Setting up PS4 Remote Play on Your Vita

Guy in headphones at a PS4 booth
Pablo Blazquez Dominguez / Getty Images

So you’re jamming on your PlayStation 4 and you get outvoted by your family or significant other from using the TV so they could watch SpongeBob SquarePants or — gasp — “Steel Magnolias.” Normally, this is when you slink away with a whimper and tuck your tail between your legs. That is, unless you have a PlayStation Vita. See, the Vita isn't just good for playing games like Disgaea 3 or Persona 4 Golden. Thanks to Remote Play, you can stream your PS4 game directly to your Sony handheld. For you avid gamers out there, that means you can keep playing your PS4 game even when you’re kicked out of the big living room TV. Hooray for technology. Speaking of technology, the ability to do remotely play PS4 games on your PC and Mac also has been added since this tutorial was first written. As such, I’ve also added a section on how to enable PS4 Remote Play on a PC or Mac. 

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Setting up PS4 Remote Play on Your Vita

PS Vita resting on a PS4 console
Jason Hidalgo

First, though, let’s tackle the PlayStation Vita. So how do you enable Remote Play? First, you’ll need a couple of minutes of private time with the big TV before turning it over to whichever domestic dictator is kicking you out. We suggest some high-level sweet talking or — if that doesn’t work — channeling your inner Rick Astley and going straight to groveling. Cause Rick Astley ain’t too proud to beg, sweet darling. Once you’re done doing irreversible damage to you pride, go to the main menus of your PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. Make sure you have the latest firmware update for both the PS4 and Vita to prevent any update prompts and make the remote play setup go smoothly.

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Find Remote Play on Your PlayStation Vita

Using PS4 Link to set up Remote Play on PS Vita
Jason Hidalgo

Check the apps on your Vita home screen and look for the one called “PS4 Link.” Tap that sucker and you’ll bring up a menu with two options, “Remote Play” and “Second Screen.” The latter is for use in games that allow you to use the Vita as a supporting display for extra control options such as maps or menus, for example (think Sony's version of the Wii U tablet setup for its PS4). It’s certainly a neat feature but not what we’ll be dealing with in this tutorial. Instead, tap on “Remote Play.” Go ahead. You know you want to.

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Setting up PS4 Connection Settings for Remote Play on Vita

Finding PS Vita Connection Settings on PS4
Jason Hidalgo

The Vita will ask you for a passcode to continue the process. “But passcodes are for sissies!” you protest. Well, you better get those sissy pants on big boy (or girl) if you want to be able to play PS4 games on your Vita. Besides, if you’re getting kicked out of the big TV, then you weren’t such a tough guy (or gal) to begin with. Anywho, go to your PS4 home screen and click on “Settings” (It’s the logo that looks like a briefcase). Then scroll down to “PS Vita Connection Settings.”

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Getting a Passcode to Set up PS4 Remote Play on Vita

Adding a device to PS4 to get the passcode
Jason Hidalgo

Once you get to PS Vita Connection Settings, you’ll see another menu with three options. You’ll want to click on the third one to Add Device. Doing so will bring up another screen with a randomized eight-digit code. This is the code you’ll need to enter on your Vita. See that counter at the bottom? That’s how much time you have left to enter the code before the ticking time bomb that is Steel Magnolias explodes. Nooo! Actually, that’s the time before the code expires. If, for some reason, you really needed to go potty or attend to some other dire emergency and the timer expires, just tap Add Device again to get a new code. It’s that simple.

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Finalizing Setup for Remote Play on PS4 and PS Vita

Passcode entered and PS Vita linked to the PS4
Jason Hidalgo

Enter the eight-digit code on your PS Vita and voila! Remote Play is good to go. In this example, you can see us playing PS4 launch title Resogun — an excellent game by the way if you like old-school side-scrolling shooters. That certainly was a lot easier than enduring through a certain movie. Now those pesky big TV hoggers can watch Steel Magnolias ten times over on the big TV and it won’t make a difference to your PS4 gaming one bit (cue Dr. Evil laugh). That’s because the only tears you’ll be crying are tears of joy. 

This tutorial was done on a PS4 using System Software 1.52 and a PS Vita with System Software 3.01. 

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How to Set up PS4 Remote Play on PC or Mac

PS4 Remote Play on PC and Mac
Sony

To remotely play PS4 titles on the PC or Mac, you will first need to download the requisite Remote Play app for either system. Once that’s done, just make sure that you have the PS4 selected as the primary console on your account and that Remote Play is also enabled.

Now either power up your PS4 or put the console in Rest Mode. Needless to say, Remote Play ain’t gonna work if your system is completely powered off. You will then need to connect your PS4 Dualshock 4 controller to your PC or Mac via its USB cable.

Launch the PS4 app on your computer and press Start. Sign in with your Sony Entertainment Network account and you’re all good to go playing remotely. Seriously, it’s that easy.

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