How to install Q-Play on a Sony screen

How to install Q-Play on a Sony screen

Introduction

Q-Play lets you show your info screen designs directly on a Sony professional screen. You create and manage the content in Q-Play, and the screen plays it automatically.

This guide shows you how to install Q-Play on the screen, set it up for stable 24/7 operation, connect it to your Q-Play account, and keep the screen’s firmware up to date.

1. Before you start

Check the requirements and have these things ready before you begin.

Supported screens
Q-Play is available for Sony Bravia 9.0 models and newer.

Android version
The screen must run Android 10 or a compatible version. This guide is based on Android 10, so menus may look slightly different on other versions.

Latest firmware
Update the screen to the latest firmware before you install Q-Play to avoid compatibility issues. See section 6.

USB stick
You need a USB stick to move the Q-Play APK file to the screen.

Network connection
Decide whether to use Wi‑Fi or a cable. We recommend a cable, as it gives the most stable and secure connection.

Placement
Place the screen where it is easy to see at eye level, angled to avoid glare, and in a room with controlled temperature and humidity.

Language
Turn on the screen and select your language in the initial setup.

2. Download the Q-Play APK file

You download the installation file from your Q-Play account. Do this on your PC.

  1. Click Players. Log in to Q-Play. You start on the Dashboard. Click Players in the menu on the left.

Q-Play Dashboard with Players marked in the menu on the left

  1. Click Add new player. The button is in the top right corner of the Players page.

Q-Play Players page with the Add new player button marked in the top right corner

  1. Choose Built-in Display (SoC). The Add new player window opens and asks what type of player you want to add. Sony screens have a built-in player, so click Built-in Display (SoC). You can also type Sony in the search field at the top.

Q-Play Add new player window with the search field and the three player types Conference Room, External Player and Built-in Display (SoC)

  1. Click Download next to Sony. You now see a list of platforms, each with the buttons Install guide, Download and Connect. The APK file is saved on your PC. The screenshot shows the list for External Player, but the list for Built-in Display (SoC) looks the same.

Q-Play Add new player window with the platform list for External Player and the Download button marked

  1. Copy the APK file to your USB stick. You will use it in section 3.

3. How to install Q-Play on the Sony screen

Use the remote control on the screen for all steps below.

  1. Connect to the network. Go to Settings → Network and internet and select your network. A cable connection is recommended.
  2. Turn off power saving. Go to Settings → System → Power and energy and turn off all settings, including power saving.
  3. Set date and time. Go to Settings → System → Date and time, enable automatic date and time, and choose the 24-hour format.
  4. Open Pro Mode. Select Pro Mode Tool and then Pro Settings Mode.
  5. Install the APK file. Insert the USB stick, go to Install APK and choose the Q-Play APK file.
  6. Set AC Power to Always ON. This makes the screen turn on by itself after a power cut.
  7. Choose Q-Play as start-up source. Under Initial input source, choose Android app and select Q-Play.
  8. Enable Periodic restart. Select Daily and set the time for the daily restart. It takes 10 minutes before the setting takes effect.
  9. Enable the app. Go to Apps, select Q-Play and choose Enable.
  10. Press Start Pro Mode. You find it at the top of the menu. The screen now starts Q-Play.

4. Connect the screen to Q-Play

When the screen shows a connect code, Q-Play is installed and ready to be connected to your account.

Q-Play connect code screen on a Sony display showing the 6 digit code used to link the Player to an account

  1. Log in to Q-Play. Use the account the screen should belong to.
  2. Go to Players. Click Players in the menu on the left, and then Add new player.
  3. Enter the 6-digit connect code. At the bottom of the window, type the code from the screen in the Enter connect code field, and click Next.
  4. Add content to the screen. The screen starts playing it right away.

5. Leave Pro Mode or the Q-Play app

You need to leave Pro Mode to update the firmware, change settings that are not available in Pro Mode, or use the screen for something other than Q-Play.

Leave Pro Mode
Press Info [i+] → Mute → Vol + → HOME on the remote control.

Leave the Q-Play app
Enter the code 8920.

6. Update the firmware on the Sony screen

Sony releases firmware updates that fix errors and improve the screen. Keep the screen up to date to avoid problems with Q-Play. Leave Pro Mode first (see section 5). We recommend updating with a USB stick (option A).

Check the current version
Press HELP on the remote control. The model name (FW-…) and software version are shown on the screen. Compare the version with the newest version on Sony’s support page for your model.

Option A: Update with a USB stick (recommended)
We recommend this method. You get the newest firmware right away and can see exactly which version you install. It also works if the screen is not online.

  1. Download the update. Go to Sony Support for Professional Displays, search for your exact model (for example FW-55BZ40L), open the Downloads tab and download the newest firmware to your PC. Only use a file listed for your model.
  2. Extract the file. Unzip the download and check that the folder contains the files described on Sony’s page.
  3. Copy the files to the USB stick. Place them directly in the root of the stick, not in a folder, and do not rename them. The stick must be formatted as FAT32, exFAT or NTFS.
  4. Prepare the screen. Turn on the screen and remove all other USB devices.
  5. Insert the USB stick. Follow the messages on the screen. If nothing happens, turn the screen off and on again.
  6. Wait for the update to finish. It can take 15 to 30 minutes, and the screen restarts on its own. Do not turn off the screen or remove the USB stick while it updates.
  7. Remove the USB stick and check the version. Press HELP to confirm the new version number.

Option B: Update automatically via the internet
Press HELP and select Status & Diagnostics (if shown) → System software update, and turn on Automatically check for update. The screen will notify you when an update is ready. Sony releases updates gradually, so it can take a few weeks before a new version reaches your screen.

Start Pro Mode again
Go to Pro Mode Tool and press Start Pro Mode. Check that Q-Play starts and plays your content.

7. Next steps

Are you moving from Q-Play V1? See How to transfer all your content from Q-Play V1 to V2.

8. Frequently asked questions

Should I use Wi-Fi or a cable?
We recommend a cable. It gives the most stable and secure connection for a screen that runs all day.

Are my settings deleted when I update the firmware?
No. According to Sony, your settings are kept. Check that Q-Play starts again after the update.

The screen says no newer version was found. What now?
Your screen already has the newest firmware, and you do not need to update it.

The USB update fails. What can I do?
Delete all other files from the USB stick and try again. If it still fails, format the stick as FAT32 and copy the update files to the root again.

The screen does not start Q-Play after a power cut. Why?
Check that AC Power is set to Always ON and that Initial input source is set to Q-Play in Pro Settings Mode.

How do I get out of the Q-Play app?
Enter the code 8920. To leave Pro Mode, see section 5.