How to Play PS4 on Laptop

Ever since the release of the PlayStation 4 in 2013, it has become one of the most popular gaming consoles on the market. Unfortunately, unlike a gaming tablet, you can’t play games on-the-go with a PS4. Or can you?

Whether you want to stream games from your PS4 or experience what games PlayStation have to offer before investing in a console, Sony has you covered. Let’s look into how you can play PS4 games on your awesome gaming laptop.

There are two ways to play PS4 on a laptop:

1. Remote Play
2. PlayStation Now

While we’re waiting for the PlayStation 5, let’s talk about each of the PS4 to PC ports and compare their advantages and disadvantages.

What is Remote Play?

Put, Remote Play allows you to stream PlayStation 4 games to your Windows or Mac computer, so long as you have the recommended system requirements. You can play the PS4 games that you own from anywhere that has a decent internet connection, which is handy for a quick game on-the-go.

System Requirements for Remote Play:

You’ll need the following system requirements to download Remote Play:

Before you attempt to download Remote Play, you must ensure that you have the following equipment:

Getting Started

• Laptop
• PS4 system
• PS4 controller
• DualShock 4 USB wireless adaptor or USB cable
• PlayStation Network account
• High-speed internet connection

How to Download Remote Play on Windows

The first thing you’ll need to do is download Remote Play to your laptop, here’s how:

1. Click here to start downloading the installation file for Remote Play
2. Run the installation file
3. Once the Remote Play Setup pops up, select a language and click ‘Ok’
4. Click Next to continue the Setup Wizard
5. Accept the License Agreement and click Next
6. Select where you want to install the Installation Folder to and click Next
7. Click Install
8. Once the Setup is complete, click Finish
9. Launch the Remote Play app and keep it open on your laptop

Don’t press Start just yet.

How to Set Up a PS4 for Remote Play:

Once you have opened up the Remote Play app, you’ll need to enable it on your PS4:

1. Turn on your PS4 and go to ‘Settings’
2. Select ‘Remote Play Connection Settings’ from the list and click on ‘Enable Remote Play’
3. Go back to ‘Settings’
4. Select ‘PlayStation Network/Account Management’
5. Click on ‘Activate as Your Primary PS4’ from the list

You will only need to turn on your PS4 (step 1) once, after that you can turn your PS4 on from anywhere in the world using the Remote Play app.

Reset Mode

Next, you’ll need to allow Remote Play to start when your PS4 is in Reset Mode:

1. Go to ‘Settings’
2. Select ‘Power Save Settings’ and click on ‘Set Functions Available in Rest Mode’

Check all of the boxes:

• ‘Stay Connected to the Internet’
• ‘Enable Turning On PS4 from Network’
• ‘Keep Applications Suspended’

Disconnect your Controller

Keeping your PS4 turned on and disconnected your controller from the console:

1. Go back to Settings.
2. Select Devices.
3. Go to Bluetooth Devices, select the DualShock 4 controller and select Disconnect.

How to Use Remote Play

Now that you’ve prepared your PS4 for Remote Play, it’s time to utilize the app:

1. Keep your PS4 on (or turn it back on).
2. Go back to your laptop and connect the DualShock 4 controller using a USB cable, or a DualShock USB wireless adaptor.
3. Go to Settings and set the Resolution to High (720p) if you have a PS4, or Best (1080p) if you have a PS4 Pro. You must also have good broadband speed (5-10Mbps) to run games in 1080p.
4. Click Ok once you have changed the Video Quality for Remote Play.
5. Click Start.
6. Sign in with the same Sony Entertainment Network account that you use on your PS4.
7. The Remote Play app will now search for your PS4. This may take a while.
8. Once the app has found your PS4, it’s time to play some games from your laptop!

PS4 Pros will adapt game streaming quality to any changes in broadband speed.

What is PlayStation Now?

If you love backward compatible consoles, you’ll love PlayStation Now. PS Now is a cloud gaming subscription service that allows you to access PS2, PS3, and of course, PS4 games. Although PS Now isn’t free ($99.99 per year), you do have access to hundreds of awesome PlayStation Now games that you can stream on your laptop, without having to even own a PS4 console.

You might be worried about the minimum requirements. However, even if your laptop isn’t an expensive machine, you can get by using one of the best budget gaming laptops.

Initially, you could rent games for a one-off payment, which has now been replaced by an arguably better subscription fee. Thankfully, much like Netflix, you can test out the service for free with a seven-day trial to see if PS Now is for you.

System Requirements for PS Now:

You’ll need the following system requirements to download PlayStation Now:

How to Download PlayStation Now for Windows:

The first thing you’ll need to do is download PlayStation Now to your laptop, here’s how:

1. Click here to download PS Now onto your computer.
2. Open up the PS Now Setup Wizard and click Next.
3. Agree to the License Agreement and click Next.
4. Select where you want to install the folder to and click Next.
5. Create a shortcut to your desktop and click Next.
6. Click on Install.
7. Allow the app to make changes to your device. You may be asked this twice.
8. Click Install on the popup to install the device software for PS wireless controller.
9. Once complete, click on Finish. PlayStation Now will automatically open.

How to Use PlayStation Now:

Once PlayStation now opens you must sign in and subscribe to the service, here’s how:

1. Select your date of birth and region/language and click ‘Submit’
2. In the top right-hand corner click on ‘Sign In’; you may have to update some account settings for this step
3. Click on ‘Start Free Trial’ from the top of the PS Now home page; this will open up your browser
4. Select either a 1-month or 12-month subscription; you will be automatically charged for this after the 7-day trial is over
5. Click on ‘Choose a Version’ from the left-hand side of the page
6. Sign in to your Sony account; this will be the same account you used to sign in to PlayStation Now
7. Click on ‘7-Day Trial’ from the popup
8. If you don’t have a payment method on file, you’ll need to select ‘Update Your Billing Information’ and input your preferred payment details
9. Go back to the PlayStation Now app and look for a game to play

To cancel the subscription before the end of your 7-day trial, you’ll need to go to Sony Settings on your PC  > Account Management > Account Information > PlayStation Subscriptions > Select the PlayStation Now subscription > Turn Off Auto-Renew.

Connect your Controller:

You’ll now need to connect the PlayStation controller to your laptop:

• Plug your controller into your laptop using a USB cable
• Click on the computer with a controller icon in the top right corner to connect your controller
• You should now be connected

Alternatively, if you have a DS3, instead of a proper PS4 controller, you can set up your PS3 controller to work on a PC.

What’s the Difference Between PS Now and Remote Play?

We have just explained how to download both PS Now and the Remote Play app, but which one is the best?

Additionally, if you need an awesome screen to connect to your laptop, you can check out the best gaming monitor available.

Conclusion

That’s about it, you can now enjoy almost all of the fabulous PS4 exclusives you watched on YouTube. Also, make sure to get a laptop costing at least $800 to even be able to run these titles. Ports are known to be graphically taxing.

Sources:

1. PSNow, PlayStation Official
2. PS4: Remote Play for PC and Mac, PlayStation Official