How to Fix PS4 Share Play Not Working?

The PS4 share play not working issue is a common discussion across many technical forums and finally, there is a solution.

If you are a victim of this issue keep reading to find all proven solutions summarized in a few simple methods that are highly likely to get your share play working again.

To fix your PS4 share play you should generally look in your router settings and health. The issue might not be related to your network, but the majority of people with the same issue have found the cause either in their modem or internet provider.

However, we have prepared troubleshooting methods that are proven to resolve not working share play issues from all natures, and hopefully, we can help you as well.

Why Is PS4 Share Play Not Working?

The general issue is that after a certain time, one party from the share play is no longer able to connect and host sessions.

It is well-known that basic operations such as PS4 restart or re-creating the game season does not work so there is no point wasting your time.

Contacting the official Sony support does not seem to have any effect either so we suggest bypassing that as well.

Having all that in mind let’s take a look at some possible causes for your share play PS4 not working issue.

Slow Network

Before we jump right into the solution methods you should ensure that your provider is not experiencing issues such as traffic throttle which might be a cause that you are not able to resolve.

At this point feel free to run an online speed test to identify current internet speed issues and check all of your Wi-Fi networks availability.

Wi-Fi Connectivity

If your internet does not seems to have any delay issues after running a speed test, now you can easily check if the share play issue is related to your network.

To ensure that the PS4 share play not working because of your network, simply host a hot spot from your mobile device and connect your PS4 to it.

If now you have access to the share play functionality go straight to our troubleshooting methods.

PS4 Wi-Fi Receiver

If you were unable to connect to share play even from your cellular network, your PS4 might have a faulty Wi-Fi receiver.

It is highly unlikely but still possible, and to ensure that, simply physically connect your ethernet cable to your PS4 and try to connect to share play.

If you are able to connect and host share play sessions after you’ve connected your ethernet cable directly to your PS4, we can safely conclude that there is an issue with your PS4 Wi-Fi receiver.

At this point feel free to take your PS4 to service and identify the hardware issue.

How To Fix PS4 Share Play Not Working Issue

The below methods apply only if you are able to connect to share play from your cellular hot spot but not through your Wi-Fi.

We recommend applying the steps in numerical order so we can tighten the circle of possible issues and hopefully resolve it.

We will start with the simplest methods first:

Method 1 – Restart Your Router

Your router might be having internal traffic conflicts formed overtime if not restarted recently so we recommend carrying out a reboot right away.

The power button is located on the back of the device and it is easily noticeable, where a simple press shuts off the device.

Wait at least 3 minutes before turning it back on and then try to connect to share play.

Method 2 – Ensure Active Traffic

If you are not able to access the PS4 share play even after restarting your router, ensure that you have active traffic on all your Wi-Fi networks.

You can simply try to download something or just browse the internet from your PS4 to ensure that there is an active connection with the modem.

Method 3 – Disable Parental Controls

If PS4 share plays not working you might have active parental controls configurations, and you should ensure that there are no logical conflicts somewhere in the settings.

To ensure even further, you just disable the parental controls for a while so you can try connecting to share play in the meantime.

Method 4 – Safemode Rebuild Database

It is possible for your PS4 to have corrupted data and by rebuilding the database you are going to resolve any issues related to it.

Here is how to rebuild your PS4’s database:

• Power Off the PS4
• Hold the Power Button until it produces two beep sounds. That means that the PS4 is entering Safe Mode
• Connect a DualShock 4 Controller with a USB-A cable to the PS4
• Scroll down and select Rebuild Database
• Wait until the operation is complete
• Try connecting to Share Play

Method 5 – Initialize Console

If all else failed and share play ps4 not working, it is time to initialize your PS4 as a last resort.

This procedure will delete everything from your PlayStation and restore all software settings and applications by default.

Note:

Ensure to create a backup of all important files and settings before initializing, otherwise everything will be permanently lost.

• Power Off The PlayStation
• Connect your DualShock 4 Controller with a USB-A cable to the PS4
• Hold the PS4 Power Button until you hear a two-beep sound.
• Once inside the Safe Mode Menu, scroll down and press Initialisation
• On your PS4 controller Press “X” to proceed
• Wait until the software is reverted back to default
• Connect to your Wi-Fi
• Try connecting to Share Play

PS4 Share Play Not Working Tips

If none of our methods was able to resolve your share play issue, here are a few tips and recommendations to prevent possible share play issues.

Setup DMZ

By putting your PS4 into the DMZ you should be aware that it will no longer be protected by the security features.

If you or your family are the only ones using your Wi-Fi network there is nothing to worry about, but any 3rd parties can easily access confidential network information.

• Open your PS4 browser and enter your Default Gateway IP. (The Default Gateway can be found by typing /ipconfig on a desktop PC’s command prompt.
• Log in using your router credentials (Usually admin/admin)
• Locate DMZ Settings
• Change the default IP with your IPV4 address that you can quickly find by searching in Google “what is my IP?”

Move Your PS4 Closer to Router

It is a rare occasion but some people with the share play PS4 not working issue have reported that they managed to resolve the issue by moving the PS4 closer to their router.

In that regard, you should take your PlayStation to the room where your modem is located. Then try contacting the share play using your Wi-Fi.

Contact Your Internet Supplier

You can always contact your internet supplier to ask if there are any current issues with the traffic and especially any issues with your network wiring.

You can also visit your supplier’s official website for any alerted maintenance that could be impacting your PS4 share play.

Bottom Line

We hope our methods and tips were able to resolve your PS4 share play not working issue and if you are still experiencing problems, you might pay attention to the PS4 hardware.

Visiting a local service for a closer inspection is recommended to identify the cause.

Read Next: Steps to fix PS4 power button not working.