Yes, you can play a PS5 on a laptop screen using PS Remote Play or a capture card; most laptops can’t take HDMI video in.
If your TV is busy or you’re short on space, it’s tempting to grab an HDMI cable and plug the PS5 into your laptop. In most cases, the laptop won’t show anything, even when the PS5 is on. That’s because most laptop HDMI ports send video out, not in.
The good news is you still have two solid paths. One uses your home network to stream the PS5 screen to the laptop. The other uses a small device that converts the PS5’s HDMI signal into something your laptop can display.
Can Laptop Be Used As Monitor For PS5? The Two Real Options
Before you spend money, it helps to know what can work and what can’t. A standard HDMI cable from PS5 to laptop usually fails because the laptop has no HDMI input hardware. A few niche laptops do have HDMI-in, but they’re uncommon and often older.
| Method | What You Need | Best When |
|---|---|---|
| PS Remote Play over Wi-Fi | Remote Play app, PSN sign-in, Wi-Fi | You want a no-extra-box setup and you’re fine with some delay |
| PS Remote Play over Ethernet | Remote Play app, LAN cable for PS5 or laptop | You want smoother play with fewer stutters |
| USB capture card (UVC style) | Capture card, HDMI cable(s), USB 3.0 port, viewer app | You want the laptop screen to act like a real display |
| Capture card with HDMI pass-through | Capture card with HDMI out, plus a TV/monitor as a second screen | You want the lowest delay while still seeing the feed on the laptop |
| Rare laptop with HDMI-in | Laptop model that truly has HDMI input | You already own one and can confirm HDMI-in in the manual |
| Direct HDMI to laptop (typical laptops) | Just a cable | Almost never works, since the port is output-only |
| Portable gaming monitor | Portable monitor, HDMI cable, power source | You want a simple screen with no apps or drivers |
| Regular TV/monitor with Game Mode | Any HDMI display | You want the cleanest setup and the lowest delay |
Pick a lane based on how you play. If you stick to story games and casual co-op, Remote Play can feel fine. If you play fighters, shooters, rhythm games, or anything where timing is tight, a capture card setup tends to feel closer to a normal screen.
Using A Laptop As A Monitor For PS5 With Remote Play
Remote Play streams the PS5 screen to your laptop over your network. It works like a live video stream with controller input sent back to the console.
This method costs nothing if you already have the laptop and a stable network. The tradeoff is delay, since the PS5 has to encode video, send it, then your laptop has to decode it.
Step 1 Get Your PS5 Ready
- On the PS5, open Settings.
- Go to System, then Remote Play.
- Turn on Remote Play.
- In System, open Power Saving, then Features Available In Rest Mode.
- Turn on Stay Connected To The Internet and Enable Turning On PS5 From Network.
Step 2 Install Remote Play On The Laptop
Download and install the Remote Play app from PS Remote Play. Sign in with the same PSN account you use on the PS5.
When you open the app, select PS5 and let it search. If it misses, use the manual link option and enter the code shown on your PS5.
Step 3 Connect Your Controller The Right Way
For the smoothest input, plug the DualSense into your laptop with a USB cable. Bluetooth can work, but it can add another layer of delay and random drops if your laptop’s radio is weak.
Step 4 Tune The Stream So It Stays Steady
- Use Ethernet on the PS5 when you can. If you stay on Wi-Fi, place the console close to the router.
- Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi on both PS5 and laptop, not 2.4 GHz.
- Pause big downloads and start at 720p, then raise quality once the stream stays smooth.
Remote Play shines when you want a fast setup and you’re already inside the PlayStation account system. It’s a clean way to answer the question “can laptop be used as monitor for ps5?” when you don’t want to buy hardware.
Using A Capture Card To Show PS5 On A Laptop Screen
A capture card turns the PS5’s HDMI output into a video feed your laptop can display through USB. With the right card, the laptop screen feels like a real monitor, just routed through a viewer app.
This route costs money, but it can feel tighter than a Wi-Fi stream.
What To Look For In A Capture Card
- USB 3.0 connection so 1080p60 stays steady.
- 1080p60 capture at a minimum. 4K capture costs more and needs a stronger laptop.
- HDMI pass-through if you want to play on a TV while the laptop records.
How To Wire It Up
- Connect PS5 HDMI out to the capture card HDMI in.
- Connect the capture card to the laptop with USB.
- If your card has HDMI out, connect that to a TV or monitor.
- Open your capture app or OBS and pick the capture device as the video source.
Fix The Black Screen Before You Panic
If you get audio but no video, or a black screen, HDCP is the first thing to suspect. On PS5, HDCP is meant to protect video apps, and it can block capture devices. Turn it off in Settings → System → HDMI → Enable HDCP.
If the feed stays blank, power cycle the PS5 and the capture device, then reseat both HDMI ends. If the console is stuck on a bad output setting, Safe Mode can reset video output.
Once HDCP is off, your capture card should show the PS5 home screen in your viewer app. When you want to watch Netflix or another protected video app on PS5, you’ll need to turn HDCP back on.
Why A Normal HDMI Cable Usually Fails With A Laptop
People ask this because the ports look the same. HDMI is a connector standard, not a promise of input capability. Most laptops only include an HDMI output so you can plug the laptop into a TV.
To accept video from a PS5, the laptop would need an HDMI capture circuit built in. That feature is rare, so you can’t assume a laptop will do it just because it has the port.
Lag, Picture, And Sound Differences Between The Two Methods
Both methods put the PS5 image on your laptop screen, yet they feel different in use. Remote Play is more sensitive to Wi-Fi swings. Capture cards are more sensitive to USB quality and app settings.
Remote Play Feel
- Delay can change minute to minute if your Wi-Fi gets busy.
- Resolution can drop on the fly to keep the stream from freezing.
- Audio can drift out of sync if the stream stutters.
Capture Card Feel
- Delay is often steadier, even if it’s not zero.
- Image quality is tied to the card and the capture format.
- Audio is usually stable once the right input device is chosen.
If you want the laptop screen to act like a primary display for the PS5, a capture card setup is the closer match. If you want to play around the house with no extra hardware, Remote Play is the lighter lift.
Troubleshooting When The PS5 Won’t Show On The Laptop
When the setup fails, the cause is often simple. Work through the common blocks below in order. Change one thing at a time so you know what fixed it.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Black screen in capture app | HDCP is on | Turn off Enable HDCP on PS5, then reopen the viewer |
| No audio from the laptop | Wrong audio device selected | Set the capture device as the audio input in your app |
| Choppy video feed | USB 2.0 port or weak cable | Use a USB 3.0 port and a short, solid cable |
| Remote Play won’t find the PS5 | Console not in rest mode settings | Enable network wake in Rest Mode settings, then retry |
| Remote Play looks blurry | Stream quality set low or Wi-Fi congestion | Raise stream quality and switch to 5 GHz or Ethernet |
| Controller feels delayed on Remote Play | Bluetooth adds latency | Plug the DualSense in by USB while playing |
| Capture feed shows color issues | HDR mismatch between PS5 and capture path | Turn off HDR on PS5 and retest, then adjust capture settings |
| PS5 shows no signal on pass-through display | HDMI handshake issue | Power cycle the PS5 and display, then reseat the HDMI cable |
Extra Checks That Save Time
- Make sure the capture card is selected as the video source, not the laptop webcam.
- On the PS5, set Resolution to Automatic, then switch to 1080p if the card is 1080p-only.
Quick Setup Checklist Before You Start
- Confirm your laptop can’t do HDMI-in by checking the manual or specs.
- Pick Remote Play or a capture card based on how sensitive you are to delay.
- If you use Remote Play, switch both devices to 5 GHz Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- If you use a capture card, turn off Enable HDCP on PS5 for game capture.
- Use a wired controller when you want tighter input.
- Set your viewer app to full screen and disable extra filters that add delay.
Once you choose the right method, the original question “can laptop be used as monitor for ps5?” becomes a straight setup task. Remote Play is the no-hardware path, and a capture card is the closer-to-monitor path.