Getting the Most Out of the PS4’s Share Button

The PS4’s top-of-the-class hardware has been a focus of discussion for the console since its release last year. However, there’s something else that it has that’s equally as important to the user experience: its Share features. Sony has invested a ton of time in making sure that sharing game experiences is not only supported on its current-gen console, but is made as intuitive as possible.

This breakthrough for the PlayStation brand has been such a key aspect of the PS4’s design that the new DualShock 4 controller has had a button integrated that is dedicated to hosting the Share features. Located to the left of the touchpad, it functions as a gateway between the user and others. Pressing it instantly offers options for sharing gameplay experiences with others around the world. This is one of the things that defines the new generation of PlayStation.

For many, the idea of a Share button is a foreign concept. To help guide you toward feeling more familiar with its power, below you’ll find information about what it’s capable of, and how to harness its potential.

Interacting with the Share Button

First, it’s important to note that the Share button has three modes of input: short press, long press, and double press. These three different press types result in the following outputs:

• Short Press – Displays the Share menu. Once in the menu you can optionally save a screenshot, video clip, or begin broadcasting.
• Long Press – Takes a screenshot on the fly.
• Double Press – Creates start point for video clip. 

Note: You can adjust what each press type does in the Settings menu.

Learning how to use these depending on the situation at-hand is important to maximizing the potential of the Share features. If you want to take a screenshot in the middle of gameplay, holding the button is the quickest way to accomplish that. If you’re interested in recording gameplay or a cool moment that you know is going to happen, the double press is the best choice. This will immediately begin capturing footage of your experience, which can later be uploaded to share with the world.

If you aren’t sure what button press to use, the Short Press is a safe bet. It opens up the Share menu, which then allows you to optionally save a screenshot, look through your saved Share content, or even record the last few minutes of gameplay. In the case of the latter, the Short Press is great for situations where you experience an epic moment that you would like others to see. The PS4 is always temporarily saving your footage in the background, and you have the option to create a video file out of that footage to make sure your best moments aren’t lost forever.

The Share Menu

You can access the Share menu at any time by tapping the Share button. In this menu, you have the following three options:

• Upload Video Clip – Shares up to 15 minutes of gameplay footage.
• Upload Screenshot – Shares a screenshot you’ve taken.
• Broadcast Gameplay – Begins a Twitch or Ustream livestream.

In the case of Upload Video Clip and Upload Screenshot, when you enter these menus you will be able to see all content you have stored on your PS4’s hard drive. From there, you can upload your content with just a few button clicks.

One common issue for Share fanatics is dealing with an overabundance of content. Having hundreds of videos and screenshots saved on your hard drive not only takes up valuable space, but also makes it more difficult to sort through content when uploading. To delete content, head into the ‘Settings’ area of the PS4 menu and look for ‘System Storage Management’. From here you can look at your content and select items in bulk before deletion. If you upload often, you may want to do this one per month to keep things tidy.

Video Clips

When uploading a video clip, you can choose to upload to Facebook or YouTube. It’s worth noting that you’ll need to have your Facebook or YouTube accounts linked to your PS4 (available in Settings -> PSN) before you can share on each medium. When you’ve selected a clip you want to share, the first thing you’ll want to do is trim it by pressing the Trim button on the top right. This will allow you to condense the footage to only include what you want others to see. Make sure to set your intervals to 1 or 5 seconds to ensure you’re cropping accurately. Viewers tend to lose interest in longer videos, so try to be as concise as possible.

Once you’re happy with your video, you can watch it by pressing the Preview button under Trim. At this point, you can add a comment to go along with the video. The comment should be something that makes your audience want to watch the video, whether it be a witty remark or one that shouts out what makes the video worthy of their valuable time.

When uploading to YouTube you’ll have a couple of exclusive options, one of which is the Privacy level. If you simply want to share the video right away, make it Public, but if you want to add annotations and some effects to the video before others can see it, post it as Private. You’ll need to use the PS4’s Internet Browser or a PC to access YouTube to edit the video and its settings once it’s uploaded, though.

In regards to editing, you may want to use the PS4’s SHAREfactory application to touch up your videos. It’s available for free on the PlayStation Store, and is a powerful tool for sharing your videos.

Also, you’ll want to define the Tags for the video. These help to attract people to your video when they’re searching. More is better in the case of tags, so try to incorporate everything related to your video whether it be the name of the game you’re playing, or something specific about the content (i.e. the last of us survival).

If you uploaded your video to Facebook you may choose to download the video by going to the video page and then clicking the Options button on the bottom right (this also applies to screenshots). This way, you can technically share the video anywhere you want

Screenshots and Broadcasting

Uploading screenshots is similar to uploading video, except that you don’t need to trim footage and you have the option to upload to Twitter. If you decide that Twitter is a place where you’d like to post your screenshot, you’ll want to be even more particular with how you word your comment. To get maximum visibility, you’ll want to post something that hooks whoever reads the comment, making them want to click on the image link. Humor is always good, and placing hashtags like #PS4 and one for the name of the game you’re playing (i.e. #DRIVECLUB) is always a good idea as it makes your tweet show up more often in searches.

The Broadcast Gameplay option is one that shouldn’t be underestimated. Livestreaming has boomed in popularity, with some streamers having upward of 10 thousand viewers at a single time. It’s an outstanding way to share your experience live with others, and interact with gamers in real-time.

You have two options for streaming: Twitch and Ustream. Twitch is a more popular option, but both work well. When you choose to start a broadcast, you’ll want to decide on if you want to show your face while you play (a PlayStation Camera is required). Viewers tend to enjoy seeing the person they are watching, but it isn’t required. Although using a microphone is optional, it’s ill-advised that you disable the microphone. Viewers will comment in a chat box as you play, and responding to them verbally is what they’re looking for.

Before you start the stream you’ll have an option for posting on Twitter and/or Facebook to advertise your stream. Be thoughtful with your comment in a way that’s similar to what’s mentioned above. Streaming is a competitive place, and a lot of the success comes down to getting your first few viewers in the lobby so that you show up higher in the broadcast list. Viewer count tends to snowball; once you have around 10 or more viewers, chances are many more will follow.

In a day and age where people are connected more than ever before, the PS4 Share button is an incredibly powerful tool. Nothing is quite as important as experience, so be sure to spend some time tinkering around with sharing screenshots, video, and even broadcasting so you can get a taste of what works for you and what doesn’t.