How to use PS Remote Play on mobile devices

What do you do if you’re itching to play just one game but can’t get in front of the TV? PS Remote Play on mobile devices is your solution! Yes, you can play PS right from your phone without hassle.

At Asurion, our experts understand tech in and out. We help our customers every day by going the extra mile to find solutions like this for you, whether it's protecting your gaming devices or connecting them to your smartphone. Here’s how to remote play PS5 using PS Remote Play on your phone so you can enjoy your game wherever you may be. 

What is PS Remote Play and how does it work?

As the name suggests, PS Remote Play is a feature that lets you access and play PlayStation games from anywhere. It allows you to control your PS4 or PS5 console remotely using a compatible device like a smartphone, PC, laptop, or tablet without having to be physically in front of the TV. 

PS Remote Play on mobile devices works by streaming the gameplay from your PS console to your smartphone over the internet or a local network. This way, you can continue playing a game you started on the TV, even if someone else is using it, without needing to turn the TV on at all.

System requirements for PS Remote Play

While the concept of playing PS Remote Play on mobile devices sounds simple—and it is—there are several prerequisites you must meet, including:

• Your console must be a PS4 or PS5 and updated to the latest version.
• You must have a PlayStation Network account.
• You must have the PS Remote Play downloaded and installed on your smartphone.
• Your PS4 or PS5 should be on or in Rest Mode (you can wake it up remotely).
• Your smartphone must be connected to a high-speed internet connection (at least 5 Mbps or 15 Mbps for best performance).
• You must have a wireless controller—preferably DualSense, DualSense Edge, or DUALSHOCK 4—if you don’t want to use your smartphone’s touch screen controls.

Setting up PS Remote Play

Just because you have a PlayStation console and a compatible smartphone doesn’t mean that you can automatically start playing PS games. Like most processes, you must set up everything. Here’s how to set up PS Remote Play:

Enabling Remote Play on your PlayStation

First things first; you must ensure that your PlayStation is set up to support remote play. Here’s how to enable Remote Play on PS5 and PS4.

For PS5:

1. Select Settings from your PS home screen > System > Remote Play.
2. Toggle Enable Remote Play to On.
3. (Optional but recommended) Enable Remote Play on your PS5 while in Rest Mode under Settings by selecting System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode.
4. Enable the Stay Connected to the Internet and Enable Turning On PS5 from Network settings.

For PS4:

1. Go to Settings, select Remote Play Connection Settings, then check the box for Enable Remote Play.
2. (Optional) Select Settings again and under Power Save Settings, choose Set Features Available in Rest Mode.
3. Turn on the Enable Turning On PS4 from Network and Stay Connected to the Internet settings.

Downloading and installing the PS Remote Play app

This step is easy. All you need to do is go to Google Play™ on your Android™ phone or App Store on iPhone® and search for PS Remote Play. When you click on the download icon, your smartphone will automatically install it. 

Connecting your mobile device to your PlayStation

After installing the PS Remote Play on your phone:

1. Tap on the PS Remote Play app from your phone’s screen to open it.
2. Select Sign In to PSN and enter the details of your PlayStation Network account that you use for your PS4 or PS5.
3. Tap on the Settings icon at the top of your screen on the right.
4. Select Mobile Data, then Use Mobile Data, and finally OK.

How to play PlayStation games on your mobile device

Once you’ve set up everything, here’s how to play PS4 or PS5 on your phone:

1. Turn on your console or put it on Rest Mode.
2. Open the PS Remote Play app on your smartphone.
3. Sign in to PSN with your account—if you haven’t already.
4. Select the PS version for your console.

Troubleshooting common issues

Issues in tech are normal. So if you encounter troubleshooting errors with PS Remote Play on mobile devices, don’t panic or give up—there’s always a solution. Here are common issues you should expect and how to handle them:

Controller not pairing 

This could be caused by several reasons, including:

• An incompatible smartphone Operating System (OS): Sony provides a list of all the compatible versions of smartphones for PS Remote Play. 
• A pairing issue: You may have already paired the PS Remote Play controller with another device or console. If this is the case, try unpairing it or resetting the controller by pressing the small button on the back with a pin. 

Connection stability

If you have a poor internet connection, you’ll experience some lagging or freezing during your PSN Remote Play session. Sony® recommends that your connection have at least 15 Mbps to experience the best performance. Additionally, it’s best to avoid congesting your network while playing via PS Remote Play. Therefore, avoid downloading large files or streaming on the same network at the same time you want to play. Lastly, you can switch to a 5GHz Wi-Fi network if available because it’s usually faster and less crowded than 2.4GHz.