Share Play on PlayStation®4 consoles

Share Play on PlayStation®4 consoles

Pass the controls and let someone try one of your games, or play the game together, even if you're not on the same console.

What is Share Play?

You can use Share Play to play with a friend as if you’re in the same room. It allows you to invite a visitor to view your screen for up to 60 minutes a session. If you are stuck in a game, or want a visitor to try a game, Share Play allows you to hand over your controller to a visitor so they can play instead. You can also invite your visitor to play a local multiplayer session over the internet, even if the game doesn’t support online multiplayer. The visitor doesn’t need to own the game to use Share Play.

Who can use Share Play?

  • To start Share Play, you need to be a PlayStation®Plus member. 
  • You can use Share Play with players using a PS5™ console or a PS4™ console.

Choose a Share Play mode

When you start Share Play, you're the host and the player who joins is the visitor. Choose one of the two following play modes:

Your game screen appears on the visitor's screen. The visitor cannot operate your screen.

Your game screen appears on the visitor's screen, and the visitor plays as the host. The host must be a PlayStation®Plus member. 

Your game screen appears on the visitor's screen, and you both play together while viewing the same screen. The host and the visitor must be PlayStation®Plus members.

Start Share Play on a PS4 console

Select Share Play > Start from the party screen. When a visitor joins Share Play, your console’s screen is shared with the visitor.

To join Share Play as a visitor, select Share Play > Join Share Play from the party screen.

  • A Share Play session lasts for one hour and automatically ends one hour after the visitor joins.
  • When you're the host, only you can earn trophies during Share Play.
  • Only your game screen and audio are shared. Other screens and non-game app screens won't be visible to the visitor. Depending on the game, Share Play may not be available, or some scenes may not appear to the visitor.

How do I hand over my controller?

  1. Select Share Play > Give Controller to Visitor from the party screen.

  2. To take the controller back, select Share Play > Take Back Controller from the party screen.
    Even after you take the controller, your screen will be shared until you stop Share Play.

How do I start a local multiplayer session with Share Play?

  1. Select Share Play > Give Controller to Visitor from the party screen.

  2. Choose Give Controller to Visitor and select Play a Game Together.
    An additional controller is added to the game.

If you are having issues, go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > PS4 System Restrictions > New User Creation and Guest Login and then select Allow.

Share Play minimum connection speed 

To get the best experience from Share Play, both you and your friend will need a high-speed internet connection. The conditions surrounding the home network of each player may also have an impact on internet connectivity. As a guide, a minimum connection speed of at least 2 Mbps is recommended. To check your upload speed, please ask your network service provider for details.

When can Share Play not be used?

  • If the game that you want to share isn’t available in PlayStation™Store of your visitor's country.
  •  If the parental control level of the game that you want to share doesn't match the visitor's parental control settings.
  •  If the visitor's age is lower than the game's age rating on PlayStation Store.

Need help? 

Contact our support specialists

Contact PlayStation Support