One of the features that PlayStation 5 console users crave is the ability to play PS5 games on their smartphones. This feature called Remote Play has actually been on Sony systems since the PS3, which debuted with the ability to play console games on their PSP and PS Vita. After the PS4 rolled out, Remote Play expanded to other devices and TVs – and finally, to Android and iOS devices.
The PS5 has launched with the latest Remote Play, and users can also use it to stream next generation games to smartphones.
Note that this is a feature, not a service so users will still need a PS5 console running the games you have to stream on your phone, which is different from how you play Xbox Series X games on mobile via Game Pass.
As such, you’ll need to stay close to your PS5 to use Remote Play – this feature is meant to transfer and continue playing on your phone or other devices within range of your home Wi-Fi network.
How to Play PS5 Games on a Smartphone
First, turn on the PS5 (or set it to rest mode) and open the Remote Play app on your smartphone. Log into your PlayStation Network account and choose which generation of console you are connecting to – in this case, PS5. If your console is linked to the same Wi-Fi network as your handset, it will connect automatically.
If there are multiple PS5s on your home network, it may take some trial and error to figure out which console code refers to the correct one.
And if you keep losing connection to the console, try resetting its Wi-Fi connectivity, or better yet, increase your connection speed by manually connecting your PS5 to the router via an ethernet cable (remember, Sony recommends at least a 5Mbps download speed).
After loading, you can control the console via smartphone. If you plan on using a DualSense controller, make sure to connect it to your phone via Bluetooth first.
Luckily, Remote Play literally only streams the PS5 to your phone, so there are no clear limits on what games you can play as long as it’s compatible on the new console.
To use the Remote Play app, make sure the smartphone is updated to at least Android 7.0 or iOS 12.1. And if you want to link a PS4 DualShock 4 or PS5 DualSense controller to your phone, make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of the OS – at least Android 10 or iOS 13 for older console controllers, and to be safe, the latest version of Android 11 or iOS 14. for DualSense (Sony hasn’t released any official compatibility info yet).
Finally, you need to download the appropriate Remote Play app on the phone you want to use, either on Android or iOS. If you already have it, please update to the latest version to get PS5 linking capabilities.