Share Play has been around for a while and PlayStation platforms, but on the PlayStation 5, you can also do cross-generation Share Play. Share Play allows your friends to virtually hop onto your PlayStation 5 and either watch you play or play with you. You can even play split-screen co-op games with share play.
What you need to use Share Play
- Access to a PlayStation 5
- A secondary PlayStation 5 or a PlayStation 4 to connect to your PS5
- A good Internet connection (Sony recommends upload speeds of 2 Megabits per second)
- The PlayStation 4 needs to be running system software 2.0 or higher
Share Play won’t work if the game isn’t available on the visitor’s PSN store. It won’t work if your friend has parental controls enabled on their console. For example, if the restriction doesn’t allow M-rated games to be played on their console, they won’t be able to view or play those on the PlayStation 5 using share play.
There are 2 Share Play modes to be enjoyed on your PlayStation 5 console:
The Visitor Plays Your Game – If you need assistance on a particularly hard level or simply want to let your friend enjoy swinging around New York as the Spider-Man, you can hand them your controller virtually. If you’re hosting this Share Play session, you need to be a PlayStation Plus member, the visitor doesn’t need to be one.
Play Games with Your Friend – This mode allows you to remotely play a local cooperative game with a friend. For example, you can both enjoy shooting enemies in Borderlands 3 using the split-screen co-op. Both the host and the visitor need a PlayStation Plus membership to enjoy this feature.
The share play session only lasts 60 minutes. However, you can immediately start another session.
- Boot up your PlayStation 5
- Add the person you want to start a Share Play session with
Select the friend to start a Voice Party with - You can do so by searching for them on the Friends section and selecting Send Invitation
- Now start the game you want to play
- Press the PS button. The PlayStation control center will pop up
Pressing the PS button to open the dashboard - From there, select the party with a Voice Chat card
- If there are multiple people in the party chat, you could choose one person to share play with
- Now select Start Share Screen, and then Start Share Play
Inviting a friend to Share Play - You’ll be given the option of inviting a player from voice chat
- Invite the player and select which play mode you want, then start Share Play
A friend joined the share play session - You’ll be able to change the play mode or completely stop Share Play from the party Voice Chat card
If you’re on the receiving end of your friend’s share play session, here’s what you need to do:
- You’ll receive a notification on your console
Receiving Share Screen invite on PS5 - Open the notification and select Join As a Visitor
Joined a Share Screen session and watched a friend play - Alternatively, you can go to the Control Center and choose party Voice Chat card
- Now choose Join as a Visitor on the party chat screen
I received a Share Play session invitation from a friend - After a brief pause, the host’s game screen will appear
- Depending on the mode they chose, you’ll be able to watch them play or play along with them
Joined a Share Screen session hosted by a friend - Select Leave Share Play Session if you want to leave a session
The share screen feature allows other players to see what’s going on your screen as if everyone is in the same room. You can do so with multiple people already in your party voice chat. Share Screen only works when everyone has a PlayStation 5 – if you want to Share Screen with PlayStation 4 console players, you have to use Share Play instead.
- Start a voice chat with your friends
- Now on the party voice chat card, select Start Share Screen
Selecting share screen mode in party chat - When you’re done, choose Stop Share Screen
