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The practical choice comes down to whether you want a party watch session, a stream for an audience, or another person to play. Share Screen and Broadcast let people see gameplay; Share Play is the feature for handing a visitor control or playing together. None of the three should be treated as a way to show every screen on your PS5: Share Screen and Broadcast hide other screens and non-game app screens, and a game may withhold some scenes.
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Which PS5 feature should you use?
“Game streaming” can mean several things on PS5. For a live watch party, Share Screen is built around sharing with people in a party. For streaming gameplay to viewers and managing comments, use the console’s Broadcast feature. For another person to control the game or join in, Share Play is the relevant option.
| Feature | What viewers see | What they can do | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share Screen | The host’s game screen and game audio. | If the host enables Viewer Interactions, viewers can move a pointer, ping, draw, and react. They do not control gameplay. | Letting party members watch and respond while you play. |
| Broadcast | A gameplay stream. Viewers can see comments if the broadcaster chooses to show them in an overlay. | Viewers can watch and comment. Sony does not document gameplay input from viewers through Broadcast. | Streaming to viewers or followers and managing stream settings. |
| Share Play | The host’s game screen is presented to a visitor. | Depending on the mode, the visitor can take control of the host’s game or play together with the host. | Handing someone the controller remotely, getting hands-on help, or playing together. |
For the exact feature instructions, see Sony’s Share Screen support page, Broadcast support page, and Share Play support page. The Broadcast link is Sony’s Canada support page; the Share Screen and Share Play links are US support pages.
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A quick way to decide is to ask what you need the other person to do. If they only need to watch, choose Share Screen for party viewing or Broadcast for an audience stream. If they should point something out or react while watching, Share Screen can add those limited interactions. If they should press buttons in the game, choose Share Play and check that the mode, account, and game are eligible.
Can viewers control your game through Share Screen?
No. Share Screen’s Viewer Interactions are annotations and reactions layered onto the viewing experience, not controller input. A viewer can point at an area, ping it, draw, or send a reaction when the host has enabled the feature. The documented actions do not move the player character, select a gameplay action, or operate the host’s game.
What Viewer Interactions do
- Move a pointer: the viewer uses the left stick to position a pointer on the shared screen.
- Ping an area: pressing the cross button marks a point for the host and other viewers.
- Draw: holding the cross button while moving draws on the screen.
- React: the viewer uses R2 with an action button to send a reaction.
The host can turn Viewer Interactions on or off before or during the session and choose where reactions appear. That makes it possible to invite feedback without handing over control. A viewer who wants to make a real gameplay move needs a Share Play session in a mode that permits it.
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Viewer Interactions are optional, not a prerequisite for watching. The host can leave them off when a clean viewing session is preferable, or enable them before or during the session when feedback is useful. This is the main distinction behind the similar-sounding terms “screen sharing” and “remote control”: seeing and marking a screen is not the same as sending the PS5 game controller input.
What can viewers see?
Share Screen
Share Screen presents the game screen and game audio. Sony says other screens and non-game app screens are not visible to viewers, and some game scenes may also be withheld depending on the game. It is therefore a way to show play, not a general-purpose feed of everything displayed on the console.
Do not plan on using Share Screen to walk a friend through a console menu or show a non-game app. The documented sharing is focused on the game. Even within a game, the player should not assume every scene will be visible: whether particular scenes are withheld can depend on the title.
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Broadcast also shares gameplay rather than other screens or non-game app screens; some game scenes may not appear. The broadcaster can decide whether to include microphone and party audio, adjust a camera, show viewer comments as an overlay, and enable chat-to-speech in supported languages. Available stream resolutions vary by service.
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When party voice audio is included, Sony advises telling party members in advance. The broadcaster can pause a Broadcast; while paused, the camera feed is held and all audio is muted until the stream resumes.
These settings make Broadcast a better fit when you want to manage how a live audience experiences the stream. You can choose whether your microphone and party audio are part of it, and whether comments appear on screen or are spoken through chat-to-speech where supported. The available resolution and frame-rate settings are chosen from the console’s options, but the available resolutions differ by streaming service; there is no single setting that applies to every service.
Share Play
Share Play presents the host’s game screen to a visitor so the visitor can take a permitted role in the session. It is not interchangeable with Share Screen’s annotations or Broadcast’s audience-and-comment setup. Eligibility and the selected mode determine whether the visitor can take control or play alongside the host.
In practical terms, use Share Play when watching alone is not enough. The visitor may either take over the host’s game in Visitor plays as you or participate alongside the host in Play with the visitor. The second option is for supported gameplay; it does not promise that every game or every multiplayer mode will work. Sony notes that game, account, and scene restrictions can apply.
How to start Share Screen and let viewers interact
Share Screen is intended for party viewing. Sony lists three ways to start it: from a party voice chat card, the Create menu, or a friend’s profile. Viewers receive a notification and can open the Share Screen card; a viewer can also request to watch another player’s screen.
- Start Share Screen. Choose the party voice chat card, the Create menu, or a friend’s profile and start sharing your screen.
- Enable Viewer Interactions if wanted. The host can toggle the option before or during the session. Leave it disabled if you want viewers to watch without annotations or reactions.
- Tell viewers what the controls do. For annotations, viewers move the pointer with the left stick, press cross to ping, hold cross while moving to draw, and use R2 plus an action button for reactions.
- End or adjust the session as needed. The host can toggle interactions during the session; viewers can watch without gaining game control.
Since interactions are optional and can be changed during the session, you do not have to decide in advance whether every viewer may annotate. A host can begin with plain viewing, enable interactions if the group wants to mark something, and turn them back off when needed. Whatever the setting, the viewer’s action remains an overlay-style response rather than control of the game.
Viewers should look for the Share Screen notification or card to open the shared view. A viewer can request to watch another player’s screen, but the request does not turn that viewing session into Share Play or grant control. If control is the goal, start the appropriate Share Play session rather than expecting a Share Screen request to provide it.
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Sony also says a PS4 player can be included using Share Play instead. That is a separate feature path, not a way to turn Share Screen into remote gameplay control.
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How Broadcast differs from party screen sharing
Use Broadcast when the goal is to run a gameplay stream for viewers and manage the stream presentation. Sony’s built-in controls include resolution and frame rate settings, microphone and party-audio inclusion, camera adjustments, comment overlays, and chat-to-speech in supported languages. The available resolutions depend on the streaming service, so there is no single resolution value that applies to every setup.
Broadcast requires a linked streaming account, and Sony notes that some services require two-factor authentication. Set up the account before you plan to go live, then choose the audio and presentation settings that fit the audience. Comments and chat-to-speech can make a stream feel more interactive, but neither is documented as giving a viewer control of the game.
Consider audio deliberately before starting. If you include party voice audio, tell party members in advance, as Sony advises. If you pause the Broadcast, the camera feed is held and all audio is muted until you resume. This is a pause behavior, not a switch to a different sharing mode; the broadcast remains a gameplay stream.
Share Screen and Broadcast are both useful for showing gameplay, but they serve different viewing contexts. Share Screen is organized around a party and optional viewer annotations. Broadcast has stream-oriented settings for camera, comments, audio, and chat-to-speech. Neither documented feature lets an audience member take over the game. If you need a specific person to provide gameplay input, plan a Share Play session instead.
Broadcast and Remote Play are unavailable during PS5 Share Play. If another person needs hands-on participation, choose Share Play rather than planning to combine it with a Broadcast.
When Share Play is the right choice
Share Play offers two relevant modes. In Visitor plays as you, control of the host’s game is handed to the visitor. In Play with the visitor, both people take part in supported gameplay. These are the documented options when watching is not enough and another person needs to provide input.
- The host needs PlayStation Plus for Visitor plays as you.
- Both the host and visitor need PlayStation Plus for Play with the visitor.
- Only one visitor can join at a time.
- The session ends automatically one hour after the visitor joins.
- Some games, accounts, or scenes may be ineligible or unavailable.
- Sony recommends a high-speed connection of at least 2 Mbps for both host and visitor for best Share Play performance. This is Sony’s recommendation, not a guarantee of a particular connection quality.
The membership requirement depends on the mode: the host needs PlayStation Plus for Visitor plays as you, while both people need it for Play with the visitor. The one-visitor limit also matters if you are coordinating a group. Share Play is a one-to-one visitor session, not a way to hand control to several audience members at once.
The one-hour limit is another planning constraint. Sony says the session ends automatically one hour after the visitor joins, so a long play session may need to be restarted. It is also possible for an otherwise available feature to be blocked by the title, account combination, or a particular scene. Check eligibility before promising someone they can take control or join in.
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Sony recommends a high-speed connection of at least 2 Mbps for both the host and visitor for best Share Play performance. Treat that as Sony’s recommendation rather than a guarantee of smooth play: meeting the figure does not establish that every connection or game will perform equally well.
A visitor using either mode needs a compatible controller to provide game input. A PS5-compatible wireless controller may be useful for someone who expects to participate through Share Play, but it is not needed simply to watch a Share Screen session or react to it. Viewers who are only watching should not buy or connect a controller on the assumption that it will give them control through Share Screen or Broadcast.
Choose by the job you need done
| If you want to… | Use… | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Let friends watch while you play in a party | Share Screen | Viewers can annotate or react only if you enable Viewer Interactions. |
| Stream gameplay to an audience and manage comments or audio | Broadcast | The broadcaster sets stream options; viewing or commenting does not provide game input. |
| Let another person take over your game | Share Play: Visitor plays as you | The host needs PlayStation Plus; eligibility limits apply. |
| Play supported gameplay together | Share Play: Play with the visitor | Both people need PlayStation Plus; only one visitor joins at a time. |
| Show a menu or a non-game app | None of these sharing features | Sony says Share Screen and Broadcast hide other screens and non-game app screens. |
If your main concern is audience size, choose based on how you plan to invite people: Share Screen is party viewing, while Broadcast is a stream for viewers or followers. The available information does not set a single audience-size figure for either feature, so do not assume an exact maximum from this comparison.
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If your concern is privacy or what will be on screen, remember that Share Screen and Broadcast are not feeds of the entire console. Other screens and non-game app screens are hidden, and game scenes can be withheld. If your concern is control, the distinction is sharper: Share Screen annotations do not play the game, Broadcast comments do not play the game, and only Share Play’s permitted visitor modes provide the documented gameplay participation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common misunderstandings and constraints
“They can draw on my screen, so they can control my character.”
Those are different kinds of interaction. Pointer movement, pings, drawing, and reactions are Viewer Interactions for Share Screen; they are not gameplay input. Use Share Play if the other person needs to operate the game.
“Broadcast is just Share Screen for more people.”
Both show gameplay, but the intended use and controls differ. Share Screen is party viewing with optional visual interaction. Broadcast is a gameplay stream with configurable audio, camera, comments, and chat-to-speech options. Neither is documented as remote player control.
“Every scene will appear in the feed.”
No. Sony notes that some game scenes may not be shown, and other screens or non-game app screens are hidden in Share Screen and Broadcast. The exact withheld scenes can depend on the game.
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“Share Play works for any account, title, or combination of features.”
It may not: Sony identifies game, account, and scene restrictions, and the available PlayStation Plus requirement depends on the mode. Broadcast and Remote Play cannot be used during a PS5 Share Play session.
“I need PlayStation Plus just to let friends watch.”
The PlayStation Plus requirements described here apply to Share Play modes: the host needs it for Visitor plays as you, and both people need it for Play with the visitor. Those requirements should not be mistaken for a requirement to use Share Screen simply for party viewing or Broadcast simply to stream. Check the selected mode and current account eligibility if you are planning Share Play.
“If the stream has comments or chat-to-speech, viewers can interact with gameplay.”
Comments and chat-to-speech are audience features for Broadcast. They can make a stream more conversational, but Sony does not document them as gameplay controls. Use Share Play when a visitor needs to provide input.
“A faster connection guarantees Share Play will work perfectly.”
Sony recommends at least 2 Mbps for both host and visitor for best performance. That is a recommendation, not a performance guarantee. Game and account eligibility still matter, and the recommendation does not promise identical quality on every connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can viewers control my PS5 when I share my screen?
No. Share Screen viewers can use host-enabled Viewer Interactions to move a pointer, ping, draw, or react, but those actions do not provide gameplay input. For another person to control the game, use Share Play’s Visitor plays as you mode if eligible.
Can someone play my game through PS5 screen sharing?
Not through Share Screen itself. Share Play is Sony’s feature for handing a visitor control or playing together. The host needs PlayStation Plus for Visitor plays as you; both people need it for Play with the visitor, and game and account restrictions may apply.
What is the difference between PS5 Share Screen and Broadcast?
Share Screen is party viewing with optional pointer, ping, drawing, and reaction features. Broadcast streams gameplay to an audience and offers settings for audio, camera, comments, and chat-to-speech in supported languages. Neither is documented as giving viewers control of gameplay.
Can viewers see my PS5 menus or other apps?
Sony says other screens and non-game app screens are not visible through Share Screen or Broadcast. Some game scenes may also be withheld, depending on the game.
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No. Sony says Broadcast and Remote Play are unavailable during PS5 Share Play.
How many people can join Share Play, and how long does it last?
Only one visitor can join at a time. The session ends automatically one hour after the visitor joins.
How fast does my internet need to be for Share Play?
Sony recommends a high-speed connection of at least 2 Mbps for both host and visitor for best performance. It is a recommendation, not a guarantee of a particular experience.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Share Screen is for party members to watch your game and optionally annotate or react; Broadcast is for streaming gameplay with audience-facing audio, camera, and comment settings. Neither gives viewers documented gameplay control. When someone needs to take the controls or play alongside you, use Share Play and account for its PlayStation Plus requirements, one-visitor limit, one-hour session, and game eligibility restrictions.
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