There's nothing quite like playing your PlayStation 5 on a big TV from the couch. But what if you want to play God of War Ragnarök from bed? Cloud gaming makes it easier than ever to take your console and PC games with you wherever you go.
Xbox has a Remote Play feature, along with Cloud Gaming for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. But what about PS5 owners? PS Plus Premium tier subscribers will soon be able to stream more games directly to their console. This will likely be an important feature once Sony's Project Q handheld streaming device hits the market.
In the meantime, PS5 and PS4 owners have their own Remote Play feature to stream games from console to phone or PC. Here's how to set up and use the feature to start playing PlayStation games remotely.
Remote Play Requirements
PlayStation's Remote Play feature allows you to play PS5 games on one device and pick back up where you left off on another. In order to make this work, the PS Remote Play app must be installed on your iPhone, Android, PC, or Mac. To do so, your device must be running the following operating systems:
Android 8.0 or higher
iOS 14 or higher, iPadOS 14 or higher
macOS High Sierra or higher (at least Big Sur 11.3 to connect a DualSense controller)
You also need a stable internet connection. PlayStation says you can run Remote Play on at least 5Mbps upload and download speeds, but it’s recommended you have at least 15Mbps. You can also connect to mobile data, although this will go towards your data usage.
Finally, only certain games are compatible with Remote Play. Titles that require a VR headset or any additional peripherals can not be played remotely. You can see which games are compatible from the PlayStation app or in the game description from the PlayStation Store.
How to Set Up PS Remote Play
Setting up Remote Play is simple. You need to make sure your console is properly configured for Remote Play by enabling the feature in the PS5's settings. Head to Settings > System > Remote Play and turn on the switch next to Enable Remote Play.
However, Remote Play will not work if the console is completely off. In order to make the feature easier to use, you should also enable Rest Mode. Open System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode, then toggle Enable Turning On PS5 from Network so you never have to turn the console on before playing.
How to Use PS Remote Play on iPhone and Android
To get started on mobile, download the PS Remote Play app and sign into your PSN account. You are then prompted to connect a Bluetooth controller. While you can play with touchscreen controls, a DualSense or DualShock 4 controller may be preferable. You need to be running the following operating systems to use either controller:
DualSense: Android 12 or later; iOS or iPadOS 14.5 and later)
DualShock 4: (Android 10 or later; iOS or iPadOS 13 or later)
Connect a controller by holding down the PlayStation button and the Create button until the lights around the touchpad start flashing. Then, head to your device’s Bluetooth settings and select the controller. Otherwise, your controller can be connected by a USB-C cable.
Once the controller is connected (or if you skipped this step) return to the app and select whether you are connecting from a PS5 or PS4 console. Hit OK on the pop-up to confirm you set up your Remote Play settings as described in the above section. The app will connect to the console over your wireless network and you are then ready to go.
The Remote Play app has several settings you can adjust, including resolution, frame rate, and HDR. It even supports picture-in-picture mode on Android. To end a session, you can close the window or hit Options in the bottom right corner of the screen, then tap Settings > Disconnect.
How to use Remote Play on PC or Mac
To stream games from your console to PC, you need to first install the PS5 Remote Play app through the PlayStation website. Select your specific setup and follow the instructions to install the app. Sign in with your PSN account, then open the app to search for connections over your wireless network.
If there is only one PS5 on your network, it will automatically connect to the console. If your PS5 is on, you will get a notification confirming the connection. You don’t need a controller to scroll through the menu, but you will need to connect a DualSense or DualShock controller to the PC (unless your game is compatible with a mouse and keyboard).
If you start the game in Remote Play, you will see basic controls at the bottom of your screen to return to the home screen, take a screenshot, and more. When you are ready to end the session, just exit out of the window and the app will disconnect from your console.
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