Parental controls on PS5 consoles
How to set parental controls on PS5 consoles
Learn how to set up parental controls and limit your child’s use of games, apps, and features on your PlayStation®5 console.
Parental controls and spending limits work alongside family management and playtime controls to help you manage your child's activity on your PS5™ console and on PlayStation™Network (PSN).
To set parental controls, you need your own account for PlayStation Network and an account for each child. If you set up the child accounts, you automatically become the family manager. If someone else sets up the child accounts, they can appoint you as a "guardian" to enable you to set parental controls and spending limits.
When setting parental controls, remember to adjust the console settings to prevent children from changing parental controls.
How to set parental controls for PS5 consoles online
- Sign in to Account Management > Family Management.
- Select the child you want to set restrictions for and select Edit to adjust each feature.
- Go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, and select the child.
Family Management allows you to schedule your child’s playtime, reset the password for their account, and more. - Select Parental Controls to choose a preset parental control level for your child, or create custom parental controls by adjusting each setting individually.
To make sure parental controls are effectively applied to your child's play, check the following.
- Your child has completed email verification.
- Your child is signed in to PSN on their consoles.
If you change parental controls settings while your child is playing a game, have your child log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.
How to set who can change your child's privacy settings
You can set who can change your child's privacy settings by visiting Account Management.
If you choose Set by Parent/Guardian, the family manager and parents/guardians can change the child’s privacy settings.
You can also select which settings (if any) you want to allow your child to change. If you do allow your child to change settings, you can also decide which options they can choose from for each setting.
You are notified each time the child adjusts their settings.
If you choose Set by Child, your child can change their privacy settings. The parents/guardians can only view the child’s privacy settings.
You are notified each time the child adjusts their settings.
- Go to Account Management and select Family Management.
- Select a child family member and then scroll down to Privacy.
- Select Set by and then select your style from the dropdown.
- Select Save.
If your child tries to start a restricted game, the game is blocked, and a screen appears. From here, your child can send a request for you to make an exception for the game. After they send a request, you, as the family manager, and appointed parents or guardians receive a notification as well as an email.
As the family manager, or an appointed parent or guardian, you can allow the received request in the following ways:
- You receive your child's request in an email. As the family manager or an appointed parent or guardian, visit the website specified in the email and sign in to your account.
- Select your child from the list of family members, and then select Allowed Games to view their request.
You can also view your child's request from the website below.
- Log in as the family manager or an appointed parent or guardian.
- Press the PS button to go to the control center and then select Notifications.
- Select your child’s request, and then select Go to [Allowed Games].
You can also manage your child's request by going to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, selecting your child, and then going to Allowed Games.
- When you want to allow communication features, follow the same directions as when you’re allowing games. Exceptions for games and communication features must be requested separately.
- Even if you change the parental control restriction level, your child can continue playing games that were allowed.
How to restrict communication and user-generated content on PS5 consoles
When you select the parental control setting Communication and User-Generated Content > Restrict, the following are disabled:
- Sending text messages and voice chatting with other players.
Sending pre-written messages in game is allowed. - Sharing user-generated content created by the child.
- Seeing another player's user-generated content.
You can prevent content not suitable for your child's age from being seen, as well as prevent information being exchanged with others. The user-generated content that can be blocked includes the following:
- Screenshots.
- Video clips (gameplay video).
- Gameplay broadcasts.
- Another player's user-generated content in game.
- Another player's personal description on their profile.
As the family manager, or an appointed parent or guardian, you can decide how much your child is allowed to spend each month. By default, the monthly spending limit is set to 0. If your child is going to buy content on their account, be sure to change this setting.
Please note, if you’re a "guardian" but not the family manager, let the family manager know if you make any changes to spending limits. If you’re the family manager, be aware that anyone you appoint as guardian can change the spending limits you’ve created.
- Change Playtime for Today
When you set the playtime duration for the day, the remaining playtime is displayed. You can also extend and reduce your child's playtime from here.
- Playtime Settings
You can select on which days and for how long your child is allowed to play. When your child's playtime runs out, you can choose whether they get a notification or are automatically logged out. The playtime duration for the day includes the playtime on your PS4 console. The total playtime is counted from both your PS5 console and PS4 console.
- Time Zone
Your child's playtime resets at 12:00 midnight in the selected time zone.
- Allowed Games
View requests to allow specific games and a list of games that already have been allowed. You can also allow games based on the request from here. - Family Member Information
View your child's sign-in ID (email address), Online ID, and name. The name shown here is the name that was entered when your child's account was created, and is not visible to other players. This name appears in emails you receive from PlayStation for this account.
- Reset Password
Change the password your child uses.
- Set age rating levels for starting PS5 games and apps
- Set age rating levels for starting PS4/PS3 games and apps
- Set age rating levels for starting Blu-ray Disc™
- Set age rating levels for starting DVD
- Restrict use of PlayStation®VR
PlayStation®VR is not for use by children under 12 years. - Restrict web browsing
- Restrict communication and user-generated content
- Age filtering for online content*
- Set monthly spending limit
If you set a spending limit for a child account, we’ll let that child spend up to that amount each month on PlayStation Store. The funds are taken from the family manager's wallet.
Please note, if you’re a "guardian" but not the family manager, let the family manager know if you make any changes to spending limits. If you’re the family manager, be aware that anyone you appoint as guardian can change the spending limits you’ve created.
- Starting PS5 games and apps
Can start content if the age rating is the same or lower than the child's age. - Starting PS4/PS3 games and apps
Can start content if the age rating is 15 years and under. - Starting Blu-ray Disc™
Can play disc if the age rating is 16 years and under. - Starting DVD
Don't Restrict. - Restrict use of PlayStation®VR
Don't Restrict. - Restrict web browsing
Don't Restrict. - Restrict communication and user-generated content
Don't Restrict. - Age filtering for online content*
Restrict. - Set monthly spending limit
0.
- Starting PS5 games and apps
Can start content if the age rating is the same or lower than the child's age. - Starting PS4/PS3 games and apps
Can start content if the age rating is 12 or 13 years and under. - Starting Blu-ray Disc™
Can play disc if the age rating is 13 years and under. - Starting DVD
Don't Restrict. - Restrict use of PlayStation®VR
Don't Restrict. - Web browsing
Restrict. - Restrict communication and user-generated content
Restrict. - Age filtering for online content*
Restrict. - Set monthly spending limit
0.
- Starting PS5 games and apps
Can start content if the age rating is the same or lower than the child's age. - Starting PS4/PS3 games and apps
Can start content if the age rating is 6 or 7 years and under. - Starting Blu-ray Disc™
Can play disc if the age rating is 7 years and under. - Starting DVD
Don't Restrict. - Restrict use of PlayStation®VR
Restrict. - Web browsing
Restrict. - Restrict communication and user-generated content
Restrict. - Age filtering for online content*
Restrict. - Set monthly spending limit
0.
* This applies to only some countries or regions.
Need help?
Contact our support specialists