Cameron SummersonCameron Summerson
Editor in Chief/Review Geek
Cameron Summerson is the Editor in Chief of Review Geek and serves as an Editorial Advisor for How-To Geek and LifeSavvy. He’s been covering technology for nearly a decade and has written over 4,000 articles and hundreds of product reviews in that time. He’s been published in print magazines and quoted as a smartphone expert in the New York Times. Read more.
People have long wanted to transfer images to their PlayStation consoles, but with the recent update that (finally) allows custom wallpapers, there has never been a better time to know how to do this. The unfortunate thing here is that there’s no straightforward way to simply transfer images to the PlayStation, so a workaround in necessary.
There are a couple of different ways of going about getting images to your PlayStation 4 or Pro, and we’ll outline them both here. Spoiler: they both end in taking a screenshot of your PS4 screen.
Method One: Use PlayStation Messenger
This is probably the easiest way to get images onto your PS4, and it’s also probably the most common way to do it.
Basically, you’ll need to have the image you want to move to the PS4 saved on your phone, and have the PlayStation Messenger app for Android or iOS installed.
Open the PlayStation Messenger app on your phone, and either pen a new message or choose an existing one. Whichever way you go, make sure it’s to someone who isn’t going to mind getting random images from you.
Attach the image to the message using the paper clip icon at the bottom, then send it.
Now, turn to your PS4. Go to Messages, which can be found in the action bar.
View the message you just sent the image in, which will contain said image. Open it.
Once the image is full screen, give it a few seconds for the “Information” button to disappear, then take a screenshot by long-pressing the Share button on your controller. (You can also change this behavior to take a screenshot with a tap of the Share button.)
The image will appear in the Capture Gallery just like all the others, allowing you to use it as your theme background.
Method Two: Use the Browser
If you don’t have the image saved on your phone, or just plan on browsing the web for an image, you can also use the PS4’s built-in web browser.
With the browser open, navigate to where the image is located (or search Google if that’s your plan). I’m using the same image from above, which I found on The Last of Us subreddit.
Once you’ve found your image, open the direct link, then enter full-screen mode.
Move the cursor down the bottom-left or right corner, where it’ll be completely hidden.
Now take a screenshot by long-pressing the Share button on your controller. (You can also change this behavior to take a screenshot with a tap of the Share button.) And that’s that.
It’s pretty weird that after all these years Sony still won’t let users just directly transfer images to the PS4, but at least there are workarounds like these to allow custom images on the console.
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Cameron Summerson
Cameron Summerson is the Editor in Chief of Review Geek and serves as an Editorial Advisor for How-To Geek and LifeSavvy. He’s been covering technology for nearly a decade and has written over 4,000 articles and hundreds of product reviews in that time. He’s been published in print magazines and quoted as a smartphone expert in the New York Times.
Read Full Bio »
You can transfer data saved on your current PS4™ system storage to a new PS4™ system.
Transferring data to your new PS4™ system initializes it, so you should transfer data before you begin using your new system. After the transfer, data also remains on your current PS4™ system.
You can transfer these types of data:
- All Users and Their Settings
Either your current PS4™ system or the new PS4™ system can be registered as your primary PS4™ system. - Games and Saved Data
- Screenshots and Video Clips
Notices
- When you transfer data, all data saved on your new PS4™ system is deleted. This process cannot be undone, so be sure to back up the data to a USB storage device and sync your trophies with PlayStation™Network servers in advance. For details, see “Back Up and Restore”.
- Do not turn off either PS4™ system while transferring data. Doing this might damage your system.
- These types of data cannot be transferred:
- Trophy information that is not synced with PlayStation™Network
- Applications installed in extended storage
When connected to the network wirelessly (Wi-Fi)
- One LAN cable (sold separately) is required.
- Before transferring data, you’ll need to do the following on your current PS4™ system:
- Sign in to PlayStation™Network.
- Update the system software to the latest version.
1. Connect your new PS4™ system and your current PS4™ system to the same network. 2. On your new PS4™ system, sign in to PlayStation™Network.
If an update file containing the latest version of the system software is available, a screen appears to guide you through the update process. Follow the on-screen instructions to perform the update. 3. Connect your current PS4™ system directly to your new PS4™ system with a LAN cable. 4. On your new PS4™ system, select (Settings) > [System] > [Transfer Data from Another PS4].
Follow the on-screen instructions.If you’re using your new PS4™ system for the first time, the data transfer screen automatically appears after you sign in to PlayStation™Network.
When connected to the network with a LAN cable (wired)
- Two LAN cables (sold separately) are required.
- Before transferring data, you’ll need to do the following on your current PS4™ system:
- Sign in to PlayStation™Network.
- Update the system software to the latest version.
1. Connect your new PS4™ system and your current PS4™ system to the same network.
Use the LAN cables to connect both systems to the same router. 2. On your new PS4™ system, sign in to PlayStation™Network.
If an update file containing the latest version of the system software is available, a screen appears to guide you through the update process. Follow the on-screen instructions to perform the update. 3. On your new PS4™ system, select (Settings) > [System] > [Transfer Data from Another PS4].
Follow the on-screen instructions.If you’re using your new PS4™ system for the first time, the data transfer screen automatically appears after you sign in to PlayStation™Network.
Sony
One item on many Christmas wish lists is a new Playstation 4 Pro. If this is your first Playstation 4, setup is simple and after spending some time on updates you should be up and running without any major issues.
However, if you already own a “regular” Playstation 4 you probably have hundreds of gigs of game data on your hard drive — and you probably don’t want to download the same games and updates a second time on your new console or waste your valuable holiday gaming time reinstalling physical copies of games that you already own.
Thankfully, Sony has added a feature that makes it much easier to copy the data from your existing Playstation 4 and save it to your new Pro. This can take a long time, but it’s simple and convenient.
(I’m sure some people are wondering why they can’t just remove the hard drive from their current Playstation 4 and swap it out with the drive in their new Pro. The short answer is because Sony does not allow it. The data on the hard drive is encrypted and locked to the individual console.)
To transfer your existing Playstation 4 data to your new Playstation 4 Pro, connect your shiny new PS4 Pro to your display and follow these steps:
- Power up both consoles and login to your PSN account on both.
- Make sure both consoles have the current system software update. You can manually do this in settings by clicking on “System Software Update.”
- After powering up the PS4 Pro, go to the settings menu. If you are powering on your new PS4 Pro for the first time, it should automatically offer the option to transfer your data from your old PS4.
- If you do not see the option on your PS4 Pro, go into your settings and scroll down the list of options until you see “Transfer Data from Another PS4.” Select it.
- On your old PS4, press the power button and hold it until it beeps. This should only take a second or two.
- Connect your original PS4 and PS4 Pro using a LAN cable.
- Check the boxes beside all of the data that you want to transfer. When prompted by your new PS4 Pro, select the option “Yes, activate this PS4.”
That’s pretty much all there is to it. Be prepared for it to take some time, though. Depending on the amount of data on your OG PS4, this process can take a few hours to complete.
One important note: If you plan on getting rid of your old PS4 after the transfer, make sure that you erase all of your data before handing it off. This process does not automatically erase your data from your original console.
If you intend to swap out the hard drive in your Pro later, I strongly suggest that you install a new, larger drive in your Pro before you transfer the data instead of putting it off. Personally, I have gone through three drives in my launch PS4, starting with an initial upgrade from the standard 500GB hard drive to a 1TB Toshiba drive. In less than two years, I was running into space issues with 1TB and upgraded again, this time to a 2TB Samsung hard drive. Yes, you can delete games to free up space instead of installing a larger hard drive, but with data caps imposed by ISPs quickly becoming the new reality, it’s not always practical to delete and reinstall games on a regular basis. With typical game file sizes approaching 50GB, it doesn’t take long to use a lot of storage space even with a relatively modest game library. Also, if you have a slow internet connection it can take many hours to download a single game. Even with the improvements implemented by Sony to make the transfer of game data to a new hard drive easier, it is still a time-consuming process to move all of that data from one drive to another.
The PS4 Pro is a nice upgrade for existing owners of standard Playstation 4s and a solid gaming console for new Playstation gamers. With a little effort, you can quickly have it up and running with all of your existing data transferred to your new machine so that you can concentrate on more fun things, like playing games.
Michael Connell a freelance writer who has focused on solving problems for many years, formerly as a trial lawyer and currently by offering solutions to the everyday problems encountered while using current technology. Michael worked as a freelance editor and moderator for both ITworld Answers and IDG Answers.
PlayStation 4 Pro allows players to transfer data and saves from their original PS4 or PS4 Slim to the PS 4 Pro.
Want to transfer data from your PS4 to your new PS4 Pro? You'll be able to transfer your user settings, games, saved data, screen shots, and video clips.
Method 1: Wired Transfer
By connecting both PS4's to the same home network, you can transfer your data via a wired LAN. To do this, you'll need a router and two Ethernet cables. Before proceeding, make sure both PS4's are detected, powered on, and configured on your local network.
Turn both units on with your PS4 Pro connected to your television and log in to your PS4 Pro. The transfer option is located under System, then Transfer Data From Another PS4.
Once the other PS4 is detected, wait for the prompt to hold down the power button on the original PS4. Do so when prompted. Then confirm when prompted.
You'll be given a lits of options to transfer. Choose what you want then click Next.
Begin the transfer when prompted. Note that transfers can take quite a long time!
Method 2: Cloud
If you have PS Plus, you've likely got some extra Sony Cloud storage laying around. You can move your saves by navigating to Settings, then Application Data Management, then Saved Data in System, then Upload to Online Storage.
What about your videos and screenshots? You can easily transfer these using an external hard drive or USB stick.
These combined methods don't actually transfer your games, relying on you to redownload from PSN, or reinstall from discs.
Method 3: Backup/Restore
Have a larger or SSD drive in your orginal PS4? Need to transfer the data and preserve your copy of P.T.? Maybe you just want to sell the old PS4 first so you can afford the Pro. The Backup/Restore feature works when using between all 3 models of the PS4.
Note: you will need an external drive large enough for your games and formated to fat32. Larger drives can only be formated to fat32 using a 3rd party tool like "guiformat". If your external is not large enough consider deleting some of the games to make it fit (except for P.T. of course).
On your orignal PS4 plug in your external drive and go to Settings -> System -> Backup/Restore -> Backup. You will have the option to backup everything or just your saves and game captures. Note: if you don't backup the games you will have to redownload them on the Pro. The process will start, depending on how much data this will take anyware from 2-8 hours. After that you will have a backup of your orginal PS4 on the external drive. Note: The backup does not contain your trophies, you will have to sync those to the network. The PS4 will give you a warrning if you havn't done this.
When ready, plug your external into your Pro and go to Settings -> System -> Backup/Restore -> Restore. Select the backup file. The restore will roughly take the same amount of time as the backup.
The use of imagery for gamers to voice themselves to the rest of the How to Change PSN Avatar community is something really valuable and this can be done by changing the avatar to your own profile picture. Even though it is not the most important thing about the gaming console, it does play a part. It gets even better when you have the option to create a custom image using any picture you prefer keeping in mind the limitations of good taste and social accountability. This is guide on how to create custom profile pictures on Play Station.
When it comes to online persona in Play Station, your avatar is one of the earliest things that is noticed by other players. Luckily, Play Station permits you to How to Change PSN Avatar as you desire and even change it to your own picture.
There is one of the greatest collections of exclusive games by a wide range on Play Station. You can create a custom profile picture and only those you have provided access to your real name will be able to see it. Creating custom profile pictures on the console can only be done with the Play Station app. The app is available for both android and iOS.
How To Change Your PSN Profile Image
Steps to follow
- Download the app on your respective mobile phone.
- Open the app and insert in your credentials to log in to your PSN account
- On the lower right click on the account icon
- Then click ‘edit profile’
- Tap on ‘change profile picture’ in the drop-down menu
- You will be presented with a new list of different options.
- Tap ‘change picture’
- Choose your desired picture from your gallery and edit if you want
- Once done you can tap save and yes
Now that you have learnt what to do, creating custom profile pictures on How to Change PSN Avatar is quite straightforward. It is also a pleasant experience to see yourself represented by your own picture rather than some avatar. Even though not everyone can see your profile picture, you can choose the people you want to see your picture. While Waiting For Sony to decide to make well-deserved UI changes, we are stuck with the only way to change picture that is by downloading the app.
How to change your avatar on a PS4 on desktop
- Sign into your PlayStation account on a PC or Mac PC.
- Snap on your profile picture on the right-hand corner of your screen, close to the Search bar. At that point click on “Record Settings” in the drop-down menu.
- Select “Alter Profile.”
- At that point click on the “Alter” button close to “Symbol” to pick your new Avatar picture.
Change Your PSN Avatar on PS4
- Go to your PlayStation 4’s Dashboard and enter the “Profile” choice by featuring it and squeezing the X catch on your regulator.
- You’ll currently be given your Profile screen. Here, click the 3-spot catch to uncover further alternatives. From that point, select the “Alter Profile” alternative.
- You will currently be given a rundown of choices from where you can choose how to alter your profile. Select the choice “Symbol” to continue.
- You will presently will see Sony’s rundown of Avatars accessible. Sony as of now offers more than 275 symbols to browse. Tragically, Sony just permits clients to browse their authoritatively gave Avatars, which implies that clients can’t transfer their own custom symbols. Whenever you’ve chosen your ideal symbol, press the X catch to proceed. An affirmation screen will come up, select the “Affirm” alternative to save your progressions or select the “Drop” choice to return.
- When you press affirm, press the CIRCLE button on your regulator to return and observe the progressions to your profile’s symbol.
Use Custom Profile Picture on PSN
While Sony limits the clients to utilize just the symbols that they give authoritatively, clients can transfer their own custom profile pictures. This is conceivable with the assistance of the PlayStation App. To change your profile picture, follow the means beneath:
- Right off the bat, download the PlayStation App for your iOS or Android gadget, which is accessible for nothing. Open the application and login with your PSN Account.
- Then, tap on your profile symbol in the upper option to uncover a drop down menu. Select the “Profile” alternative from it.
- When you do that, you’ll be given another page that gives an outline of your profile. Here, tap on the “Alter Profile” alternative to uncover another drop-down menu, and select “Add Profile Picture” from it.
- Presently, you can either take another photograph or select a current photograph from your exhibition. Select an alternative that suits your inclination, and afterward adjust the picture in the trimming square. Whenever you’re finished with that, tap on the “Alright” button in the upper right corner.
- Also, that is it. You’ll presently see that your profile picture has been refreshed.
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Replace the hard drive in your PS4 or buy a secondary console? Here’s how you can get all of your old game data back.
Most gamers will find that, sooner or later, the 500GB hard drive on the PlayStation 4 just isn’t big enough. That’s why we did an article and video when the system was first released that showed how to easily replace the hard drive. If you performed this task before you started to play any games, then you are good to go.
It’s a different story for those of you who picked up a new system, such as the white Destiny bundle , or decided to replace the hard drive after playing hours of Call of Duty or another game. While you may think you have to start your games from scratch, this isn’t the case. There are actually two simple ways to transfer your game data from one PS4 to another, or from an old hard drive to a new one.
Saving data in the cloud
If you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can upload your game saves to Sony’s cloud servers. This can be done by going to Settings, selecting Application Saved Data Management, followed by Saved Data in System Storage. Click Upload to Online Storage, select the game data you want to transfer to the cloud and tap Upload.
Saving data to a USB device
If you don’t trust Sony’s servers or you aren’t a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can also transfer data using a USB stick. Connect the USB stick, and in the Saved Data in System Storage section of the Settings menu, click Copy to USB Storage Device, select the game data you want to transfer, and click Copy.
Transferring data to a new PS4
Whether you replaced the hard drive or purchased a new system, make sure to log in to the same PlayStation account that was used on your old console. Once you have done that, head back to the Application Saved Data Management section in the Settings menu.
If you saved your data in the cloud, select Saved Data in Online Storage, followed by Download to System Storage,and select the specific game data you would like to transfer to the internal storage.
If your data was on a USB stick, select Saved Data on USB Storage Device, choose to Copy Data to System Storage, and select the specific game data you want to transfer over.
Awaken your senses with PS4 Pro – gaming evolved with the most powerful PS4 TM console.
4K-TV gaming and entertainment 1
Play the latest PS4 blockbuster games and PlayStation exclusives in stunning 4K from the PS4 Pro console on your 4K TV, and stream your favourite entertainment with incredible visual detail from 4K compatible services.
Faster frame rates
Increase your immersion in PS4 games with boosted frame rates* in a range of PS4 Pro enhanced games, made possible by the extra power of PS4 Pro.
*Compared to the PS4 console.
Double the power of PS4
PS4 Pro packs in twice the GPU power of the standard PS4 – letting you experience incredible image clarity, smoother gameplay and shorter load times in select PS4 Pro enhanced games 2 .
HDR technology
Enjoy more vibrant, lifelike colours and details in every part of your gaming experience when you play HDR-enabled games on an HDR-compatible TV.
Enhanced for PS4 Pro
Many of the biggest and best PS4 games get an additional boost from PS4 Pro enhancements that fine-tune the game’s performance.
From the stunning Manhattan skyline of Marvel’s Spider-Man and the towering Norse mountains of God of War, you’ll feel the power of your games unleashed wherever you see the Enhanced for PS4 Pro badge 2 .
4K gaming
Play the latest games in amazing 4K 1 clarity; sunsets become warmer, materials take on realistic textures and environments come alive like never before.
PS4 Pro upscales lower resolution games
to 2160p, to approach 4K 1 clarity.Stunning graphical details
With PS4 Pro, select games are enhanced as faces take on life-like realism, curves become smoother, corners are sharper and visual elements like hair, water and grass bristle with life.
Intensely vibrant colors with HDR
With an HDR TV, compatible PS4 games display a range of colors closer to the full spectrum that the human eye can see, delivering unbelievable vibrancy and lifelike details.
Incredible immersion
Action becomes faster, smoother and more explosive with support for faster and more stable frame rates 2 .
FPS boost: locked
Frame rates are boosted and locked in place for some games on PS4 Pro
FPS boost: targeted
PS4 Pro targets faster frame rates for select PS4 games.
Breath-taking environments
Close-up details and textures like dirt and rust become more intricate with PS4 Pro compared with PS4 – while darker, cleaner shadows at greater distances give games an enhanced sense of depth.
Incredible entertainment
Stream the biggest movies, TV shows and videos in 4K resolution 1 from Netflix, YouTube and a host of entertainment apps with auto-upscaling. Start watching now, via the TV & Video tab on the PS4 home screen.
Subscriptions to streaming services may be required (sold separately).
Enhanced visuals on any TV
Get a spectacular gaming experience from your PS4 Pro enhanced games – even when playing on a non-4K TV. Supersampling mode takes your game’s highest resolution and uses that extra visual information in certain games to deliver smoother curves, sharper edges and more refined details when downscaling to an HD TV.
PS4 Pro features
The PS4 Pro specs and features that drive the most powerful PS4 console.
- Connectivity
- Graphics
- Environments
1080p Share Play
Let friends share your games.
1080p Remote Play
Stream games to all your compatible devices in unrivalled detail.
Enhanced Wi-Fi
Choose from 2.4GHz and 5GHz modes to support your broadband speeds.
Anti-aliasing
Cleaner lines and sharper corners bring enhanced realism to games.
Visual FX
Visual in-game elements display incredibly lifelike movement and detail.
Greater draw distances
Horizons expand into the distance with improved focus and clarity on distant objects.
Vivid textures
Close-up details take on added intricacy to give an enhanced sense of realism to games.
Visual FX
Visual in-game elements display incredibly lifelike movement and detail.
Greater draw distances
Horizons expand into the distance with improved focus and clarity on distant objects.
Delivery of features varies according to game.
Sony Bravia 4K TVs
Pair the visual power of the PS4 Pro with cutting-edge picture technologies of the Sony BRAVIA 4K HDR TV range and see your games explode into life with vivid color and detail.
Find a PS4 Pro deal now
Buy your PS4 Pro now and take your play to the next level with 4K gaming and entertainment 1 , faster frame rates 2 and enhanced graphics.
Vertical stand sold separately
Screen images simulated. HDR capable TV, PS4 Pro games console and games title required.
1 Games and entertainment streaming services can output up to 2160p; PS4 Pro upscales lower resolutions to 2160p. HDR not supported by all games and entertainment streaming services. 4K/HDR TV required for 4K and HDR.
2 HDR and faster frame rates not supported by all games and video content.
Select games may have enhanced visuals, frame rate, or increases in resolution. ‘PS4 Pro Enhanced’ features vary by game. 4K TV Required for 4K visuals. PS4 Pro plays all PS4™ format games.
It’s useful to know how to move PS5 screenshots to your PC and phone, but it isn’t as easy as sharing PS5 screenshots and videos with other people.
By default, the PlayStation 5 captures a screenshot or video every time you earn a trophy, ensuring your proudest gaming achievements aren’t lost, but you may also want to keep a copy of this content on your other devices.
Copying screenshots to your PC is relatively straightforward. Just find a free USB stick, and you’re ready to go. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, getting the screenshots from PS5 to your phone is a lot more fiddly.
In the absence of a proper solution by Sony, we’ve found a clever workaround, which we explain below.
- Read our PS5 review – the future of console gaming is here
- The best PS5 games currently available
How to move PS5 screenshots to your PC
1. Find a USB stick and make sure you’re not overly concerned about what’s stored on it.
The PS5 should just create a new folder for screenshots without disturbing what’s already on there, but better to be safe than sorry, so make backups before you begin.
2. From the main menu of the PS5, head to Settings. It’s the small cog icon in the top right-hand corner of the home screen.
3. Scroll down to Storage and press to select it. It’s the seventh option down.
4. From the Storage menu, scroll across and select “Media Gallery,” where all your screenshots and videos are stored.
5. Highlight the screenshot or video you want to move to your PC and select it.
6. From the menu that appears, press Copy to USB Drive, and your PS5 will copy the screenshot or video to the USB stick.
How to move multiple PS5 screenshots to your PC
1. To move multiple screenshots from your PS5 to your PC in one go, follow steps 1 to 4 as described above, until you reach the Media Gallery screen.
2. This time, move to the left of the screen and press the button with two squares and a check box. When you hover over this, it will be labelled “Select Multiple.”
3. Now press X on every PS5 screenshot or video you want to move to your PC.
You can deselect an item by pressing X again. The options on the right-hand side will keep a running tally of how many screenshots you’ve picked.
4. Once you’ve got all the PS5 screenshots and videos you want to move to your PC, press the three dot button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, and choose “Copy to USB Drive.”
5. Insert the USB stick in your PC or Mac and open the drive The screenshots and videos will neatly be sorted into folders named with each game title, so it should be easy to find what you’re looking for.
How to move PS5 screenshots to your phone
Unbelievably, Sony hasn’t created a way to easily share screenshots and videos from your PS5 to your smartphone. But there is a workaround, which involves the Parties feature on the console, and the PlayStation app for Android or iOS.
1. Find a PS5 screenshot you want to move to your phone, using steps 1-4 as described in the first section above.
2. Open the screenshot, then press the Share button. It’s in the bottom left-hand corner of the image or video.
3. That’s right, you’re going to have to annoy at least one other person to get the screenshot or video on your phone. Either create a new “party” or choose an existing one to send the media to.
4. Once the party is created or selected, press Send and the screenshot or video will be sent to them. But crucially, the conversation will also be updated on your own phone.
5. Open the PlayStation app on your phone. If you don’t already have it, you can download the PlayStation app for Android or the PlayStation app for iOS. Sign in with your PSN username and password.
6. Once you’ve signed in to the app, press the Chat icon. It’s the one with two speech bubbles in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
7. Find the chat where you sent the media you want to retrieve. It’ll probably be the top one under Parties, as it is for us in the screenshot below.
8. Once you’re in the chat, tap the image to open it. You can then download the screenshot or video by tapping the down arrow icon underneath.
This isn’t an ideal solution, given you have to bother at least one other person to get to your precious screenshot. Alternatively, you can share your screenshot to Twitter and download it from there, but this means involving a lot more people. Or of course, if you have a laptop or desktop computer, you could move them via a USB stick, then email them to yourself, or save them to Google Photos or iCloud, before accessing them from your phone.
It’s not an ideal solution, so hopefully Sony will come up with a better option in the future, but for now these are the most straightforward ways to share PS5 screenshots with your phone.
More PS5 tips
We want you to get the most from your PS5, so we’ve pulled together a bunch of guides to help you use it.
On the DualSense front, we can show you how to update your PS5 controller to ensure it’s always compatible with the console, or save money by learning how to connect your PS4 controller to PS5. We also have instructions for how to turn off adaptive triggers on PS5 and how to use a PS5 controller on PC.
For those of you upgrading from a PS4, we also have tutorials for how to transfer data from PS4 to PS5 and how to play PS4 games on PS5.
There is no better feeling than being able to game on the go, and the PlayStation 4 allows us to do just this. Although the PlayStation Vita and PSP have been discontinued, we PlayStation users are still able to take their gaming on the go by connecting your smartphone to your PlayStation.
How to connect your phone to a PS4
By simply downloading the PlayStation mobile app and having wifi connection, we are able to take our PlayStation everywhere we go. Download the app and follow these instructions to be able to take your favorite PlayStation games everywhere with you.
Further reading
How to use the PlayStation Mobile app
The PlayStation mobile app allows you to browse PlayStation profiles, compare trophies, and purchase content from within the app. It will then automatically download to your console as long as it’s active or in standby mode. The app lacks some functionality such as messaging ,which has been moved to a stand-alone app, but it remains a worthwhile companion for PS4 owners. If you need to message a friend on PlayStation Network (PSN) or check your PlayStation account from your phone, you can also use Sony’s new My PlayStation social portal in your web browser.
Either way, we’ll take you through the process of connecting your phone to a PS4, step by step.
Step 1: Download the PlayStation app
Before downloading the PlayStation application for iOS or Android, you’ll want to update your smartphone or tablet to the latest version of the operating system. For iOS users, you’ll want at least version 7.0, while Android users will need version 4.0 at the very least. Once updated, head over to either iTunes or Google Play and enter “PlayStation” in the search field to locate the app.
Tap the Install button to begin downloading the app to your smartphone or tablet as you would normally, and launch it once installed. You’ll be prompted to sign in to your PSN account, which you’ll need to do. After signing in, you’ll have access to most of the app’s features, including events, livestreams, and the PlayStation Store.
Step 2: Sync your smartphone or tablet with your PS4
Previously available in the same app, the Second Screen experience is now only accessible via a separate app. Head to the app store on your mobile device and search for PS4 Second Screen. You can also find a link to your respective app store by hitting the PlayStation symbol at the bottom of the page and selecting Second Screen. Open the app and you’ll automatically be signed in under the same account as the main PlayStation app, and you’ll see any available PS4 systems that are ready to use.
Step 3: Use the app
With your smartphone or tablet now synced to your PS4, you have access to a wide range of features. The biggest difference you’ll notice once your phone and console are linked? Several PS4 games, such as Metal Gear Solid V and Watch Dogs, feature companion functionality you can use while gaming.
The Battlefield 4 app, for instance, provides access to your PSN friends and your multiplayer stats, and even lets you customize your weapons and character loadouts on your mobile device. The PlayStation App did once provide access to a messaging service, but communicating with friends and enemies has been relocated to the PlayStation Messages App, which is also free and available on both Android and iOS.
Using My PlayStation
If you don’t want to use a dedicated app to control your PlayStation friends’ list and a second app to message your friends, Sony also gives you access to your PSN profile through its My PlayStation service in your phone’s web browser. Introduced in February 2018, My PlayStation lets you message friends, view trophies, and update your profile on the go. It does not, however, allow you to connect directly with your console like the dedicated app does.
To use it, just head to my.playstation.com and sign in with your PlayStation Network account. You can also find it by visiting the PlayStation homepage and signing in — the My PlayStation tile will be in the top-right corner. Once you’ve signed in, you can view your friends list, trophies, and profile by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top of the screen. To message individual friends, go to their profile and select the Send Message option.
Using PS4 Remote Play
You can easily control your PS4 using Remote Play on your phone. First, make sure your PS4 is powered on. On your phone, go to the store and download the app .
Your PS4 will appear on a list in the app once you open it and log in to your PlayStation Network account. Choose your PS4 to connect. You’ll need to enter a code manually if the app doesn’t automatically locate your PS4.
You can easily connect your smartphone to your gaming system and use it for convenient gameplay. To get the ball rolling, all you need to do is log into the Remote Play app and choose your PS4. After the two devices have paired, you can take advantage of the virtual buttons feature to modify your phone into a controller.
This playing method won’t work all the time. Playstation reminds participants that a wide range of games does not support Remote Play currently, including games with restrictions on video content. You should also know that the Remote Play app won’t work if you’re also broadcasting, using Share Play, or streaming a movie or other forms of entertainment on a Blu-ray Disc or DVD. On top of that, you also won’t be able to stream music on Spotify while you’re logged into Remote Play.
A win for any smartphone user operating with iOS 13— you can pair your phone to your DualShock 4 controller through Bluetooth. This option is a useful device for any games supported by Remote Play as well as mobile games that are compatible with this controller.
