Is it possible to play PS4 from an iMac? Yes of course. What about the Xbox Series X? Well, it requires a number of extra steps, but it’s also possible. In this article, I explain to you, step by step, What apps did I download and what steps did I follow to be able to play from my Mac to the consoles? PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
How to use PlayStation 5 on your Mac
To play PlayStation 5 on your Mac, the first thing to consider is the technical requirements. We briefly summarize them here:
- Key requirements: Update the Mac to one of the macOS Sonoma operating systems, or one of the previous versions, such as macOS Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, or Ventura. On the other hand, you must have around 45 MB of storage space, 2 GB of RAM or more and a USB port for the first connection.
- Controller to play– You can use any PS4 and PS5 controller, whether it’s the DualSense, the wireless DualSense Edge or the Bluetooth-connected Dualshock 4. You can also use other compatible non-proprietary controllers manufactured by third parties.
- Console: To play remotely, the PlayStation 4, its Pro version and the PlayStation 5 console are compatible. Of course, you need a high-speed Internet connection of at least 5 Mbps up and down. To play at 1080p, at least 15 Mbps over WiFi is required.
Once these requirements are clear, quite basic and easy to fulfill, it’s time to download the Remote Play app, currently in its version version 6.5.0. This is the official Sony application for playing the console remotely, so there is not the slightest problem.
And what are the steps to install and play? Very simple, although you must keep in mind that your console must be “open” to remote play. We will explain everything to you :
- Once the application is downloaded, Log in with your regular PSN accountwhich is the same account you use for your console.
- Then you will need to accept the app data settings, click on ‘Confirm and continue‘as seen in the image above. Don’t forget to also turn on your console to sync it.
- Finally choose the console you want to connect to. The link to the last connected console will appear if you have used this app before or it will search for other connections.
- And if not, no problem: the service will begin the linking process, searching for said console on the Internet. After a few seconds you will be connected and you can play.
If you click the gear in the app, you can choose the resolution you’ll play at and the frame rate. In games like “Bloodborne”, I recommend playing at high speed, although you will need a very stable connection. If you suffer from latency issues or games appear pixelated, in arcade games you may sacrifice a bit of resolution – and more if you play in windowed mode – to ensure smoother streaming.
And what happens if something fails or the console is turned off? You will see a message that the linked console could not be found. We tell you how to solve this problem.
How to Fix Connection Failed between Mac and PlayStation 4/5 Console
Why does the connection usually fail? Easy, because by default the PS4 and PS5 don’t have Remote Play features enabled
To enable them, follow these steps:
- With the PS4 console on, go to Settings > System > Remote Play then activate the “Remote Play” section. Enable this feature and grant permission from the console itself.
- If you’re on a PS5 and it’s in sleep mode, go to Settingsyou > System > Power saving > Features available in sleep mode.
- Now active Stay connected to the Internet and Enable “Turn on your PS5 from network” so you can use it from anywhere. With this, you will be able to turn on the console and play without having to press the power button, the controller, or the console itself. And that makes things a lot simpler.
In short, if everything has been connected correctly, you will be able to use a computer located anywhere in your home, by connecting to the same WiFi network or anywhere in the world if you connect from the PS Remote mobile application.
How to use Xbox Series X on your Mac
And now let’s change the third one. How do Microsoft consoles get along with Apple computers? Regular, really. Today, while waiting for sideloading to consolidate and for us to be able to access alternative stores and applications from developers outside the App Store, There is no official application to play your Xbox remotely from your Mac. However, there are several solutions. One of them is not official but just as functional.
In this case, there are two alternatives, as they say: if you have a subscription to the Xbox Game Pass service, you can play directly from a compatible and updated browser. The route is as follows https://www.xbox.com/es-ES/play. If you want to play the games in Spanish, it is important that you take into account this route, with the es-ES redirection, the one in Spanish, because otherwise the games will be loaded and played in English.
But of course, what if you want to play your Xbox remotely from your Mac and you don’t have an active subscription, are only interested in games hosted in the system or installed on an external hard drive? Here things get complicated. You can play your Xbox from a Windows 10/11 PC by simply downloading the Xbox app for Windows PC, but there is no official app for macOS.
No problem: there is an unofficial application. Of course, this has a cost: currently, a lifetime license costs 28.45 dollars but in exchange you can play streaming without problem. Once the application is downloaded, you will only have to configure your console to associate the two devices, Mac and Xbox.
To do this, follow the steps we indicate:
- Enter the Settings from the console and go to ‘Devices and connections‘
- Then enter the ‘Remote Features‘
- And finally on Enable remote features. From there you can do a connection test to measure latency, NAT type and measure, depending on whether you are connected to a WiFi or wired Ethernet network, the overall performance or if you need a firmware update to be able to play.
OneCast, in its version 2.1, allows you to play any Xbox One, One S/X or Series S/X console from your Mac and does not have a series of specific requirements, as does PlayStation Remote Play . While having, It even has an app for Apple TV and it’s the most stable of all the ones I’ve tried, which is why it’s the only one I would recommend. And with that, I spent the entire Halo Master Chief collection playing from the Mac, which would be early.
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