From today Sony makes it possible to stream games directly from your PlayStation 4 to an iMac or MacBook with Remote Play. Handy if you want to play a game, but someone else is using the TV. In this tip we explain how it works.
To stream games from your PlayStation 4 to a Mac, it is important that you have the most recent version of the firmware installed on your PS4. Remote Play between PS4 and Mac is supported from software version 3.50.
Stream PlayStation 4 Mac: you need this
- A Dualshock 4 wireless controller;
- USB cable;
- Sony Entertainment Network account;
- High speed internet connection. Sony recommends an upload and download speed of at least 5Mbps.
To use Remote Play, you still have to tick the function in the settings of your PlayStation 4. You can do this via Settings> Remote Play Connection Settings> Enable Remote Play.
The iMac or MacBook must also meet a number of requirements. For example, the device must run at least on OS X Yosemite, you need at least 40MB of free space and 2GB of RAM. A USB port is also mandatory, because you connect the controller to it. Finally, you submit via this link download the Remote Play software for Mac. Once you have all this at home, you can follow the steps below to play PS4 games on your Mac.
That is how it works
- Turn on the PlayStation 4 console, or put it in Rest Mode;
- Connect the PS4 controller to your Mac via the USB cable. Wireless gaming is therefore not possible;
- Launch the Remote Play app on your Mac and click Start on your controller;
- Log in with your Sony Entertainment Network account that you also use on your PlayStation 4;
You may have to manually connect the Mac and PlayStation 4. This has to do with if you haven’t set the console as the primary system yet. Follow the onscreen instructions to pair the two devices. According to Sony, some PlayStation 4 games do not support the Remote Play feature. So you will have to test whether your favorite games can be played from your Mac.
Troubleshoot PS4 Remote Play
Problems with streaming? This can have various causes. Connecting both your PS4 and your Mac to the Internet via a wire can improve the quality of the connection. If you’re using Wi-Fi, moving your Mac (Book) closer to the console can help.
If your connection is not sufficient, you can also manually lower the quality of the stream. You do this by starting Remote Play on your Mac and lowering the video quality and frame rate in the Preferences menu. According to Sony, 720p is the maximum quality the PS4 can handle. If you really cannot find a solution, you can always contact PlayStation Support.