A practical starting point for shadPS4 on Windows.
Minimum specifications are a starting point; demanding games may need more.
| System | Windows 10 or newer, 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | 4 cores / 6 threads, above 2.5 GHz; x86-64-v3 support |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM or more |
| Graphics | 2 GB VRAM; Vulkan 1.3 with required extensions |
| Runtime | Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 x64 |
Add your dumped PS4 games and required system files following the upstream instructions. Check compatibility before testing a title.
Open the complete quick-start guide ↗Check the project's documentation and include your hardware, emulator version and logs when asking for help.
Browse project documentation ↗Practical answers for your next step.
Use the requirements table as a checklist for your own PC. Verify processor support, memory, graphics capabilities and the Windows version separately. The Vulkan version and required extensions matter alongside the amount of graphics memory. Read the linked upstream requirements if you are unsure how a specification applies to your hardware.
Once those checks are complete, follow the installation steps above in order. Keep a note of the emulator build you select so you can compare later results accurately.
Begin with one title and its compatibility report. Record the game identifier, game update and emulator version used in that report. Check the same details in your own installation before judging a difference in behaviour.
Change one setting at a time and note the result. This gives you a useful record of what helped and avoids mixing several configuration changes into one unclear test.
Write down your CPU, GPU, graphics driver version, Windows version and emulator build. Describe the last action before the issue and whether it happens consistently. Include the relevant log when reporting a problem through the project support channels.
Keep your description specific: a launch failure, a visual issue and poor frame pacing are different symptoms. Start with the project documentation and compare it with your notes before changing more settings.
