Set up PS5 Remote Play on your Windows PC

You can play your PS5 on a Windows PC through Remote Play, with the console running the game and your PC showing the stream. PlayRoam makes home-network Remote Play free with an account, including PS4 support and controllers. Pro adds smoother motion with 2× FPS boost and lets you play your PS5 over the internet.

What your PC needs

Use Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, with a DirectX 11 graphics card. Connect the PC and console to the same home network for local play. A laptop works too; if you were planning to plug the PS5 straight into its HDMI port, read the guide to playing PS5 on a laptop first.

You need a PlayRoam account and internet access. The app checks your license every five minutes, even when the video travels across your home network.

Keep the console awake for the initial link. Have access to its screen so you can read the pairing code, and use the PlayStation Network account you use on that console if PlayRoam asks you to sign in. Sony documents the console setup and pairing menus; the PC controls below are PlayRoam's.

Link your PS5 and start the first stream

1. On PS5, open Settings → System → Remote Play and turn on Enable Remote Play for the user you want to play as.
2. Sign in to your PlayRoam account. In the app, choose Source → Local network, select your console and press Link. Sign in to PlayStation Network with the console's account if asked.
3. On PS5, choose Settings → System → Remote Play → Pair Device. Enter the number shown on the console in PlayRoam's 8-digit code field, then press Link.
4. Connect your controller to the PC. DualSense and DualSense Edge work over USB or Bluetooth; Xbox/XInput controllers work too.
5. Set Resolution to 1080p and Frame rate to 60 FPS for an initial session. For a game capped at 30 FPS, choose 30 FPS instead; the stream setting cannot make the game run faster.
6. Leave FPS boost and Upscaling set to Off for your first check. Choose Fit under Fit to screen, then press Start.

Know what is arriving on your screen

PlayRoam requests H.264 video at 720p or 1080p, at 30 or 60 FPS. Remote Play tops out at 1080p SDR, without 4K or HDR. PlayRoam does not send microphone audio to the console.

The 1080p60 setting requests 30 Mbps of video. At 1080p30 it requests 20 Mbps; 720p60 requests 15 Mbps and 720p30 requests 10 Mbps. The console may send less, and there is no manual bitrate slider. If the stream stutters, try 720p before adding picture processing. Our Remote Play settings guide helps you choose the next change.

During play, Tab opens Settings and F11 switches Full screen. Check Incoming, Lost frames and Added delay to see what the app receives and adds. The delay readout measures from a source frame arriving to its display.

Choose how you control the console

Controllers are part of free home play. PlayRoam supports DualSense touchpad and gyro input, adaptive-trigger effects, lightbar and rumble on Windows. Rumble is emulated rather than the console's DualSense haptics. The PC controller guide covers supported pads and connection problems.

Keyboard and mouse need Pro on Windows. Turn on Enable keyboard & mouse, then click the picture to capture input; Esc frees the mouse. The mouse drives the right stick by default, with sensitivity and other adjustments. Use the keyboard-and-mouse setup guide to tune that stick response and edit your bindings.

What Pro adds to this setup

Pro costs $10 per month, with one subscription covering Windows and Android. On PC, Upscaling → FSR 1 sharpens a smaller source picture as it scales to your display. FPS boost → 2× FSR turns a 30 FPS stream into 60 FPS motion on any DirectX 11 graphics card. A 60 FPS stream can become 120 FPS motion on a 120 Hz or faster screen.

The game and your inputs stay at the console's frame rate. Frame generation adds about 17 ms at a 30 FPS source or 8.3 ms at 60 FPS, plus processing. The PS5 frame-generation guide covers the modes and hardware requirements. Capture cards, macros and add-ons also need Pro on Windows.

Use a PS4 on the same PC

PS4 home Remote Play is free too. Turn on Enable Remote Play in Settings → Remote Play Connection Settings, then use Add Device for the code instead of PS5's Pair Device. Sony also instructs you to activate the console under Settings → Account Management → Activate as Your Primary PS4 → Activate.

Link it through the same 8-digit code field in PlayRoam. The app offers the same stream settings, but the console may send less than requested. PlayRoam's Over the internet mode is PS5 only; PS4 support stays on your home network.