to go through while the PS4 is within reach, so make sure you have this setup with your console before you are out and about and want to use the feature.

Enable Remote Play

Log in to your PS4 and perform the following steps to get your system ready for Remote Play.

  • [Settings] > [Remote Play Connection Settings] > Check box for [Enable Remote Play].
  • [Settings] > [PlayStation Network/ Account Management] > [Activate as Your Primary PS4] > [Activate].
  • [Settings] > [Power Save Settings] > [Set Features Available in Rest Mode]. Check box for [Stay Connected to the Internet] and [Enable Turning on PS4 from Network].

PC/Mac Setup

You will also need to make sure that your computer is ready for Remote Play.

Connecting Devices

Your PS4 needs to be registered with the computer you are using before Remote Play will turn on your console remotely. To automatically launch Remote Play using a system set as primary PS4:

  • Turn on your PS4 and log into the desired Remote Play profile.
  • Connect a DualShock 4 to your computer with a USB cable.
  • Launch the PS4 Remote Play application on your computer and log in to your PSN account (if you have two step verification turned on, you will be prompted for a code).

To manually connect a PS4 that may not be the primary:

  • [Settings] > [Remote Play Connection Settings] > [Add Device]
  • On the Remote Play app on the computer, select Register Manually and enter the code shown on the PS4 to link the console.

Congratulations! Remote Play is all set up on your computer, and you can now launch the application and play your PS4 remotely anywhere that you have an internet connection.

Remote Play Requirements

Remote Play isn’t a terribly demanding feature, but there are some baseline requirements to run the app and get the streaming gameplay runningsmoothly with as little stuttering and input lag as possible. Make sure that you meet these minimum specs:

PC

  • Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
  • Intel Core i5-560M Processor 2.67GHz or faster
  • At least 100 MB of available storage
  • 2 GB or more of RAM
  • USB Port

Mac

  • OS X Yosemite or OS X El Capitan
  • Intel Core i5-520M Processor 2.40GHz or faster
  • At least 40 MB of available storage
  • 2 GB or more of RAM
  • USB Port

Internet Connection Speed

  • Your internet connection speed (upload and download) on both sides of the Remote Play should be at least 5 Mbps, but at least a 12 Mbps connection is recommended for optimal play.

Things to note

  • Remote Play is a streaming service, so there may be some input delay between what you do on the controller and the action on the PS4 (which then needs to be streamed back to the computer). Because of this, twitchier shooters and faster paced games may not be completely ideal for Remote Play, but your mileage may vary.
  • Online games and features work with Remote Play without adding too much strain on the network, meaning that you should be able to get on and play Destiny or Final Fantasy XIV even if you aren’t able to be home around your console.
  • There may be hiccups in the video and audio, most notably with slower connection speeds. Ideally you ought to hardwire your PS4 with an Ethernet cable, and use the fastest network connection available when using it through your laptop. You can also adjust settings like framerate and resolution in the settings on the computer application prior to launching Remote Play in order to mitigate any issues you may be having.
  • Some applications will not work with Remote Play, such as PlayStation VR games that require the PlayStation VR headset.
  • From Sony: “At present Remote Play for PC/Mac does not support microphone use through the DS4 or PC/Mac audio inputs. However, if connected directly to your PC/Mac output you can still hear other Party members.”
  • You can purchase a wireless USB dongle for the DualShock 4 to connect to your PC/Mac, if you don’t want to tether it with the cable.
  • For more information on PC/Mac Remote Play, check out Sony’s help section.

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