How to stream PS4 games to your PC or Mac computer using Remote Play

In 2016 the PS4 is already a multimedia powerhouse, but in the latest firmware update, Sony introduced new features that make your PS4 even better. With the new firmware 3.5 update, you can do everything from creating Facebook-like events for multiplayer sessions to letting you appear offline – and even stream PS4 games to your PC or Mac. That means if your main TV is busy with Netflix, you’ll be able to stream whatever you’re playing from your PS4 straight to your Mac or PC screen. In practice, it seems to work: I tried it with Star Wars: Battlefront recently and found it was pretty good.

How to stream PS4 games to your Mac or PC

1. Before you even touch your Mac or PC, you’ll need to make sure your PS4 has the 3.5 firmware already installed. Fortunately, that’s pretty easy as it should be an automatic update. If it hasn’t happened yet – or if you’ve disabled automatic updates, navigate to Settings | System Software Update and your PS4 will sort things out for you.

READ NEXT: Everything you need to know about the PS4.5 (PS4K)

2. Once that’s done, you’ll need to make sure the other end of your streaming hardware is up to scratch. Remote Play currently gives you a maximum resolution of 720p and 60fps, but you’ll need to make sure your PC or Mac can cope with it. Sony says the minimum specs for your PC is as follows:

• Windows 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit) or Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit)

• Intel Core i5-560M Processor, 2.67GHz or faster

• 100MB or more of available storage

• 2GB or more of RAM

• Display resolution of 1,024 x 768 or higher

• Sound card

• USB port

And if you’re a Mac user, your device will need to be as good as the below – or better.:

• OS X Yosemite or OS X El Capitan

• Intel Core i5-520M Processor, 2.4GHz or faster

• 40MB or more of available storage

• 2GB or more of RAM

• USB port

3. If you’re reading this, then your hardware probably made the grade. Next, you’ll need to install the Remote Play software directly onto your streaming device, and you can download that from Sony’s website. Installation is pretty straightforward so we won’t go into it here, but if you do get stuck, just take a look at Sony’s instructions on the same page.

4. Time to go back to your PS4. First you’ll need to ensure the PlayStation 4 you’re using is your primary device. To sort that, go to Settings | PlayStation Network/Account Management | Activate As Your Primary PS4 | Activate.

5. After that you’ll need to ensure Remote Play is enabled on your PS4. Go to Settings | Remote Play Connection Settings, and check Enable Remote Play is ticked.

6. Once that’s sorted, run the Remote Play app on your Mac or PC. First, you’ll need to sign in with your existing PSN details, and then you’ll need to choose the resolution settings that work for your internet speeds and hardware. We’d recommend going for the highest settings available first, and then bringing them down later if things get too laggy.

7. Once you’re happy with your settings, click Start and your Mac or PC will begin to look for your PS4 over the home network.

8. Once your Mac or PC has found your PS4, you’re ready to go. You can control your PS4 by plugging a controller into your streaming device, and if things are too laggy we’d recommend bringing down the settings until they get smoother. Star Wars: Battlefront at 720p proved a bit too much for my three-year-old MacBook Pro, but after kicking the settings down a peg, things were fine.