How to gameshare on PS4: share your PS4 games with friends and family (2025)

How to gameshare on PS4: share your PS4 games with friends and family (1)

Jump to:

    Want to know how to gameshare on PS4? Then you've come to the right place. While lending physical PS4 games to your friends and family is pretty straightforward, it's somewhat more difficult to share your digital PS4 library with others.

    Luckily there are a couple of ways you can gameshare on PS4, allowing you to either share your entire PS4 game library with a friend or family member, or to share a specific game with someone else – under your watchful eye. Sharing is caring, after all.

    Interested in sharing your PS4 games with others? Then read on for our simple steps on how to gameshare on PS4.

    • PS5 games: all the games rumored and confirmed for the PlayStation 5
    • PS4 Pro vs PS5: will it be worth the upgrade?
    • PlayStation Plus 2020: all the free PS Plus games you can get this month

    How to gameshare on PS4: share your PS4 games with friends and family (2)

    If you want to allow someone else access to your entire PS4 library, then this first method is the easiest option.

    Firstly, log into your PSN account on your friend or family member's PS4 console. Go to 'Settings', 'Account management' and then 'Activate as your primary PS4'. You may need to deactivate your own PS4 console as the primary console to do this.

    This should allow your friend or family member to download and play games from your PS4 games library on their PS4 console – but you should probably have them log into their own PlayStation account on the console.

    If you use this method, you can still play your PS4 games library on your own console at the same time. However, it's worth noting that only one other person can access your PS4 game library in this way. If you try to add more, you risk your account being banned.

    Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

    Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

    We also advise that you only share your PS4 game library with someone you trust, as you will likely need to follow the same steps on your own console to regain control of your PS4 games library, or if you change/upgrade your own PS4.

    If you want to deactivate the PS4 console you originally chose to share your library with as a primary console, but can't access it, Sony has a simple guide to allow you to do so – but this can only be done once every six months.

    If you don't like the idea of giving your friends or family members full access to your PS4 game library, or you simply don't have access to their PS4 console, then Share Play is perhaps a safer method to game share on PS4. Sony's Share Play feature allows you to hand over control of the game you're playing to a friend, while you watch them play.

    This method requires both you and the other player to have PS4 running system software 2.0 or higher. Sony also recommends a minimum upload speed of 2Mbps. Also, make sure you and the friend you want to Share Play with are friends on PSN.

    To start Share Play, go to your PSN friends list on your PS4 console, choose the friend you wish to game share with (they need to be online) and start a party chat.

    Next, load up the game you're wanting to play, press the 'Share' button on your DualShock 4 PS4 controller and select 'Start Share Play'. You can then send a Share Play invite to friend you want to share with – they just need to accept. This will link your PS4 consoles and your friend will then be able to see your screen.

    However, if you want to let them play the game, then you need to hand over your controller. This is done by pressing the 'Share' button on your PS4 controller again (with the game open), and selecting 'Go to party for Share Play'. On the right-hand side of the screen you'll see 'Share Play' with the amount of time left for your session, select that, then select 'Give controller to visitor' and then 'Allow visitor to play as you'.

    Unfortunately, Share Play sessions only last 60 minutes so you may need to keep restarting your session. In addition, while watching someone play through Share Play doesn't require a PS Plus subscription, giving the controller to a visitor does - however only the host requires an active PS Plus subscription.

    If you want to take back control, simply select 'Take back controller' from the same menu you selected 'Give controller to visitor'. You can pass control back and forth as often as you want.

    It's worth noting that only the host needs to own the game for both people to play.

    If you want to share and play a PS4 game's local multiplayer or co-op mode with a friend, follow the method above but instead of selecting 'Allow visitor to play as you', select 'Play a game together'. This will make your friend player two.

    However, to play a game together, both the host and the visitor require active PS Plus subscriptions.

    • Best PS4 games: the most essential PlayStation 4 releases

    Vic Hood

    Freelance writer

    An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.

    Latest

    Sony WH-1000XM6: rumored release date, and possible early leaksWill LLMs become the ultimate mediators for better and for worse? DeepMind researchers and Reddit users seem to agree on thatAntennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro review: a powerful TV antenna for indoor and outdoor installation
    See more latest►

    TOPICS

    Most Popular
    How to watch Scull vs Shishkin: live stream IBF super middleweight title online for FREE, undercard, broadcaster update, now
    How to watch DI Ray season 2 online: stream British crime drama
    Tottenham vs West Ham live stream: how to watch Premier League 2024/25 online from anywhere, team news
    How to print from Facebook
    How to watch The Devil's Climb online: stream Alex Honnold 2024 documentary from anywhere
    Where to watch Rivals season 1 online and from around the world
    How to watch Pacific Championships 2024: free live streams for rugby league tournament, fixtures
    I've used Apple Intelligence Writing Tools for months and it has seriously improved the Notes app - here's how to use it
    How to watch The Man Who Definitely Didn’t Steal Hollywood online from anywhere
    How to remove yourself from a group text on Android
    How to print from Canva
    How to gameshare on PS4: share your PS4 games with friends and family (2025)
    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Tyson Zemlak

    Last Updated:

    Views: 5431

    Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

    Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Tyson Zemlak

    Birthday: 1992-03-17

    Address: Apt. 662 96191 Quigley Dam, Kubview, MA 42013

    Phone: +441678032891

    Job: Community-Services Orchestrator

    Hobby: Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Metalworking, Fashion, Vehicle restoration, Shopping, Photography

    Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.