How to game share on PS4 and play with a friend on another console

• Your PS4 offers two ways to share games — by designating another console as the primary PS4, or by activating Share Play.
• To give a friend access to your game library, sign in with your PSN account and set that console as your primary PS4.
• Using Share Play, you can invite a friend to take control of a game remotely or even multiplay together for up to an hour.

Want to share a game with friends or family members? Sony allows you to share your games with a player on a different PlayStation 4 — which means you and a friend can play the same game together even if only one of you owns the game.

PS4 supports both game sharing and Share Play — but they're slightly different features. By changing the settings on a friend's PS4, that PS4 can use game sharing to access all the games on your PS4. Share Play, on the other hand, lets you invite a player on another PS4 to a local multiplayer game, even if that game doesn't include online multiplayer.

What to know before game sharing on PS4

Game sharing is a great feature that's like sharing a book or a disc. Only one person needs to own it to allow the other person, on a different PS4, to "borrow" it. There are some caveats, though.

• Make sure you have Playstation Plus. In order to game share with someone, both you and the other gamer need their own PlayStation Plus subscriptions.
• Only game share with one other person at a time. If you attempt to game share with a third person, you run the risk that your account will be blocked, which will abruptly end your own gaming time.
• Be careful who you game share with. This process requires sharing your personal account information on another PS4, so only do it with people you trust.

Quick tip: While both players need to have a PlayStation Plus subscription, only the host needs to actually own the game.

How to game share on PS4

1. On the console that you want to share games with, log in with your PlayStation account.

2. Select Settings.

3. Select Account Management.

4. Select Activate as Your Primary PS4.

5. Confirm this choice by selecting Activate.

That's all you need to do. Now your friend will see all your games in their library and can download and play them.

Quick tip: You might have to deactivate your own console as your Primary PS4 for game sharing to work.

How to use Share Play on PS4

Share Play lets you invite a player on a different PS4 to watch your game screen on their console. You can choose to give the controller to your visitor, which allows him or her to take over the game and play as you, or to join the game and play it together.

Quick tip: To let your friend take control of the game, you (as the host) need a PlayStation Plus subscription. To play the game together in multiplayer mode, you both need to be PlayStation Plus members.

1. On the PS4's Home screen, select Party, then choose Start Party.

2. Select Create Group and then choose Add Players to invite the friend you want to Share Play with.

3. Start the game you want to play.

4. Press the Share button on your controller and then choose Share Play on the screen.

5. Select the friend that you want to share the game with. When they accept the invitation, a 60-minute timer starts in which the two of you can share the game.

During the 60-minute session, you can give your friend control of the game:

1. Press the Share button on the controller.

2. Choose Go to Party for Share Play.

3. Select Give Controller to Visitor.

4. You can now choose whether you want to Allow Visitor to Play as You or Play a Game Together.