Skip to main content

How to stream on PS4

Streaming is more popular than ever, with creators dashing to share their experiences in Fortnite, PUBG, Overwatch, and more. In this guide, we’ll be showing the Sony fans among you how to stream on PlayStation 4 using a capture card and with the PS4’s built-in streaming capabilities.

Difficulty

Moderate

Duration

25 minutes

What You Need

  • PS4

  • Capture card

  • Twitch account

Although the PS4’s streaming ability is impressive, it’s not suited for those who want a full stream with commentary, interactions in chat, and overlays. Still, we’ll show you both methods for streaming on PS4 so you can broadcast your gameplay to Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and more.

Further reading

Use the PS4’s Broadcast feature

The PS4 and PS4 Pro have a “broadcast” feature built into the operating system. With it, you can automatically start streaming your gameplay to Twitch and YouTube, all with a few clicks of your X button. That said, there are some downsides when it comes to console streaming.

Streaming requires computing resources and, considering the PS4 is already operating on thin margins when it comes to rendering games, that could lead to a choppy stream. Furthermore, there are limited controls when it comes to the quality of your stream. If you want finer control over how you broadcast, we recommend method two.

Still, the broadcast feature is convenient, and a sure way to show the world your gameplay in an instant. Follow the steps below to get set up quickly.

Before streaming, you need to link your accounts. There are a variety of different services your PS4 can link with, but only Twitch and YouTube work for live video streams. To find the account linking area, follow these steps.

Step 1: Open Settings from the home screen.

how to stream on ps4 settings 768x431
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Select Account Management

Step 3: Select Link With Other Services.

Step 4: Select the service you want to use. We’ll be using Twitch for our example.

how to stream on ps4 link 768x431
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: Follow the instructions on the screen to link your account.

That’s it, really. Basically you’re just authorizing your PS4 to interact with these services, so the process is fairly painless. With Twitch, you’ll need to either enter a code on your computer or scan a QR code with your phone to authenticate your account. After that, you’re ready to start streaming.

Step 6: Adjust your video settings.

Step 7: All that’s left to do is launch a game.

Step 8: Once you do, you’ll be able to open the “share” overlay by clicking the — you guessed it — Share button on your controller. With this overlay, you can take a screenshot, share your gameplay with a friend, and more. For the purposes of this guide, click on Broadcast gameplay.

Don’t worry, you won’t start streaming right away. Before sending you live, the PS4 will ask for your video stream settings, as well as the platform you want to stream to. There aren’t a ton of settings, but you can still adjust the video quality, give your stream a name, and choose if you want to broadcast your PlayStation Camera and microphone.

Step 9: Finally, hit Start Broadcasting and you’ll be sent live. There are some advanced settings you can tinker with, but they’re not necessary for most people.

how to stream on ps4 broadcast settings 768x431
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 10: Start streaming. Now you’re streaming, but there are still some settings you can change while you’re live.

Step 11: If you’re encountering issues, you can open the share overlay again to find the Broadcast gameplay button replaced with a Broadcast Settings button.

Step 12: There, you can change aspects of your stream without going offline.

Step 13: More importantly, you can end your stream with the Broadcast Settings, which you’ll want to make sure you do whenever you wrap up.

Use a capture card

Using a capture card is the preferred method of streaming on PS4, especially if you’re serious about it. Although console streaming is far more convenient, it’s also far more limited. You can’t add overlays to your stream, webcams are supported but not in a customizable way, and you have very little control over your broadcast settings.

Enter the capture card. These little devices take the data from your PS4 that would normally be outputted to your TV and allow you to use it with your computer. With the video being streamed to your OS, you’re free to use third-party broadcast software, giving you far more control over your stream.

Furthermore, you’re reducing computing overhead. As mentioned, streaming requires computing resources on its own, and that’s in addition to the rendering your PS4 is already doing. Streaming on a high-powered computer with your PS4 will result in a far more higher-quality stream, so long as you have your video settings configured properly.

Step 1: Plug everything in.

Half the battle with a capture card is getting everything plugged in. The goal is to plug your PS4 into the capture card and then have that video stream sent to your computer. For most setups, the capture card works like a middle man, relaying the information being sent from your console to your computer.

how to stream on ps4 768x512
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: There are a few different setups you can have, though, which we’re going to highlight using some graphics from AVerMedia and its AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus capture card.

Step 3: If you just want to stream your gameplay, you’ll need to connect your PS4 to the capture card via HDMI, your capture card to a display via HDMI, and the capture card to your streaming computer over USB.

Step 4: For those who want commentary while playing, the easier solution is to connect your PS4 to your capture card and your capture card to your computer. The Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus actually has a headphone and microphone connection built in, so you can easily capture your voice while you’re playing.

Step 5: If you’re using something like the Elgato Game Capture HD60S, which doesn’t have a microphone input, you can still do live commentary. You’ll just need to set that up through your streaming client.

Step 6: Set up your streaming client.

Speaking of streaming clients, you’ll need a separate piece of software to stream when you’re using a capture card. Most capture cards come with some form of streaming or editing software bundled in. We recommend OBS, however. It’s open-source, easy to use, highly flexible, and, above all else, free.

Step 7: With it, you can set up multiple scenes, add transitions to them, and do picture-in-picture. We’ll leave the finer points of the software for you to discover on your own. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll show you how to get your PS4 running. Before streaming, you’ll need to connect your accounts, which you can do following the steps below.

Step 8: Open OBS and click Settings.

Step 9: Select Stream.

Step 10: Choose your streaming service and connect your account.

OBS supports Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and just about every other streaming platform. You can connect your account by logging in through OBS, but you don’t need to. All OBS requires is a stream key, which you can find in your account on Twitch, and the like.

how to stream on ps4 obs key 768x768
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 11: Still, in the settings, you’ll need to adjust some video controls. Under the Advanced tab, make sure you set your process priority to High or Above Normal. That way, OBS will take more resources to send your stream. If you’re having a choppy experience, closing some background apps can help, too.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 12: Otherwise, you’ll need to adjust settings in the Video and Output tabs. For the former, you can set your base resolution, as well as a scaled resolution. For example, you can capture in 4K and downscale it to 1080p for your stream. You can also adjust your FPS and downscale filter here.

Output is the most important section, however. Here, you’ll need to adjust two important settings: your bitrate and encoder. Your video bitrate determines the overall quality of your stream, with a higher number being better. Of course, this takes some experimenting, but the rule of thumb is to take your upload speed and divide it in half for your video bitrate. In OBS, the video bitrate is displayed in kilobits per second, so you’ll need to convert the megabits per second you’re getting for your upload speed.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 13: Next, you’ll need to set your encoder. OBS gives you the option between hardware and software encoding. Hardware encoding relies on your CPU, while software encoding uses the power of your graphics card. The one you choose is entirely dependent on the computer you’re using for the stream.

Step 14: For those without a decent GPU, using hardware encoding is usually better.

Step 15: If you have a decent gaming computer, however, you can get away with software encoding, as your PS4 is doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to rendering the game.

Step 16: Finally, you can close the settings. Now, it’s time to set up your stream. You’ll need to add your capture card input as a source in OBS, which you can do by clicking the Plus button under the Sources area. There are a handful of settings you can tinker with when it comes to new sources, but leaving everything on default should be fine.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 17: There are a variety of ways you can improve your overall streaming experience if you find yourself wanting more. One thing you can do is try using different sources and scenes to enhance your enjoyment. OBS allows users to scale and move sources around the streaming window however they please. With this freedom, you can easily implement cool features such as overlays, webcams, and comment tickers in your stream.

Step 18: That’s not all; you can also use the Scenes section to sprinkle overlays into the starting portions of your stream as well as throughout your transitions.

Step 19: Once everything is a go and your stream is ready for audience consumption, click Start Streaming to officially go live.

OBS is the most popular option among earnest streamers because of its flexible nature. That being said, beginners may gravitate toward OBS because of comfortability and because it simplifies the process.

Our overall favorite is Streamlabs OBS. We highly recommend it to everyone, as it offers an assortment of neat features, including a built-in chat, widget support, and free themes. Streamlabs OBS shares its source code with OBS but differs in its design in that it is specially made for streaming on Twitch and other similar streaming platforms. You really can’t go wrong with OBS; it will fit the bill for almost any of your streaming endeavors.

Editors' Recommendations

Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
Which is the best PS5 console Black Friday deal to buy?
ps5 new faceplate colors galaxycollection hero 0

Black Friday deals are the best time of the year to buy a PlayStation 5. There are some fantastic offers going on now that the PlayStation 5 slim revision is out and stock issues for the console seem to be finally behind us after a long time of issues. If you've been looking out for great Black Friday PS5 deals, we're here to help. We've picked out two of the best below and taken a look at what each offers. Read on while we take you through everything you might wish to consider, along with some advice on which console deal is best. No matter what you choose -- you're scoring an awesome new games console for less than usual.
PlayStation 5 Disc Console Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Bundle -- $499, was $560

Snap up this bundle and you get one of the best games of the year but you stick with the original PlayStation 5 which was very recently retired in favor of the slimmer model. It's still the PS5 we all know and love, but it's a bit bulkier than the slim while having slightly less storage space which can be rectified with one of the best SSDs for the PS5. There's also the delight of the adaptive triggers on the controller which work brilliantly alongside Marvel's Spider-Man 2 so you can feel more immersed in all the web-slinging that's going on. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is regarded as one of the best PS5 games around right now thanks to offering a compelling storyline and fantastic action. This time around, you can switch between playing Peter Parker and Miles Morales so it's great for Marvel fans. 3D spatial audio is available for the game so you get a truly immersive experience aurally too. Much of the fun comes from leaping around New York City with truly gorgeous graphics drawing you into the game world.

Read more
The best PS Plus Black Friday deals you can shop today
Sony's PlayStation Plus logo in yellow against a grey background.

Whether you're sticking with the PS4 or you've already upgraded to the PS5 with PS5 Black Friday deals, you can maximize your console by signing up for a PlayStation Plus subscription through this year's PS Plus Black Friday deals. The membership cost will eat into your allowance for buying video games, but if you're able to take advantage of the available offers right now, you won't even have to think about your PS Plus subscription for another year -- right into the thick of next year's Black Friday, when there will surely be another round of discounts for the service. We'll explain below what you need to do to enjoy the savings, so don't wait until the last minute of the shopping holiday.
Our favorite PS Plus Black Friday deal

There are three tiers to a PlayStation Plus subscription, which is a necessity for PlayStation 5 gamers. The lowest tier, PS Plus Essential, will let you access the online multiplayer modes of the PS5 games that you buy, while also giving you free games to download per month, extra discounts in the PlayStation Store, and secured save data through cloud storage. Originally $80, you can get 12 months of PS Plus Essential for just $60 through the PlayStation Store. To be able to purchase the subscription, take advantage of Amazon's 10% discount for $70 PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds, so you'll only have to pay $63. Once you get the digital code, you can use the funds to sign up for PS Plus Essential.

Read more
Even the two-week-old PS5 ‘Slim’ is discounted for Black Friday
A PS5 sits on a table.

The new revised model of the PlayStation 5 considered to be the 'slim' variant might only be two weeks old but it's already featuring in the Black Friday deals. Currently, Walmart has the PlayStation 5 Slim Call of Duty Modern Warfare III bundle for $499 so you save $61 off the regular price. That means you effectively get the game for free and score yourself the latest version of the PlayStation 5. Easily one of the best PS5 Black Friday deals around, let's take a quick look at why it's worth your time.

Why you should buy the PlayStation 5 Slim Call of Duty Modern Warfare III bundle
The slimmer design of the PlayStation 5 instantly makes it even better. While it's not exactly slim, it's certainly sleeker than the previous chunky PlayStation 5. You still get the same speedy hardware too which means games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 allows you to instantly fast travel with no loading times. Optimization is fantastic with all the best PS5 games looking exceptional.

Read more