PS5 Remote Play Best Performance Settings & Review
Unite PlayStation 4 Remote Play, Xbox controller or any other gamepad together
Who hasn’t dreamed about playing Sony exclusive titles on PC? Thanks to the native app, you can do it easily. There’s only one limit: it requires an original gamepad. Or not?
reWASD 5.1 makes it possible to use PlayStation 4 Remote Play with Xbox controller or any other gamepad we support and you have. Just download and install reWASD, create a new config, choose Virtual DS4 for this config and map any DS4 button to the correspondent physical control. Then just launch PlayStation 4 Remote Play — Xbox controller, PS3 gamepad, Nintendo Switch Pro or Joy-Con couple will be detected as an original device from now.
To use Xbox controller with PlayStation 4 Remote Play, you need a Basic license only. But if you want to create combos or turbo buttons out of DS4 controls, do not forget to enable Combo and Rapid Fire features. In addition to the support of PlayStation 4 Remote Play, PS3 gamepad has one more benefit out of our Virtual DS4 — now you will be able to use it in much more modern PC games without necessity to remap it to unfamiliar Xbox controls.
Keep an eye on gamepad battery in the system tray
It’s so easy to lose track of time while using PlayStation 4 Remote Play with Xbox controller. And it’s so embarrassing to find out that your gamepad battery is low when you are in the middle of the battle. No worries, it won’t happen again, because now you can keep an eye on the battery status in the system tray.
For each gamepad you have, we will add an icon to Windows tray. You can choose the color of your icon in Preferences. If you have several connected gamepads, it won’t be a problem to know who is who. If you think that there are too many icons now, choose which ones we should hide.
Learn everything you wanted to know about reWASD
Do you have questions about how to use PlayStation 4 Remote Play with Xbox controller? Want to know how to create combos out of DS4 buttons or how to emulate controller with keyboard and mouse? All these and many other features, use cases and issues are described in our brand-new reWASD Help Guide.
reWASD is the most powerful gamepad mapper you may imagine. It’s OK if you do not find some things when you first launch it. That is why we are always here to help. Read the guides, watch videos, discuss your issues or just ask on or Discord. Welcome aboard!
Truly powerful remapper from the creators of DAEMON Tools
How to remote play PS5 on Windows
If you’re a PS5 owner you’re not left out of any remote play action from your PC.
Much has been made of Xbox Game Pass Cloud streaming, and remote play for Xbox on Windows has been a thing for what feels like an eternity now. But what about if you’re a PS5 owner, what options do you have?
It doesn’t get talked about nearly as often, but Sony does offer official remote play support for Windows, and it supports both the PlayStation 4 and the PS5. It’ll only work on the same local network, so you can’t use it when you’re away from home, but in the same way as Xbox remote play, if you’re on a laptop and can’t use the console directly, it’s a solid alternative.
Here’s what you need to know about getting PS5 remote play set up.
How to set up PS5 remote play on the console
Before you can take advantage of remote play, you’ll have to enable the feature on the PS5. The console doesn’t need to be connected to Ethernet; it will work over wireless, though obviously, you may get better performance from a wired connection.
To enable remote play on the PS5 follow these steps:
- Open up Settings on your PS5.
- Go to System.
- Select Remote Play from the sidebar.
- Ensure Enable Remote Play is turned on.
- Open up Settings on your PS5.
- Go to System.
- Select Power Saving from the sidebar.
- Select Features Available in Rest Mode.
- Ensure Stay Connected to the Internet is enabled.
- Ensure Enable Turning On PS5 from Network is enabled.
It’s important to remember that if you want to use Remote Play, your console needs to be in Rest Mode when you turn it off. If you do a full shutdown, you won’t be able turn it on remotely from the Remote Play client on your PC.
How to set up PS5 remote play on Windows
Sony has an official Remote Play client for Windows which mostly makes the whole process very straightforward. It’s simply a matter of downloading the client, installing it, and logging in with the same Playstation Network account that is attached to your PS5. This is how the client will locate the console you want to play from, then all content will be streamed over your local network.
However, during the install process, you may encounter an issue with a media pack that needs to be installed. For some, simply enabling it in Windows’ Optional Features menu in Settings will be enough, but you may also find it isn’t there to be enabled.
The way around this, and a method that should work for everyone is as follows. It’s worth doing this before you install as it should make sure you have no issues with the process and don’t have to start it again.
- Open Control Panel on your PC.
- Click on Programs.
- Click Turn Windows features on or off.
- Locate Media Features.
- Ensure the check box is ticked.
- Click OK.
Now, when you go to install the Sony Remote Play client you should be able to breeze through the whole process uninterrupted.
Once installed, open up the client and log in with your Playstation Network account credentials. You’ll need to add a new connection to your PS5 console, and assuming it’s either powered on or in Rest Mode, the app should be able to do it on its own. If you have multiple consoles the only thing you’ll need to know is the identifier for the one you want to use, which you can find in Settings System Software Console Information.
To play your PS5 games on your PC, hook up a DualSense controller over USB-C and the Remote Play client will automatically detect it. Unfortunately, you can’t use a wireless Xbox controller or any other alternative PC input device, though the keyboard can be used when you need to enter text.
When the console and controller are being used for Remote Play, you will be unable to access it locally, but as soon as you disconnect the console will return to normal. When you close the Remote Play client you also get an option to put the console back into Rest Mode, which is a nice touch.
How good is it?
A lot will depend on your network conditions, but performance seems generally pretty solid. Streaming does seem limited to 720p, though, and on the PS5 there are minimal settings in the Remote Play client you can actually tinker with. If you have an HDR display, you can enable HDR streaming, but otherwise, it’s all automatic.
Quality-wise it seems on par with Microsoft’s Xbox remote streaming. It would be nice if the PS5 had resolution settings the same as the PlayStation 4 in the client, but it seems to do a decent job at managing it automatically.
It isn’t something you’ll want to use for multiplayer situations, though. There are times you’ll notice a touch of input lag, and in fast-moving games, in particular, the stream quality can take a knock. Nevertheless, it’s a perfectly usable option for those times you want to play some games but perhaps someone else is hogging the TV.
How to Set Up PlayStation 4 Remote Play for Gaming on the Go
Modularity and portability are some of the main sales drivers for services like Apple Arcade and Google Stadia. You can bring your tablet, phone, or laptop with you wherever you go and play all your favorite games. That’s the beauty of these services compared to static gaming setups like the Xbox, PlayStation 4, or desktop PC. However, what if we told you that there is a way to have a portable PlayStation 4 gaming experience? From the version 7.00 update onwards, you can use the PlayStation 4 Remote Play feature and play your PlayStation 4 games anywhere.
Of course, there are a few steps to take to get this setup going. It’s a great option when you don’t want to be glued to your TV while playing PlayStation 4 exclusives. Here’s everything you need to know about setting up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on all your mobile devices.
What Is PlayStation 4 Remote Play?
Like most gaming services, there are a couple of things you need to set up before you can start using them.
PlayStation 4 Remote Play app
Firstly, you’ll need the PlayStation 4 Remote Play app installed on your computer or mobile device. You can download it from the Playstation website or from Google Play Store or the App Store.
Internet Connection
Secondly, you’ll need a strong broadband internet connection to get the app to work. Unfortunately, it won’t work on mobile data, so it’s best to use a high-speed broadband connection instead. For the best experience, plug in an Ethernet cable to your laptop or desktop to reduce lag and latency.
PSN Account
You’ll also need to have a Playstation Network (PSN) account. This is the same account you use to sign in on your PlayStation 4. If you don’t have an account yet, you have to create one first. It’s important because it’s what the PS Remote Play app uses to connect to your console.
Wireless Controller
Next, you’ll need a compatible wireless controller. Since you play PlayStation 4 games using a controller, you’ll need a controller for Remote Play as well.
Peripherals
Lastly, you may also want to ensure you have peripheral hardware capabilities such as microphones for voice chat. However, this isn’t always needed depending on what games you play.
PlayStation 4 Remote Play Restrictions
While convenient, PlayStation 4 Remote Play does come with restrictions. For starters, not all PlayStation 4 games support Remote Play, such as games that typically utilize the Playstation Camera or VR. Certain games also hinder PlayStation 4 Remote Play from displaying video content through the app. That means the gameplay experience is slightly hit-or-miss depending on what you play. It’s best to test it with your PlayStation 4 nearby before you leave to ensure everything works well.
These aren’t the only restrictions that PlayStation 4 Remote Play has. You also can’t use it to share screen, share play, and do broadcasts, which means that you can’t live stream away from your PlayStation 4 console. Furthermore, you cannot use PlayStation 4 Remote Play when you’re playing a game booted from a Blu-Ray disc or DVD; you can only play digital games. PS VR in VR mode is also not available when using PlayStation 4 Remote Play.
How to Set Up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Your PlayStation 4
Regardless of whether you’re using your phone, tablet, or laptop, you must first set up your PlayStation 4. The process is quick and easy, and you need only do it once. Here’s how to set up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on your console:
- Open your PlayStation 4
- On your PlayStation 4’s function screen, navigate to Settings
- Go to Remote Play Connection Settings
If you have multiple PlayStation 4 consoles, you can only set one as your primary device.
After doing this, you’re good to go and ready to use the Remote Play feature. However, if you want to use it in rest mode, there are additional steps to take:
- Go to Settings
- Choose Power Save Settings and select Set Features Available in Rest Mode
- Check the box next to Stay Connected to Internet and Enable Turning on PlayStation 4 from Network
With this, you should be able to remotely access your PlayStation 4 even when you’ve set it on rest mode. The next step is just to set it up on your device of choice.
How to Set Up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Windows
One of the best ways to utilize Remote Play is to connect it to your Windows PC. Whether it’s a laptop or desktop, you can connect your PC to your PlayStation 4 with the proper settings in place.
System Requirements
Here are the requirements for a Remote Play PC setup:
Once you have all the hardware and software requirements in place, you’re ready to start the setup process. You’ll first need to download the PS Remote Play app on your Windows PC. If you’re a PS5 owner, you can use this same app for your PS5 too.
Windows Setup
Whenever you connect your Windows PC to your PlayStation 4, you have to follow these steps:
- Switch on your PlayStation 4 console or enable rest mode
- Connect your Dualshock 4 controller to your Windows PC (either via USB cable or the DualShock 4 wireless adaptor)
- Open the PS Remote Play app on your PC
- Sign in to PSN with your Playstation Network account (the same details you use for your PlayStation 4)
- Optional: If you want to optimize your gameplay experience, you can tinker with the settings on the app. Here, you can change the video quality for the resolution and frame rate.
- Select PlayStation 4. This will trigger the app to search for PlayStation 4 consoles connected to your account. If you’ve used PlayStation 4 Remote Play on that console in the past, you should be able to easily reconnect.
How to Set Up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Mac
Windows isn’t the only desktop operating system that you can use to connect to PlayStation 4 Remote Play. Mac users also have that option available to them as long as they have the proper specifications and requirements.
System Requirements
Make sure you have the following requirements set up to easily connect Remote Play:
If all the hardware and software requirements check out, then it’s time to install Remote Play on your Mac. Like the Windows version, this is a free app from the store to download.
Mac Setup
Whenever you want to use PlayStation 4 Remote Play on your Mac, just follow these simple steps:
- Switch on your PlayStation 4 or enable Rest Mode
- Connect your DualShock 4 controller to your Mac device using Bluetooth. Alternatively, you can also use a USB cable for a wired connection.
- Open the PS Remote Play app on your Mac
- Sign in to your PSN (the same account you use to sign-in on the PlayStation 4)
- Optional: If you want to optimize your gameplay, go to Settings. Here, you can choose the settings you want (framerate resolution) for better video quality and gameplay.
- Select PlayStation 4. This will trigger the PS Remote Play app to search for PlayStation 4 consoles connected to your account. It should show your PlayStation 4 console’s display on your Mac once it connects successfully. After your first connection, you should easily reconnect to that PlayStation 4 in successive sessions.
How to Set Up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Mobile
If you don’t have a laptop/desktop to connect to, then you might want to connect to your mobile device. You’ll first have to download the Remote Play app to your Android or iOS.
System Requirements
Mobile devices don’t have many requirements or specifications to use Remote Play, and they are as follows:
REMOTE PLAY WILL NOT OPEN EZ FIX | PS REMOTE PLAY EZ FIX ! (Windows 10 PC)
At least 15 Mbps upload and download speeds for best performance
You cannot use cellular data to use PlayStation 4 Remote Play. You must use a Wi-Fi connection
Unlike its desktop counterparts, you can use Remote Play on your phone without an external controller; your phone acts as the controller for your games! If you so choose, you can still connect a controller to your mobile device if it’s easier for you to play this way.
Android iOS Setup
After ensuring you have all you need, it’s time to set up your mobile device. You’ll need to follow these steps every time you use PlayStation 4 Remote Play:
- Switch on your PlayStation 4 console or turn on the rest mode
- Open the PS Remote Play app on your mobile device
- Sign in to your PSN account (the same account you use to sign in on your PlayStation 4)
- Select PlayStation 4. This will trigger the mobile app to search for your PlayStation 4 console based on your PSN. Once it connects, you can immediately use PlayStation 4 Remote Play and launch your favorite games. After your first connection, you can easily reconnect to the same PlayStation 4 console in succeeding sessions.
Final Word
PlayStation 4 Remote Play is a handy tool when you want to play while you’re away from your console. It could be when you’re out on a trip, visiting relatives, or even around the house in another room. Regardless of the situation, PlayStation 4 Remote Play is an easy feature to set up and makes gaming convenient.
Yes, there are restrictions that you have to keep in mind and games you can’t access using PlayStation 4 Remote Play. However, these are a good trade-off for a solid gaming experience and “portable” access to all your favorite games.
How to use Remote Play on PS5
If you don’t know how to use Remote Play on PS5 then you’re missing out on an absolute marvel of the modern gaming world.
If you can’t access your TV but still want to get your PS5 fix, Remote Play will let you stream your Playstation 5 gameplay to your iPhone, iPad, Android device, Windows PC, or even your old PlayStation 4 if you haven’t already sold it on. It truly works like magic.
That said, we personally don’t recommend making this your default way to play games. Not only can there be a small but noticeable lag, but it’s a bit wasteful running two devices when the PS5 is doing all the heavy lifting, and your electricity bill will carry the burden.
Those caveats aside, it’s a fantastic feature for PS5 owners to have access to, giving you much more flexibility over how and where you play. So, if you want to use Remote Play on PS5, then this is how you do it.
How to use Remote Play on PS5
First of all, you need to enable Remote Play on your PS5, so turn on the console and follow our guide below to access the required settings.
From the PS5 home screen, go to Settings. It’s the small cog-shaped icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
In the next menu, select System. It’s the sixth option in the list, so scroll down and press X.
Scroll down the next menu until you come to Remote Play. It’s the fifth option down.
You’ll find that Enable Remote Play, the top option in this section, is disabled by default. Press X on it, and it’ll switch on.
Remote Play is now ready to go, but before we move on to the device you want to stream to, there are a couple of other settings you need to change.
Go back to the previous menu and select Power Saving. It’s the option directly below Remote Play.
In the Power Saving Menu, press the middle option: Features Available in Rest Mode.
Make sure that both Stay Connected to the Internet and Enable Turning On PS5 From Network are enabled. These two setting will combine to ensure that you can start your Remote Play session from the device of your choice.
How to use Remote Play PS5 on your Windows PC
Now that your PS5 is ready to stream, the next steps involve connecting the device you want to play on. Here are the steps you need to follow to use Remote Play PS5 on your Windows PC.
Head to the download page for the PS Remote Play app for Windows and scroll down to the section titled “Install the app.” Tick a box confirming you agree to Sony’s license agreement and privacy policy, and then download the file.
When you load the Remote Play Windows app for the first time, you’ll need to sign in to your PSN account. You’ll also have to confirm once again that you’re happy with Sony using your data to personalize content.
At this point, you’ll want to add a DualSense or DualShock 4 pad. We found that you can actually control Remote Play by pressing the arrow keys and Enter (and even managed to walk around a bit in Spelunky 2!), but it’s clearly not ideal.
Press the gamepad icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and connect your pad via USB cable.
You’re now ready to connect, so select PS5, and your PC will look for and connect to a PS5 on your network.
If everything goes to plan, your PS5 should now be running in a window on your PC. By default, the gameplay will be streamed at 720p, but you can change the resolution in the app’s main settings if you like.
How to Remote Play PS5 on your iPhone or iPad
For the purposes of this guide, we’ll be using Remote Play to stream PS5 to an iPad, but the process is virtually identical on iPhone.
Open the App Store on your iOS device and search for “Remote Play.” Press Get on the PS Remote Play app.
When you open the app for the first time, you’ll be asked to sign in with your PSN details, so go ahead and do that. You’ll also need to confirm you agree to Sony’s license agreement and privacy policy before you’re able to play.
Remote Play needs your Wi-Fi connection to function, so iOS will send a pop up asking if that’s okay. Tap OK or the feature won’t work.
At this point, the app will ask you to connect a pad, and provide instructions on how to do so. Follow those instructions, but if you’re having trouble read our guide on how to connect a PS5 DualSense controller to your iPhone.
Note that, on iPad at least, you can skip this step and use touchscreen controls, but having tried this, we really wouldn’t recommend it, as it makes gameplay much more fiddly.
It’s now time to connect to the PS5, so tap PS5 and the iPhone or iPad will begin searching.
If all goes to plan, your PS5 screen will now be mirrored on your iPhone or iPad. Here’s ours on iPad, complete with the virtual controls that we wouldn’t recommend.
How to Remote Play PS5 on Android
Unsurprisingly, the process for using Remote Play to stream PS5 to Android is almost the same as on iOS.
Open the Google Play Store on your Android phone and search for “Remote Play.” Tap Install to download the PS Remote Play app.
When you open the app, you’ll need to log in to your PSN account, so go ahead and do this. You’ll then be asked to agree to Sony’s license agreement and privacy policy before you can play.
The PS Remote Play app will tell you to pair a compatible DualShock 4 or DualSense gamepad. This is an optional step but definitely worth it, as touchscreen controls are not comfortable. The app will explain how to do this.
Once this is done, the app will ask whether you want to connect to a PlayStation 4 or PS5. Tap PS5.
Your Android phone will connect to your PS5, ready to stream. Unfortunately, security settings blocked us from taking a screenshot for this one, but it did work.
How to Remote Play PS5 on PlayStation 4
If your PlayStation 4 is up to date, the PS5 Remote Play app should be there among your pre-installed apps. Scroll across until you find it: it’s a blue square with two dots above the outline of a gamepad and the word PS5 on it.
Unfortunately, Sony has blocked getting in-app screenshots, but the process from here is simple. Just start the app and your PlayStation 4 will find the PS5 on your network, so you can jump right in and play where you left off.
PS5 tips
We want you to get the most from your PS5, so we’ve pulled together a bunch of guides to help you use it.
On the DualSense front, we can show you how to update your PS5 controller to ensure it’s always compatible with the console, or save money by learning how to connect your PlayStation 4 controller to PS5. We also have instructions for how to turn off adaptive triggers on PS5 and how to use a PS5 controller on PC.
For those of you upgrading from a PlayStation 4, we also have tutorials for how to transfer data from PlayStation 4 to PS5 and how to play PlayStation 4 games on PS5.
