If you’ve ever had a friend crash your place on a rainy weekend, or your little sibling begs to join your Minecraft world instead of watching you play from the couch, you’ve probably wondered can you play Minecraft split screen on PS5. The good news is it’s totally possible, and it’s far easier to set up than most people think. I’ve tested this across both the standard PS5 and PS5 Slim, with both the Bedrock and Java Editions of the game, so I’m breaking down exactly what you need, how to get it running, and how to fix the most annoying issues that pop up when you’re trying to play with a group.
Can You Play Minecraft Split Screen on PS5? Here’s What You Need First
Before you jump into setting up your co-op session, there are a few basic requirements to check off first. None of these are particularly expensive or hard to get, and most PS5 owners will already have everything they need to get started. One common myth I want to bust right away: you don’t need an active PS Plus subscription for local split screen play. PS Plus is only required if you want to join online servers or play with friends who are on a different console, so you don’t have to worry about extra fees just to play with people in the same room.
Here’s the full list of what you’ll need:
- At least 2 working DualSense or DualShock 4 controllers (the latter works with PS5 Minecraft too if you have old ones lying around)
- A display with a minimum resolution of 720p (1080p or higher is recommended for clearer split views without blurry text)
- A copy of Minecraft (either Bedrock or Java Edition works, though features vary slightly between the two versions)
- PSN profiles for all players (guest profiles are allowed if someone doesn’t have their own account, though they won’t be able to save progress to their own library)
Bedrock Edition supports up to 4 players in split screen, while Java Edition on PS5 only supports 2 players at a time, so keep that in mind if you’re planning a larger game night. If you have 3 or 4 people joining, make sure you’re launching the Bedrock version of the game to avoid disappointment.
Step-by-Step Setup for Minecraft Split Screen on PS5
Once you have all your supplies gathered, setup only takes a couple of minutes, even if you’re not super tech savvy. First, turn on your PS5 and connect all your controllers to the console. You can do this by plugging them into the USB port on the front of the PS5 for a few seconds to pair them, or hold the PS and Share buttons at the same time to pair via Bluetooth if they’re already paired to another device.
Next, sign each controller into a profile. If someone doesn’t have their own PSN account, you can select “Guest” when prompted for a profile, and they’ll still be able to join the game. Launch Minecraft, and either load an existing world or create a new one. If you’re creating a new world, double check that the "Local Multiplayer" toggle is switched on in the world settings menu. This is turned on by default for most new worlds, but if you’ve adjusted settings before it’s easy to accidentally switch it off.
Once the world is loaded, the second player just needs to press the Options button on their controller, and their character will spawn into the world immediately, and the screen will split automatically. For 2 player mode, you can adjust the split to be horizontal or vertical in the Minecraft settings menu – I prefer vertical split for building, since it gives each player a taller view of their surroundings, while horizontal split is better for exploration and combat.
If you’re adding a third or fourth player, just repeat the same step: have them press Options on their controller once they’re signed into a profile, and they’ll join right in. The screen will split into quadrants for 3 or 4 players, and you won’t be able to adjust the layout for those modes, but you can shrink the UI size in settings to make sure important information like health and hunger bars don’t overlap.
Common Split Screen Issues and How to Fix Them
Most of the time, setup works without a hitch, but there are a few common glitches that pop up for PS5 players, and most of them have super simple fixes. The most common issue I hear about is split screen not activating at all when the second player presses Options. 9 times out of 10, this is because your display is set to a resolution lower than 720p. You can fix this by going to your PS5 settings, selecting “Screen and Video”, then “Resolution”, and making sure it’s set to 720p or higher. Most modern TVs default to 1080p or 4K, but if you’re using an old portable monitor or a TV from the early 2000s, this is usually the culprit.
Another common issue is lag or frame drops when playing with 3 or 4 players. Minecraft is a pretty lightweight game, but loading four separate views at once can put extra strain on the PS5, especially if you’re playing in a world with lots of mobs, complex redstone builds, or huge farms. Lowering your render distance to 8 or 10 chunks will almost always fix this lag, even with four players active. You can also turn off fancy graphics, smooth lighting, and particle effects to get even better performance if you’re still noticing stutters.
If the second player can’t access their own skins, saved worlds, or inventory presets, that’s usually because they’re signed into a guest profile instead of their own PSN account. Have them back out of the game, sign into their own profile when you select users for the controllers, and they’ll be able to access all their personal data just like they would when playing alone. If you’re having issues with sound only coming from one side of the TV, head to Minecraft’s audio settings and turn on the “split screen audio” toggle to mix audio evenly across both sides of the display.
Tips for the Best Split Screen Minecraft Experience on PS5
Once you have everything set up and running smoothly, there are a few small tweaks you can make to have a way better co-op experience, especially if you’re playing with people who are new to the game. First, if you’re playing with younger kids or casual players who don’t want to deal with losing all their items when they die, turn on the “Keep Inventory” toggle in the world settings. It takes away a lot of the frustration of dying far from base, and makes the game way more fun for people who just want to build and explore instead of focusing on survival.
If you’re worried about a new player accidentally breaking your hard-earned base or messing up your redstone contraptions, you can set guest players to visitor permissions in the world settings. Visitor mode lets players interact with items like chests, levers, and crafting tables, but they can’t place or break blocks, so you don’t have to worry about coming back to your 50-hour build being destroyed by a friend who doesn’t know how to use a pickaxe properly.
If you play split screen often, invest in a second controller charging station to keep next to your couch. DualSense batteries drain pretty fast when you’re playing for 3+ hours at a time, and there’s nothing worse than a controller dying right as you’re about to defeat the Ender Dragon or find a diamond vein. Most charging stations are less than $20, and they’re worth every penny for regular co-op sessions.
One hidden feature a lot of people don’t know about is that you can combine split screen play with online crossplay. If you have a friend who’s playing on a PC, Xbox, or Switch, you can have two local split screen players join their online world together, so you can mix local and remote players for larger game nights. This only works on Bedrock Edition, though, so make sure you’re not launching Java if you want to use this feature.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you play Minecraft split screen on PS5 is a resounding yes, and it’s one of the best ways to enjoy the game with people you care about without needing multiple consoles or a stable internet connection. I’ve spent dozens of hours playing split screen with my friends, building silly bases, fighting the Wither, and even running through custom adventure maps together, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to experience Minecraft. Even if you run into a few small glitches during setup, the steps above will get you up and running in no time, so grab an extra controller and load up your world for your next game night.