You probably went to the Microsoft Store, typed in "PlayStation," and found... basically nothing. It is a weirdly frustrating experience. You have this $500 machine sitting in your living room, and you just want to check your trophies or message a friend from your laptop without picking up your phone.
Honestly, the "ps5 app for pc" situation is a bit of a mess because Sony doesn't have one single, unified app like Xbox does. Instead, they’ve scattered the features across three different programs. If you’re looking to play your games, manage your hardware, or stream a library of classics, you need a specific tool for each.
The PS5 App for PC for Playing Your Own Games
If your goal is to sit at your desk and play Spider-Man 2 while your partner watches Netflix on the big TV, you need PS Remote Play. This is the closest thing to a standard PS5 app for PC that actually exists.
It essentially mirrors your console onto your monitor. You aren't "running" the game on your PC; your PS5 is doing the heavy lifting in the other room and sending the video feed to your computer. Because of this, your internet speed is way more important than how powerful your PC is. Sony says you need at least 5Mbps, but let's be real—if you have less than 15Mbps, it’s going to look like a blurry Lego set.
Setting it up is fairly straightforward:
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- Go to the PS5 settings, hit System, then Remote Play, and toggle it on.
- Enable the setting that lets the PS5 turn on via the network (this is key so you can wake it up from your PC).
- Install the Remote Play client on Windows 10 or 11.
- Sign in with your PSN ID.
One thing that trips people up: the controller. While you can use a keyboard for basic menu navigation, you’ll need a DualSense or DualSense Edge plugged in via USB to actually play most games. Some people have luck with Bluetooth, but for the full haptic feedback and adaptive trigger experience, a cable is usually required.
What Most People Get Wrong About PlayStation Plus on PC
There is a second "ps5 app for pc" that people often confuse with Remote Play. This one is simply called the PlayStation Plus app.
Unlike Remote Play, this app does not require you to own a PS5 at all. It’s Sony's answer to Game Pass. You pay for the Premium tier of PS Plus, and you get access to a massive catalog of PS4, PS3, and PS2 games that you stream directly from Sony’s servers.
Interestingly, as of early 2026, Sony has finally started rolling out limited PS5 cloud streaming to this app for certain regions. This means you can stream native PS5 titles without needing the console. However, it’s still a bit finicky. You can't use it to play games you bought digitally unless they are also in the PS Plus catalog, and the app interface feels like it hasn’t been updated since 2014. It works, but it isn't pretty.
Managing Your Controller with the PlayStation Accessories App
If you bought a DualSense Edge—that fancy $200 pro controller—you’ve likely realized you can’t change the button mapping or stick sensitivity through the standard Windows settings. For that, you need the third piece of the puzzle: the PlayStation Accessories app (formerly known as the Firmware Updater for DualSense).
This is a tiny, lightweight program. It’s strictly for:
- Updating the software inside your controllers.
- Creating custom profiles for the DualSense Edge.
- Adjusting trigger deadzones.
It’s not a social hub. You won't find your friends list here. But if your controller starts acting up or you want to remap the back paddles, this is the only official way to do it on a computer.
The Missing Piece: Why Is There No "Real" PS App?
The biggest complaint gamers have is that the actual PlayStation App—the one on iOS and Android where you buy games and see your captures—doesn't exist for Windows.
If you want to look at the screenshots you took in God of War, you have to use your phone. If you want to join a party chat without being in a game, you have to use your phone. Some people try to get around this by using an Android emulator like BlueStacks to run the mobile PS5 app for PC, but it’s a buggy experience and often breaks with new updates.
Sony seems content to keep the social and store features on mobile, while keeping the "gaming" features on these separate desktop clients. It's a fragmented system, but once you have all three installed, you can pretty much do everything you need.
Pro Tips for a Better Experience
If you’re going to use your PC as a secondary PS5 station, do yourself a favor and hardwire everything. Wi-Fi is the enemy of cloud gaming. An Ethernet cable running from your PS5 to your router, and another from your router to your PC, will cut your input lag in half.
Also, if you find the official Remote Play app too restrictive, look into Chiaki or PSPlay. These are third-party apps (not made by Sony) that often allow for higher bitrates and better performance on Steam Decks or older laptops. They take a bit more work to set up, but many enthusiasts swear by them.
Actionable Next Steps
- Download PS Remote Play if you want to play games you already own on your PS5 from your laptop.
- Install PlayStation Accessories immediately if you use a DualSense controller on PC to ensure you have the latest haptic drivers.
- Check your PS Plus Tier; if you want to stream games without owning a console, make sure you are on the "Premium" plan, as the lower tiers don't support the PC streaming app.
- Get a long USB-C cable. Even if your PC has Bluetooth, the official PS5 apps for PC are much more stable when the controller is physically connected.