How to Stream Directly from a PS5

You don't need a PC, a capture card, or any extra software to stream from a PS5. Everything is built into the console. This guide walks through the setup, what built-in broadcast can't do, and when it's worth moving to a capture card.

You'll need a PSN account and an account on Twitch or YouTube. If you're new to streaming on YouTube, set things up a day early. YouTube asks you to verify your channel with a phone number, and live streaming can take up to 24 hours to turn on the first time. You also need to be at least 16.

1. Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Linked Services.
2. Select Twitch or YouTube.
3. Select Link Account and follow the prompts. For Twitch, scan the QR code with your phone or enter the on-screen code at twitch.tv/activate.

Before your first stream, go to Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Broadcasts and pick a resolution and frame rate under Video Quality.

The same menu controls audio. You can choose whether your mic and your party chat make it into the stream.

While you're there, you can turn on overlays that show viewer comments and new viewers on screen. Convert Broadcast Chat to Speech reads chat out loud, if your language supports it.

1. Press the Create button on your controller.
2. Select Broadcast.
3. Choose Twitch or YouTube. You pick the platform each time you go live.
4. Enter a title, select Broadcast Options to add your camera or party audio, then select Go Live.

If you have a PlayStation HD Camera, or a PlayStation Camera, you can add a facecam and move it where you want on screen. Regular USB webcams won't work.

Once you're live, the broadcast card gives you quick controls to mute your mic, turn your camera on or off, and show chat. If you need to step away, pause the broadcast. Your camera feed holds and all audio mutes until you're back.

If your stream gets stuck on "preparing," try turning on two-factor authentication for your Twitch or YouTube account. Some services require it.

Built-in broadcast tops out at 1080p and 60fps, and the exact options depend on the platform. There's no scene switching, no custom overlays, and no starting-soon screen. Some games also hide certain scenes from viewers, so parts of a game may not show up on stream.

Audio is just as basic. You decide whether your mic and party chat are in or out, but there's no mixer for balancing them against game audio.

Built-in broadcast is a solid starting point if you're testing whether streaming is for you, or if you stream a few hours a week casually. It costs nothing, and the quality holds up fine for casual viewing.

Once you're streaming on a schedule and want overlays, alerts, scene transitions, or the ability to stream to multiple platforms, a capture card connected to a PC running streaming software is the practical next step. Starting with built-in broadcast doesn't lock you in. Your channel and followers stay put, though Twitch only keeps past broadcasts for a limited time, so download any you want to hold on to.

Our picks for the best capture cards for PlayStation 5 and our breakdown of live streaming on console vs PC both walk through what changes when you make that move.

Start with what's already in your PS5, and upgrade when the limits start getting in your way.