How to Record Gameplay on PS4/Pro [4 Possible Ways]

Summary: In this article, you will find 4 ways on how to record gameplay on any PS4 machine, so that you can get a high-quality game capture file to upload to YouTube, or shoot the full show with no time limit.

The PS5 release is fast approaching in late 2020, and you still don’t know how to record gameplay on your PS4 console?
You may say: I know! I know the console itself can take the in-game moments, but the maximum length is just 15. 60 minutes? I need a longer capture.
Maybe also, you found the PS4-recorded masterpieces are not as excellent as you expected, with frame drops or buffering problems.
To make all the things related to PS4 game recording clear and help you work out a crisp game capture at will, this post will list 4 ways out there on how to record games on PS4, each of which is given with its pros and cons. Just select the one that suits you most.

Content Overview:
1 – How to Record PS4 Games with Control
2 – How to Record PS4 Games on PC with Screen Recorder
3 – How to Record PS4 Games with Streaming App
4 – How to Record PS4 Games on PC with Video Capture Card

Way 1 – Record PS4 Gameplay with Its Built-in Capture Feature

Pros: Auto-record, no third-party tool needed
Cons: 1-hour capture duration at most, only supports 30fps

To help gaming console users record and save their remarkable fight highlights for sharing, Sony has equipped an auto-record feature with its PS4 and Pro versions.

They two will keep a .mp4 record of the last 15-minute gameplay by default in the cache and if you don’t save it by double pressing the Share button, the machine will go on another 15 minutes and erase the previous segment continuously. Does PS4 only record gameplay no longer than 15 minutes? Not exactly. You can alter the “Length of Video Clip” from 30 Seconds to 60 Minutes. Although the maximum length is just 1 hour it may also be shortened due to your limited storage space.

As for dimensions, PS4 can record 720p @30fps and PS4 Pro 1080p @30fps, no higher resolution or frame rate is available to match the real 1080p or 4K performance.

Therefore, if you want to create an over-1-hour gameplay recording on PS4 or maintain the original 1080p or 4K @60fps video quality, you must seek for another capture solution. Keep on your reading to get more details.

Way 2 – Record PS4 Gameplay on Computer with Screen Recording Software

Pros: More flexible recording settings with no time/fps limit
Cons: Need a USB cable and PS4 Remote Play download on PC

PS4 supports 720p @60fps streaming and PS4 Pro 1080p @60fps. So recording PS4 games on computer is de facto a streaming thing. After downloading and signing in to the PS4 Remote Play app on PC, you need to define the favored resolution and frame rate on the Settings panel. Then connect your PS4 controller to a computer, PC, or Mac, with a USB cable to start to “Use this PC to enjoy your PS4 even while you are away from it.”

When your computer finds PS4 and switches to its display, you can start the game with a desktop screen recorder recording in the background. Here OSB Studio is recommended if you are a proficient software user. If you are a newbie, please turn to an easy tool like RecMaster.

RecMaster gives the simplest solution to any screen capture, PS4 game recording included. Once you install and open it, just choose Game Mode or Full Screen and then define the format (MP4, FLV, or AVI), quality (standard, high, and original), and frame rate (up to 60fps) as you prefer.

As a feature-packed recorder, RecMaster also enables you to take picture-in-picture gameplay tutorials or walkthroughs by showing your facecam in the corner, grab system or/and microphone sound, add your style watermark, set and enable a timed recording, and edit & share to YouTube. If you are going to run PS4 on multiple monitors, RecMaster can also capture them simultaneously.

Way 3 – Record PS4 Gameplay with Live Streaming App

Pros: No time limit, more fps options
Cons: Good internet speed required, FPS drops maybe

This is similar to the Way 2 remote streaming thing. You can directly stream your high-quality PS4 gaming with facecam or commentary by using a Twitch or Ustream account on the gadget or like Way 2 – connect to a PC for streaming on Twitch, YouTube, or more places. No matter what method you use, the final performance and recording quality surely rely on your actual internet (upload) speed.

With excellent bandwidth like at least 5Mbps for HD streaming and 25Mbps for 4K, you will obtain an HD 60fps game video with no time limit by leveraging the VOD service to achieve it or any third-party screen recording software. However, you should note that streaming platforms usually store the archived file within a period. So you still need to transmit to a local hard disk or cloud space for living forever.

Way 4 – Record PS4 Gameplay with Video Capture Card

Pros: Obtain the best video quality, 60fps capture, no time limit
Cons: The video may be oversized, you should get ready to break the bank

If you are strict with the capture quality, investing in a video capture card is the best way out. By employing a solid capture card like Elgato HD60 or 4K60, you can shoot the highest possible PS4 gameplay segment seamlessly. The workflow is not difficult:

You use an HDMI cable to connect your gaming console to monitor maybe a TV -> another HDMI cable to connect the PS4 (out port) with the capture card (in port) -> a USB cable to connect the capture card (out port) to a computer, either Windows or Mac is OK -> install the dedicated game capture software brought by capture card developer on computer -> Disable HDCP on PS4 and start then start the gaming and recording on computer.

These are the four possible ways on how to record gameplay on PS4. I believe after reading, you must have an overall knowledge of these PS4 capture stuff. My advice is if you come across some great game moments that just happened, PS4’s internal capture function is enough. If you are pursuing a game recording over 1 hour or 60fps while don’t want to spend a bundle, you’d better use the streaming method like way 2 and 3. If you are an advanced user and willing to put effort and money into game streaming or vlogging, a video capture card is a must-have.

You may also be interested in Best Game Recording Software