Over the years, PlayStation has launched many of their games in PC versions which can be played on desktops and laptops. However, there are still many games that have not been released and can only be played on PlayStation.
If you have a PlayStation 4 or 5 console and a laptop, you can play your PS4 or PS5 games on your laptop through remote play feature. You can also play these games through a PlayStation Premium subscription.
In this guide, we will be discussing both methods to help you enjoy your PS4 games on your laptop. Let’s get right to it:
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Contents
Playing PS4 Games on Laptop Through Remote Play – A Step-by-Step Guide
It is possible to play PS4 games on your laptop through the Remote Play app. Both PlayStation 4 and 5 come with Remote Play functionality that can be enabled in the settings.
Let’s dive into the step-by-step guide that will help you enable these settings and access your PlayStation games on your PC.
Step 1: Getting Everything Ready
To play your PS4 Games on your laptop, you need 4 things: A PlayStation 4 or 5 Console, A Windows or Mac Laptop, PlayStation Controllers, and High-Speed Internet.
If you have all of these available, you can start playing your PlayStation games on your laptop right away.
If not, you must get all of these ready first. The requirements for a laptop are not demanding. You don’t need a gaming laptop to play the games since the burden of performance will not be on the laptop but on the console.
Your laptop will only be taking a portion of the performance burden and will be providing the display for the gameplay experience.
However, that doesn’t mean you can play these games on an old laptop. You will still need to meet the requirements.
The requirements for a laptop include Windows 10 or 11 OS, a 7th Generation Intel Core processor or its AMD equivalent, SSD storage, 2 GB of RAM, Full HD display resolution, and a USB port.
These are the minimum requirements. If you have a laptop that comes with better requirements, that works better and provides you with a more immersive gameplay experience.
Step 2: Download & Install Remote Play App
Before you dive into the settings on your PlayStation, you first need to download the Remote Play app on your laptop.
To do that, go to the official website and download the PS4 Remote Play app from there for Windows or Mac, depending on your laptop.
If you have a PS5 console, then you can download the PlayStation 5 Remote Play app instead of the PS4 version.
You can go to the following link to download the PS Remote Play application: https://remoteplay.dl.playstation.net/remoteplay/lang/en/
Make sure you download the latest version and if you have one installed already on your laptop, update it to the latest version available on this website.
Once you have downloaded the application, run the installation package and follow the instructions that appear on the screen until you have successfully installed the application.
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Step 3: Enable Remote Play on Your PlayStation Console
Setting up PS4 for remote play is quite simple. All you have to do is go to the Settings from the Function Screen, then to Remote Play Connection Settings. From there, you can enable the Remote Play feature.
If your PlayStation 4 is in rest mode, then you will have to enable its internet connectivity in Rest Mode as well to be able to play games on your laptop.
To do this, go to Settings, then to Power Save Settings, and click on Set Features Available in Rest Mode. From there, you can toggle the Stay Connected To Internet button as well as Enable the feature that will Turn on PS4 from the network.
On the other hand, if you have a PS5 Console, the settings might appear a little bit different. However, the process remains the same.
You will have to go to Settings, then to System, and then to Remote Play, and from there you can enable the Remote Play feature.
Similarly, you can look for Power Saving settings in the System tab if you have your console in rest mode and enable both features just like we have mentioned for PS4.
You will have to enable the Stay Connected to Internet feature as well as Turning On PS5 from Network functionality.
Once you have done this for your console, you now will be able to access your console directly from your laptop.
Step 4: Start the Remote Play App on Your Laptop
Once you have optimized the settings on your console, you should return to your laptop and start the Remote Play app.
You can connect your PS4 or PS5 controllers directly to your laptop instead of connecting them to the console.
After launching the application, you will have to log in to your PlayStation account. Make sure that your PlayStation is turned on and is in the rest mode. Since you won’t be using it directly for active gameplay, you must put it in rest mode.
If you have multiple PlayStation accounts, make sure that you are logged into both your console and your laptop with the same account.
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Step 5: Connect Your PS4 Console with Laptop
Once you sign in, you will see the list of available consoles in your vicinity. Choose your PS4 or PS5 console, whichever you are using and your laptop will connect to it automatically.
Then, you will be able to see the screen of your PS4 or PS5 on your laptop. If you did everything right in step 4, you will have established a successful connection between your laptop and console and now you will be able to play games directly.
Play PlayStation Games on a Laptop Without A Console
If you have a gaming laptop but do not own a PlayStation console, you can still play PlayStation games through a PlayStation Premium subscription.
It’s like the PlayStation Cloud gaming service that allows you to play the PS4 and PS5 games directly on your laptop without needing a console.
You can subscribe to the service for $17.99 or choose one of their advanced plans for a multi-month subscription.
The subscription allows you to enjoy all of the core PlayStation benefits, play hundreds of games, and also enjoy exclusive benefits like game trials, cloud streaming, and access to Classic Catalog.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the PlayStation Plus subscription only allows support for PS4 games and PS5 games are still not available on this platform.
You can only download this platform on a Windows laptop. You cannot use it if you have a Linux OS or a MacBook.
All you have to do is download the PlayStation Plus application, log into your PlayStation account, and start browsing for games.
Once you find the game you want to play, you can click on Start and the game will launch. You will connect your controllers directly to your laptop and enjoy playing games.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to play PS4 games on a laptop without a PS4?
Yes, if you don’t have a PlayStation console, you can still play games through a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. This subscription allows you to play the PS4 games on your laptop through cloud gaming functionality. Hence, you won’t need a console.
Can I play PS4 games on my laptop with HDMI?
Yes, you can. If you just want to use your laptop’s display as a monitor and want to play games on it, you can connect your laptop to a PlayStation console through HDMI and use your laptop’s display instead of a monitor.
Can you install a PS4 game on a laptop directly through a disc?
No, you cannot. PS4 games are made for PlayStation and you can only play them on PC through PlayStation Remote Play feature or through PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. You won’t be able to install them directly from the disc.
Can I play PS4 games on my laptop for free?
Yes, you can. There are many games that do not require membership and can be played for free. Games like Call of Duty Warzone, Fortnite, Apex Legends, etc. are free to play and do not require payment. However, there are in-game purchases.
Wrapping Up!
Summing it all up, it is possible to play PS4 games on a laptop through various methods. We have discussed the most effective methods in the above guide.
If you have a PS4 console, you can enable the Remote Play feature and enjoy games on your laptop. If you don’t have a console, you can still play the games through a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription.
I hope the guide helps you enjoy your favourite PlayStation games on your laptop.
Good Luck!