Many gamers love streaming their PlayStation 4 camera footage live so their supporters and other gamers can watch them play, or so they can more easily record gameplay for later editing and uploading. Alternatively, some players will opt for this setup because the television screen they typically use isn’t accessible when they want to play. While there are several perks to streaming through your PC, many gamers struggle with this setup but don’t worry.
In this article, we’re going to take you step-by-step through the process of streaming your PS4 footage on your PC so that you can do this with ease in the future. We’ll let you know what accessories you’ll need, what settings should be on or off, and how the systems need to be connected.
Make Sure You Have All Necessary Tools and Systems Are Up to Date
Before we can really get into the process of setting up your PS4 to your PC, you’re going to need some console accessories, and both systems will need to be up to date to efficiently run and uphold the connection.
In order to stream a PS4 camera live on PC, you need:
- A PS4 compatible controller (we recommend the classic DualShock 4)
- A PS4 controller USB connection wire
- At least 100 MB of storage and 2GB RAM or more on your PC
- An internet connection with at least 5 Mbqs/download speed
Additionally, your consoles/platforms need to be relatively up to date, so make sure your PS4 has a firmware of 3.5 or later installed and your using Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 with 3 or 64-bit. Having a 5h generation Intel Core-i5 processor or above will also help.
Some of these, like your internet connection, might be tricky to confirm, so if you’re uncertain, you could try to proceed with the guide and see if it works. If it doesn’t, learn how to check your storage and connection to see if they’re at fault.
Create a PlayStation 4 Account
You’re going to need accounts on both platforms and a PS network access to complete this guide. If you already have a PlayStation 4 account, you can skip this step.
Setting up a PS4 account can be done in three simple steps. First, turn on your console and go to “Settings,” where you will select the “Account Management” option. You will then select the “Create New Account” option and enter the necessary details. Once completed, click “Next” and then verify your email address.
There will be instructions in your email verification link to follow, but once you’ve completed those, you should have a complete account.
Set Up Your PS4 Settings
Once your PS4 account is set up, you’re going to enable a number of settings so your PS4 can stream to your PC.
To start, open your PS4 “Settings” and scroll down to “Remote Play Connection Settings.” In here, you’ll click “Enable Remote Play,” so the checkmark appears in its adjoining box. Afterward, go back to the main “Settings” list and select “Account Management.” Scroll down to “Activate as Your Primary PS4” and select the “Activate” option.
If you have only one PS4 console, you might not need to activate it as the primary PS4, but it’s best to activate this setting just in case.
The final setting you’ll want to activate on your PS4 is in your “Power Saving Settings” option found on the main “Settings” list. After you open these settings, you’ll want to open the “Set Features Available in Rest Mode” option and then make sure all of the boxes are checked.
Plug-in Your PS4 Controller and Install PS4 Remote Play on Your PC
Now that your PS4 settings are all taken care of, you need to have the right program on your PC to allow live streaming. First, use your USB wire to connect your PS4 controller to your PC and then proceed to install the app.
The program you need to install to stream your PS4’s camera live to a PC is Remote Play. Using this link, you’ll choose the “Control your PS4 console from a Windows PC” link and install the app (if you’re using this for a PS5 or a different attached platform, like Mac, you will choose the link that matches).
If you find the app isn’t connecting or opening properly after installation, try restarting your PC and PS4 to see if that resolves the issue.
Allow Your PC to Register Your PS4
With the app fully installed and your two consoles connected, you’ll want to have the Remote Play app open so it can register your PS4.
Remote Play will register your PS4 through the account you created and allow you to play on your PC using the connected PS4 controller. After everything has registered properly, you should be all set to start streaming your PS4 on your PC.
If the PC is failing to register your PS4, go to the “Settings” menu on your PS4 and select “Remote Connection Settings.” From there, click the “Add Device” option and record the 8-digit code provided. Next, open the Remote Play app on your PC and click the “Start” button. You should see a “Register Manually” button in the lower right-hand corner. Click this button and then enter the 8-digit code and click register. This should successfully register your device manually.