How to Connect PS5 to Laptop? Every Gamer Should Know

A PS5 console can be connected to a laptop in two ways. One approach is to use Sony’s Remote Play feature, which is free. The alternative option entails investing a few extra dollars in getting a video capture card.

There’s no denying that the thrill of playing PS5 games on a large, high-definition TV is unrivalled. However, it’s also true that you don’t have a monopoly on the TV lounge. Apart from jokes, you can’t always drive into a corner and watch TV while playing video games on your console.

So the best way to have a break-free, term-free, and limitless PS5 gaming experience is to stream all of your console games to a portable device such as a laptop, phone, or tablet. And thanks to Sony for their Remote Play (App) function, which makes connecting and streaming console games on a laptop a breeze.

How does one go about doing that? What is the best way to connect a PS5 to a laptop, with or without remote Play? What is the best way to broadcast console games to laptops, PCs, phones, or other devices? I’ve got all of this covered in the article below.

Table of Contents

Never mix up PlayStation Now and Remote Play.

First and foremost, let me clarify something for you. Sony’s supplementary PlayStation game services, Remote Play and PS Now, are similar but not identical.

What Is PlayStation Now?

PlayStation Now is Sony’s subscription-based cloud gaming service. Even if you don’t have a console, you can play all PlayStation (PS2, 3, 4, 5) games on your laptop. So, with PS Now, all of the games are streamed from Sony’s servers to your smartphone. As a result, you pay a monthly price for it.

What is Remote Play?

On the other hand, Remote Play App is a Sony streaming capability (available on the PS3, PS4, and PS5) that allows the System to send its audio and video output to another device.

The Remote Play App allows you to stream games from your console (in this case, a PS5) to a compatible device such as a laptop or computer. Remote Play, unlike PS Now, is neither membership nor fee-based service, but you must already own a console to use it.

So, how do you connect your PS5 to your laptop?

Connecting the console to a laptop isn’t as simple as clicking the console to a television using an HDMI cable. While TVs always have an HDMI (video) input port, when connecting a console to a laptop, there are HDMI output connectors on both sides – both the console and the laptop have HDMI-OUT ports.

We also know that an HDMI cable is a one-way cable that transmits signals from a source (the output) to a destination (the input) (the input). Because there are no input ports on either side, the HDMI cable will not work, unlike a TV.

You can only connect your PS5 console to your laptop in one of two ways:

By using the Sony Remote Play feature
Using a video capture device

How do I use Remote Play to connect my PS5 to my laptop?

So, I don’t think there’s any need to explain this Remote Play because I’ve already done so previously. So, let’s get right to the point about how this whole thing works.

And here’s a step-by-step instruction to put it all together.

#1. Preliminary Requirements for Remote Play Setup

Before using Remote Play, ensure you meet all of the System’s requirements.

The following are some of the prerequisites for Remote Play:

A laptop with the Windows 10 operating system (both 32bit and 64bit are acceptable).
A 7th Generation processor is required for the laptop (at least 2.6GHz clocking speed). The better the rest, the better.
A minimum of 2 GB of RAM is required. A rigorous minimum of 100MB of free storage space is needed.
A minimum display resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels is required.
A PS5 console is required (a console with the latest system software version is preferred).
A PlayStation Network Account is unquestionably necessary (it’s the same account you use for your PS5).
A fast and robust internet connection (at least 5Mbps) is required. Otherwise, Sony recommends a 15Mbps connection (through LAN cable) for the most significant overall experience.
Finally, you’ll require a USB cord (to connect the PlayStation Controller to the laptop).

After double-checking that everything is in order, you may move on to the following stage.

#2. Obtain a copy of the Remote Play App – It’s compatible with both Windows and macOS

Go to Sony’s official website to get the Remote Play app. Check out the most recent version and download it. Because the more up to current the app is, the better your experience with it will be.

Before you click the download button, make sure the program is compatible with your System. To correctly install the software, download it, execute the installation file, and follow all on-screen instructions.

#3. How to Set Up a PS5 Console

After the installation is complete, you’ll need to make a few one-time settings to prepare your PS5 for streaming. So, here’s how to enable the Remote Play feature on your PS5 console, step by step:

Power Go to the home screen of your console.
After that, click Settings > System, then Remote Play.
Turn on the Enable Remote Play option in the Remote Play menu.

To have a more prosperous and smoother gaming experience, keep your console in “rest mode.” To begin Remote Play when your console is in rest mode, follow these steps:

Return to the Home screen > Settings > System > Power Saving, and then Rest Mode Features.
Finally, enable Turning on PS5 from Network and Stay Connected to the internet (so if your console is in rest mode, you can remotely awaken her for streaming).

#4. Using the Remote Play App for the First Time

Now that you’ve completed all of the preliminary steps, it’s time to launch the Remote Play software officially. Each time you connect the console to the device, you’ll have to go through these steps again.

Turn on the console and, if possible, set it to rest mode.
Connect your laptop to your PlayStation Controller.
1. For a wired connection, use a USB cable and plug it into the USB port on your laptop.
2. To put the Wireless Controller into Bluetooth pairing mode, simultaneously press the PlayStation and Share buttons. Connect the controller by turning on Bluetooth on the laptop, searching for a new device, and connecting it.
Open the Remote Play app that has previously been installed. Sign in to PSN by clicking the Sign in button.
Sign in with the same account you used on your PS5 System.
After a few pop-ups, you’ll be sent to the main screen where you’ll see: Which do you wish to connect to? “Should I get a PS5 or a PS4?”

Go to the Settings button and adjust the Resolution and FPS to your laptop’s capacity and internet speed to achieve the best gameplay performance.

Select PS5 from the drop-down menu. The software will begin searching for the PS5 console associated with your account and connect to it immediately.
When you’re finished, the screen from your PS5 console will appear on your laptop’s display. Hurrah! Using the Remote Play feature, you may now use the Remote Play function to stream all of your PS5 games to your laptop.

Select one of the (PS5) consoles if you have more than one. You’ll be able to quickly select and connect to that console the following time.

Bonus Tip

If your console gaming equipment is connected to an external display that supports HDR, such as a TV or monitor, you can even use Remote Play with HDR video quality.

Here’s how you can do it:

Go to the Home screen of your console and select Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Set HDR to Automatic after that.
Install one of the HEVC video extensions on your device and ensure your (external) display’s HDR settings are turned on.
Go to System> Display > Windows HD Color Settings in your device’s (PC) settings > as well as flip Switch on HDR games and apps.
Then, open the Remote Play app and sign in on your device.
Finally, navigate Settings > Video Quality for Remote Play > and select Enable HDR from the drop-down menu.

#5. To Quit Remote Play

Click the Cross (X) mark in the top right corner of your Remote Play screen to turn off the app. After that, click OK for each message you are requested to.

Using a Video Capture Card to Connect a PS5 to a Laptop Without Remote Play

As stated in the introduction, this is the least expensive method of connecting the console to a device other than the standard television. A video capture card is a piece of hardware that converts video signals from external sources into digital signals that your computer can understand.

It’s one of the most acceptable methods to quench your gaming cravings, but you’ll have to spend some extra money on the extras like a capture card and a USB-C to USB-A adaptor.

So, before we get into how it works, let’s look at the prerequisites you’ll need to meet before using this method.

Preliminary Requirements

So, first and foremost, you’ll need a well-equipped gaming laptop and, of course, a PS5 console. You’ll also require a high-quality capture card. In addition, you’ll need a USB-C to USB-A adaptor and an HDMI cable (because a capture card comes asking for both these cables). Finally, having a fast internet connection is essential.

So, let’s see how it’s going to be implemented.

Video Capture Card Setup for PS5 Streaming

This is a step-by-step guide to setting up this equipment.

Ensure your laptop has a USB 3.0 port because it’s the only way to get that kind of gaming performance.

To begin, you’ll need to connect the following dots:
1. Connect the USB A 3.0 port on the capture card to the USB A 3.0 port on the laptop – the USB-C side in the capture card and the other end on the laptop.
2. S-video cable from capture card to laptop/PC (S-video cable carries video and audio signals too).
3. Connect your capture card to HDMI-IN and your PS5 console to HDMI-OUT.
Now go to your console’s Home screen > Settings > Network Settings > and turn on File Sharing (you’ll have internet access).
Then, on the internet, look for and download (and install) high-quality game capture software (look for the name of the capture card and install its official software).
Finally, there is the issue of power. Install the downloaded program on the console, then activate the game capture application on your laptop or PC.

You’ll see that the application begins looking for all available consoles before catching yours and displaying it on the screen. After that, all you have to do is connect to the console. And then it went off! You’re now ready to stream PS5 games to your laptop or PC.

FAQ:

How do I connect my PS5 to my laptop with HDMI?

Connect one end of a USB-C cable to the capture card and the other end to your laptop through the USB 3 port. Take the HDMI cord with you. Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the PS5 and the other to the capture card’s input HDMI port.

Can you play PS5 on a laptop?

PS Remote Play is compatible with Android phones and tablets, iPhones and iPads, Windows PCs and Macs, and PS5 and PS4 consoles.

Can I connect PS5 to PC?

PS Remote Play is a free service that allows you to transmit the screen of your PS5 to a Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, or Android device. You can also stream to a PS4 or another PS5.

Will PS5 need a capture card?

Is a capture card required? Although the PS5 and Xbox Series X has internal capture capabilities, it is recommended that you use a capture card. A capture card will allow you to personalize your broadcast using applications like XSplit and OBS and record higher-quality gaming.

How do I use a PS5 to stream a capture card?

Connect the PlayStation 5’s HDMI output to the capture card’s HDMI input. Connect the capture card’s HDMI output to an HDMI input on the panel on which you want to play games. Lastly, Connect the USB cable to the capture card and your PC if using an external capture card. Switch on the PS5.

Bottom Line

The problem is that connecting your PS5 console to your laptop or PC is a little more complicated. You’d have to go above and beyond what’s generally done when connecting a console to television because you can’t simply connect a PS5 to a laptop through HDMI.

So, how do you hook up your PS5 to your laptop? You can use the Sony PS Remote Play software or acquire a capture card to broadcast your PS5 games to your laptop or other devices.

Both strategies are covered in great length in the preceding section. So, scroll up if you want to learn everything there is to know about this.