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 play time controls to help you manage your child's activity on your PS5 console and on PlayStation™Network (PSN).

To set parental controls, you’ll need your own account for PlayStation Network and an account for each child. If you set up the child accounts, you’ll 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 system settings to prevent children from changing parental controls.

Set up family on PSN
Prevent children changing parental controls

How to set up parental controls for PS5 consoles

You can set parental controls from a web browser or on your PlayStation console:

  1. Sign in to Account Management > Family Management. 

  2. Select the child account you want to set restrictions for and select Edit to adjust each feature.

  1. Go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > Parental Controls, and select the child account you want to restrict. 
  2. Family Management allows you to schedule your child’s play time, 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.

PS4™ console parental controls

Make an exception for a game on a PS5 console

If your child tries to start a restricted game, the game will be blocked, and a screen to send a request for the game appears. Your child can then request that you make an exception for the game. As the family manager, you and appointed parents or guardians will receive the request.

As the family manager, you or an appointed parent or guardian can allow the received request in the following ways:

As the family manager or an appointed parent or guardian, visit the following website and sign in to your account. Select your child from Family Management, and then select Allowed Games.

  1. Log in as the family manager or an appointed parent or guardian. Go to the home screen and select Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management. 
  2. Select the child that sent the request and select Allowed Games. You can manage your child's requests from here.
  • 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 already allowed by the family manager or an appointed parent or guardian.

PlayStation 5 console parental controls

Family Management and Parental controls on a PS5 console allow you to restrict child account access to network features, applications, and devices:

  • 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
    Requests to allow specific games and games that are already allowed are displayed. 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.
Age ratings

Preset parental controls on a PS5 console

  • 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.

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