How to Change PS4 Remote Play Resolution & Frame Rate on the Mac

By Jim Tanous on April 6, 2016 at 6:34 AM • @mggjim

Sony’s PS4 Remote Play is now available on Windows and Mac, but with relatively low default quality settings, some users may be a bit disappointed the first time they access their PS4 from their computer. In fact, when we first launched the PS4 Remote Play app for OS X this morning, we were dismayed at the low image quality and, worse, the apparent lack of ability to change the settings, despite statements by Sony to the contrary. But the solution, although not clear at first, is relatively easy: you need to change streaming quality settings before starting your PS4 Remote Play stream. Here’s how it works.

First, make sure that your PS4 console is running the latest software update, which as of the date of this article is version 3.50. You’ll then need to download and install the PS4 Remote Play app for OS X from the Playstation website. Connect your PS4 DualShock 4 controller to your Mac via USB, launch the Remote Play app, and sign in with your Playstation account.

Now, here’s the part we missed when first getting started: before you press Start to connect to your PS4 console, go to PS4 Remote Play > Preferences in the OS X Menu Bar. The Preferences entry is grayed out and unavailable once you start streaming from your PS4 console.

From this Preferences window, you can select your desired streaming resolution (360p, 540p, or 720p, with 540p the default setting) and your desired frame rate (30fps “standard” or 60fps “high,” with “standard” the default setting).

Once you’ve made these changes, you can close the Preferences window, return to the main PS4 Remote Play app window, and click Start to connect to your PS4 console and begin streaming.

Keep in mind that the higher the resolution and the faster the frame rate, the faster your network connection will need to be to ensure a good experience. Within your own home on a wired Ethernet network, for example, users should have no problem maxing out both resolution and frame rate, but if you’re using an older wireless spec, or accessing your PS4 from outside of your home network, then you may need to experiment with both resolution and frame rate to determine the best balance of quality and performance.

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Brian

so the highest resolution is 720p? smh
- TekRevue
  
  Yes, unfortunately. It looks “OK” at 60fps on a 2560×1440 iMac, but relatively poor on my 27-inch 4K display. The Xbox streaming in Windows 10 using the “very high” quality level looks much better, but it of course requires Windows 10 and is only available on the local network. So you’ve got PS4 with true “remote” support and available on Windows and Mac at lower quality, versus Xbox One with great quality stuck on your local Windows 10 PCs. Hopefully one or both platforms will move quickly to address their respective shortcomings.
  - Jessika S.
    
    Same here looks pretty good on 720p on my Mac on the same resolution your running also did it on my Macbook Pro 2015 and I feel like it looks good enough and it will probably get better with time. Xbox One runs at 1080p on Windows 10 which looks really nice.
Brodie

The Dualshock doesn’t work on my Macbook. The left and right stick buttons work but nothing else and the Dpad causes the whole app to crash.. Any idea why?
- TekRevue
  
  Interesting, I’m not seeing that behavior on either a 2014 15-inch MacBook Pro or 2013 Mac Pro. Have you tried swapping USB cables? And are you using a USB hub of any kind or connecting directly to the MacBook?
  
  Also, have you previously installed any third party controller utilities that do gamepad mapping?
  - Brodie
    
    I tried a different cable and it is connected directly.. the only 3rd party driver I had installed was for 360 controllers.. strangely enough after uninstalling the 360 drivers the blue light on my DS4 came on but still no luck.
    - TekRevue
      
      Assuming that the DualShock 4 works fine when connected to the PS4, the only thing I can think of is that the Xbox 360 controller utility introduced a compatibility issue that uninstalling it failed to fix. It’s possible that the affected files are local to your Mac’s user account. A quick test would be to create a new user account and try again from scratch with the PS4 Remote Play app. If it works, that at least tells you if the issue is on a system or user level.
      - Brodie
        
        Working fine now, Thanks 🙂
      - Ice21
        
        how did you make it work? i have the same problem you used to have
      - Brodie
        
        Go to system prefferences, users and create a new user. When you log in to that user remote play should work if it’s the same problem I had. It’s more of a work-around than a fix but it works.
      - disqususer03
        
        For me the problem was that I am using USB Overdrive. I had to disable it for “Any Gaming, Any Application”
Damon

Anyone know if you can connect the PS4 controller wirelessly? I know you can use it for other games on the mac, but does remote play require a wired connection? This feature is brilliant by the way, runs really smoothly.
- TekRevue
  
  Sony's official instructions currently say that the DualShock 4 must be connected via USB, but as you said, the Mac has supported the DualShock 4 via Bluetooth for some time now. What's curious, however, is that I just tried to test a Bluetooth connection with the Remote Play app, and now I can't get the controller to pair with either of our Macs here in the office. This is especially odd because I've definitely connected a DualShock 4 via Bluetooth to both of these Macs in the past.
  
  I'm now thinking that the installation of the Remote Play app may have, inadvertently or otherwise, changed something in the way that OS X talks to the DualShock 4. I unfortunately don't have another controller on hand at the moment but I'll test out my home PS4 and Mac (which doesn't yet have the Remote Play app installed) tonight.
  
  Anyone else able to successfully pair their DualShock 4 to the Mac via Bluetooth after installing the Remote Play app?
  - Damon
    
    I had a feeling there may be a problem there, that’s why I didn’t want to try to connect it via Bluetooth in case it stopped working altogether. Please post tonight if you have any success.
    - TekRevue
      
      OK, so I tested last night with a 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro and a separate PS4 console/controller and I was able to pair the DualShock 4 successfully both before and after installing the Remote Play app. But, as others have noted, Sony’s explicit mention of the USB cable is accurate: Remote Play won’t work unless the controller is connected via USB.
      
      As for why I was having problems with the Macs in the office, I’m still not sure, but I’ll continue to tinker with it and post an update if I discover that it’s anything broader than quirks with my own specific hardware.
      - Steve
        
        The annoying part is, if you start using Remote Play with the controller connected via USB, then disconnect the USB cable and push the Start button, the controller connects to your PS4 (if it’s in range) and then lets you select another user to log in as, and then will continue to remote play as that ‘other’ user. But if you try to then switch accounts back to ‘your’ user account, it disconnects. Really annoying.
      - TekRevue
        
        Yes, we’ve had that happen a few times already, too, as the PS4 is only 15 feet from the Mac. The Remote Play app for PCs and Macs is certainly new and buggy at this point. But, then again, the first month or so with the Xbox One app in Windows 10 was terrible, too, and now it’s nearly perfect in our experience. So hopefully Sony will get things sorted out quickly.
      - Steve
        
        Ok I found a solution. Start your PS4 and log in to an account you DONT want to play with. Use this account to log in to Remote Play on your Mac. Connect your controller to your Mac via USB and start remote play. Once connected to the PS4, unplug your controller from USB. Press the PS button to turn the controller on again. You’ll get the screen asking you which user you want to be. Select the one you DO want to use in remote play. You’re now playing wirelessly.
        
        The bugginess I think comes down to your setup. I’m using a 100Mbps fibre connection with my devices on Ethernet and it is flawless. Zero lag or dropout. I’ve also air played it from my Mac to Apple TV (also Ethernet) and it’s working great.
  - Mike
    
    Yep, I have successfully paired my Dualshock 4 to my mac after installing the app. I can’t, however, use the remote with the app when wirelessly connected, only through USB.
Orionsangel

Testing PS4’s new Remote Play on Windows at 720p High Frame Rate upscaled to 1080p

https://youtu.be/yqwlKx0zR48
Maurice Lewis

Can two dualshock controllers be plugged into the Mac for a game like Mk X?
- TekRevue
  
  No, it appears at this time that Remote Play on the Mac and PC is limited to a single local player only, although remote multi-player will still work.
Vishan Habeeb

I have been having trouble somehow. says, “cannot register to the PS4” been trying for couple of times. anyone knows anything about this?
- Nicolas
  
  Have the same problem, for two days now. Restarted everything, redownloaded the app. No use …. No solution (or even mentioning of this problem) to be found online. Seems like we are the only 2 :s
  - EchteBaas
    
    Same happened to me, and i fixed it. It appears your mac has standard your firewall to a pretty ‘secure’ mode which you need to loosen up a bit. To do so, go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Firewall. Over here check (and keep) your firewall on (you definitely do not want this to be off – which also do the trick but I recommend you to keep it on). Next, go to firewall options and tick off the option : “Block all incoming requests”, and keep on “Automatically allow signed software to receive incoming requests”. Try connecting again with Remote Play 😉
    - Nicolas
      
      Ok, this sounds promising. I will defenitly try this when I get home tonight. If this works: dan ben je een echte baas !
    - Nicolas
      
      apparently my firewall wasn’t even turned on. Needless to say this didn’t fix the problem -_-
      - EchteBaas
        
        The problem is how to identify the problem … First of all – you ‘should’ be able to connect properly, if there are no blocking things in your way. The detection on my part didnt went flawlessly. I added remoteplay on my own network (with PS4 and Mac in same environment) manually (Ps4 > Settings > Remoteplay > Add device … and type over the code). For the PS4 to connect to internet, I assigned in my network a static IP in the router, and turned on DMZ (demilitarized zone) for macadres/IP of my PS4. Such that Playstation.com or whatever playstation-server can find my PS4 remotely if im NOT on my home-network.
        
        How you configured the PS4 in your network and routed it properly goes quiet beyond the discussion. (Also your PS4 can connect through either wifi or cable … I am using the IP adres of the cable for the DMZ config in the router) … Also – IF your provider let’s you configure your router (KPN for me).
        
        Also im using a 3rd party firewall on my Mac (little snitch) which i uninstalled first to eliminate that …
        
        To make a long story short, eliminate as many factors as possible. (direct cable to your router/modem). And remove as many blocking firewalls as possible. You will feel like an Echte Baas if you finally get it to work ;D. Good luck
      - Nicolas
        
        After many different attempts I finally found the solution somewhere on a forum with no credit to the poster of the correct answer.
        When I turn my PS4 in rest mode, and launch the app from my mac, he found the PS4 immediately. Strange to say that remote play can’t find a PS4 that is turned on, but can when he is in rest mode.. Anyway this fixed my problem.
        
        Now When I put my ps4 in rest mode and I connect to it while i am at work I get the error that the internet speed is not fast enough. Although the speeds here at work are 230down and 60up. Another annoying little problem.
        
        Why is Sony doing this to me? I was such a fanboy for all of their stuff.. 🙁
Ice21

I honestly don’t get it. Updated the PS4, connected the controller to mac, downloaded and installed the remote play to mac. when the app connects, i have to press the ps button. ok, but for not even a second the app disconnects. what gives?
Eduardo Menegotto

In my Mb Pro Late 2012 the app crashes after type PSN, any solutions…somebody….please…
- Dmitry Kostin
  
  same problem here with the same laptop dunno what to do…
ValhallaOutcast

how do you know if its connected via home network vs internet?
- Netherdrake
  
  Yes i want to know as well!
Netherdrake

I used it yesterday. The quality was really pathetic. Probably due to my internet. Wtf is sony doing? Why not router based streaming? Instead they make it internet based! WOW! *Claps*
niko

when i open remote play and press start this pops up

Service Unavailable – Zero size object

The server is temporarily unable to service your request. Please try again later.

Reference #15.d4d91002.1460008991.28e393da
please help
Steve

I found that you can Airplay it to an Apple TV very nicely with next to no lag impacting the gameplay, meaning you can effectively play your PS4 on any TV in your house. The only frustrating part is you must keep the controller connected to your Mac with USB so if your Mac is in a different room to your Apple TV it’s no good.
- TekRevue
  
  Just need to pick up a bunch of USB extension cords 🙂
Duwane Taylor

can someone help? The app on my Mac crashes and it says, the remote play app unexpectedly quit
Funk

Is anybody else having sound and video lag on mac? I have my ps4 hardwired with fast internet connection and a 2015 macbook pro. I never experienced any lag playing world of warcraft or anything like that, but when I remote play it seems to lag like crazy.
Manu

Is it possible to connect two controlers on Mac OS X and remote play for playing multiplayer games ?
Manu

How to connect 2 ps4 controllers on a PC for multiplayer games ??