MacOS
Connect your favorite supported PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo controllers to a Cronus Zen and a PlayStation 5, using the official Sony PS REMOTE PLAY app for MacOS.
👉 Before you get started, please review the PS REMOTE PLAY CHECKLIST and apply the PS5 CONSOLE SETTINGS.
Please read this important PS REMOTE PLAY CHECKLIST before setting up your PS5:
- You should be running minimum macOS 11.3 (High Sierra). All versions up to macOS 12 (Monterey) are supported.
- Make sure the device you are running PS REMOTE PLAY on is on the same network as your PS5 (preferably wired).
- Do not have any PlayStation controllers paired by Bluetooth to your PS5 (delete them).
- There may be no DUALSENSE Adaptive Trigger or rumble support in some PS5 games.
- Do not have any scripts or GamePacks enabled while setting up your controller.
You need to setup Zen Studio on a Windows PC, or Windows installed to a Mac using Bootcamp. Check out the Run Zen Studio on MacOS page for more details.
👉 This page includes the following official PS5 REMOTE PLAY for Windows setup guides:
- DOWNLOAD
- SETUP PS REMOTE PLAY
👉 Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Controllers to PS5 Guides:
- PS5 DUALSENSE to PS5 (USB)
- PS5 DUALSENSE to PS5 (BLUETOOTH)
- PS4 DUALSHOCK 4 to PS5
- XBOX SERIES X/S to PS5
- XBOX ELITE S2 to PS5
- XBOX ONE to PS5
- SWITCH WIRELESS PRO to PS5
- TIPS & TRICKS
DOWNLOAD
Download the latest PS Remote Play for MacOS (Click here for the official download page). Manually agree to the download policy by checking the box and the Download button will become available. The file is called RemotePlayInstaller.pkg; open it to install.
SETUP PS REMOTE PLAY
Select your preferred language, then click OK. It will download the installer file in your chosen language and ask where you'd like to install (leave this as default), click the Next and Install buttons to begin the installation of PS REMOTE PLAY for Windows.
If this is your first time running the app, it will ask you to sign in to the same PSN account (1) as the PS5 you want to game on. Enter your account details (2), select the Confirm and Continue button and you'll come to a screen asking, "Which do you prefer to connect to"?
Don't select PS5 just yet. You need to change a couple of settings (3) because you're not actually using the app to game on your PC, it's only being used to send your DUALSENSE controller outputs directly to the PS5, so all video quality settings should be set to their lowest - a sneaky way to bypass the third-party PS4 SPECIALITY controller block 😋
Select the cog icon on the left (3) and set the Video Quality for Remote Play to 360p, the Frame Rate to standard, and DO NOT check the HDR box if it gives you the option. Click OK to finish and that's all the setup steps you need to do for PS REMOTE PLAY!
Every time you load the PS REMOTE PLAY app in future, it will immediately ask to connect to your PS5 and away you go!
KNOWN ISSUE: The Zen may crash with an E3002 error if you press the mute button on the DUALSENSE controller (when muted the LED is ORANGE). Click on the mic icon to mute/unmute without risking the error (see image above).
👉 Here are the USB and Bluetooth PS REMOTE PLAY setup guides for every major controller to a PS5:
- PS5 DUALSENSE to PS5 (USB)
- PS5 DUALSENSE to PS5 (BLUETOOTH)
- PS4 DUALSHOCK 4 to PS5
- XBOX SERIES X/S to PS5
- XBOX ELITE S2 to PS5
- XBOX ONE to PS5
- SWITCH WIRELESS PRO to PS5
- TIPS & TRICKS
🎮 DUALSENSE (USB)
Setup Hardware: MacBook (macOS Catalina 10.5.7) w/ SONY PS REMOTE PLAY, DUALSENSE controller, Zen Studio , and Zen Firmware .
Connect the CRONUS ZEN to a WINDOWS PC (or to a Mac running BootCamp ) using the PROG (mini-USB).
- Open ZEN STUDIO > Device Panel > Select "Enable PS Remote Play"
- Wait for the Zen to restart, then check PS REMOTE PLAY is enabled (unplug and reconnect all USB cables from the Zen if it doesn't detect in Zen Studio after the restart).
- Once you have verified that PS REMOTE PLAY is enabled in Zen Studio, disconnect Zen from the PC and continue setup on your Mac.
- Connect the CRONUS ZEN to a MAC from both PROG (mini-USB) and CONSOLE/PC (micro-USB).
- Connect a DUALSENSE controller to A1 and press the PS button to power it on.
- Open the PS REMOTE PLAY app and select your PS5. (You can now move to your TV).
- Open ASTRO's PLAYROOM and select CONTROLLER DEMO. This will test every aspect of the controller including Vibration, Adaptive Triggers, Touchpad, Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Adaptive Triggers, and Mic (headset mic from PC Sound Card).
- The DUALSENSE touchpad LED is WHITE when browsing the PS5 menu and changes to BLUE as soon as you open ASTRO's PLAYROOM or any other PS5 game.
AUDIO: The DUALSENSE does not support audio over Bluetooth. If you wish to use a headset, connect it directly to the PC's sound card, and the controller mic also gets re-routed directly to the headset mic (you can test this in ASTRO's PLAYROOM - click on the mic icon in PS REMOTE PLAY to unmute, as pressing the mute button on the controller sometimes causes an E3002 error). If you don't have a headset and wish to use voice chat, you can also use a laptop's built-in microphone
🎮 DUALSENSE (BLUETOOTH)
Before you pair any controller to the Zen using Bluetooth, we recommend that you clear the Bluetooth pairing cache first. Open Zen Studio and go to Device Panel > click the Clear BT Devices button. You'll then get a confirmation pop-up; click Yes.
Setup Hardware: MacBook (macOS Catalina 10.5.7) w/ SONY PS REMOTE PLAY, DUALSENSE controller (fully charged🔋), Zen Studio , and Zen Firmware .
- Open ZEN STUDIO > Device Panel > Select "Enable PS Remote Play"
- Wait for the Zen to restart, then check PS REMOTE PLAY is enabled (unplug and reconnect all USB cables from the Zen if it doesn't detect in Zen Studio after the restart).
- Once you have verified that PS REMOTE PLAY is enabled in Zen Studio, disconnect Zen from the PC and continue setup on your Mac.
- Connect the CRONUS ZEN to a MAC from both PROG (mini-USB) and CONSOLE/PC (micro-USB).
- Press Zen's Bluetooth pairing button P2 until the RGBs flash BLUE.
- Hold the CREATE+PS buttons until the DUALSENSE lightbar flashes WHITE.
- Open the PS REMOTE PLAY app and select your PS5. (You can now move to your TV).
- Open ASTRO's PLAYROOM and select CONTROLLER DEMO. This will test every aspect of the controller including Vibration, Adaptive Triggers, Touchpad, Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Adaptive Triggers, and Mic (headset mic from PC Sound Card).
- The DUALSENSE touchpad LED is WHITE when browsing the PS5 menu and changes to BLUE as soon as you open ASTRO's PLAYROOM or any other PS5 game.
AUDIO: The DUALSENSE does not support audio over Bluetooth. If you wish to use a headset, connect it directly to the PC's sound card, and the controller mic also gets re-routed directly to the headset mic (you can test this in ASTRO's PLAYROOM - click on the mic icon in PS REMOTE PLAY to unmute, as pressing the mute button on the controller sometimes causes an E3002 error). If you don't have a headset and wish to use voice chat, you can also use a laptop's built-in microphone
🎮 CROSSOVER CONTROLLERS
If you wish to use any other controller with PS REMOTE PLAY, simply follow the instructions above, the only difference being a DUALSENSE controller connects to A1 as a license donor, and your preferred PLAYSTATION, XBOX, or NINTENDO controller connects to A3, or pairs to the Zen using a Wireless adapter or Bluetooth (if supported). It will emulate as an original DUALSHOCK 4 controller👍
TIPS & TRICKS
💡PRO TIP
Connect a wired Keypad or Keyboard to A2 or A3 and use it alongside your controller for powerful GamePack MODs, Scripts, and Build/Edit Macros. This is REALLY popular with Fortnite, CoD & Apex Legends players who are slaying with the new 32bit Community Supported GamePacks 😉
🚦LIVE MONITORING
If you wish to monitor controller outputs in real-time with Zen Studio, connect the PROG (mini-USB) cable from Zen to PC, and keep the Zen connected to your PC with the CONSOLE/PC (micro-USB) cable. Open Zen Studio and make sure the Zen is detected, then go to the Device panel and select Tools > Device Monitor (Shortcut: F3).
☢️ OFFICIAL TROUBLESHOOTING
Here are the official PS REMOTE PLAY troubleshooting guides:
☢️ PS REMOTE PLAY LAG
If you experience lag with the official PS REMOTE PLAY app, try Chiaki PS Remote Play, a very popular open-source alternative that is fast and easy to setup.
Many community members have also offered the following tips for lag free PS5 gaming:
- Your console and PS REMOTE PLAY Windows device should both be on the same wired network.
- If vibration ever lags, simply reset the PS REMOTE PLAY app.
- If you are using a modern USB-C mobile device, try a USB-C GIGABIT ethernet adapter.
- Upload speed should be at least 5Mbps - but the higher the better.
- Ping/Latency is super important. Anything below 20ms is good. Bad ping = 💀
- Try another device - PS REMOTE PLAY may not work well for you on a Mac, but Android Chiaki may be for the win.
Also, the Bluetooth pairing between Zen and your controller will be lost if....
- You connect the controller to a console directly by USB
- You connect the controller to a Windows PC directly by USB
- You pair the controller via Wireless adapter to any other device
- You connect the controller to A1 then connect Zen to a console
- You perform a factory reset in Zen Studio
For more detailed help, check out the extensive TROUBLESHOOTING 👈 guide.