Can my child play online multiplayer games safely on PlayStation?

Online multiplayer can be made safer by setting Communication and User-Generated Content to Restrict, which disables sending text messages and voice chatting with other players. Sending pre-written messages in-game is still allowed, and some games have in-game text chat that may not be covered by PlayStation's communication restrictions. If your child tries to use communication features in a game, they can ask you for an exception, which you can allow or decline. Review each game individually and discuss online safety with your child before allowing online play.

How do I prevent my child buying games or add-ons on the PlayStation Store?

Set a monthly spending limit of 0 in Family Management to block all purchases (the default limit is 0, so you must change it if you want your child to be able to buy anything). When your child buys content on their account, payment is taken from the family manager's wallet. Additionally, turn on 'Require Password at Checkout' on your own family manager account, so nobody can buy from the PlayStation Store with that account without its password (PS5: Settings > Users and Accounts > Account > Payment and Subscriptions > Purchase Settings; PS4: Settings > Account Management > Account Information > Wallet > Purchase Settings > Require Password for Purchases > Yes). If you already have a passkey set up, you can't turn on 'Require Password at Checkout'. Sony says this password requirement does not apply to child accounts, so the monthly spending limit of 0 is what stops purchases on your child's own account. Child accounts cannot add payment methods or wallet funds, and their purchases are paid from the family manager's wallet.

How do I set parental controls on a PS5?

First create a family and add your child as a family member with their own child account. Then, on the PS5, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select your child and select a parental control to set. You can set age levels for games and apps, Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, PlayStation VR/VR2 use, Web Browsing, Communication and User-Generated Content, the Monthly Spending Limit, Playtime Settings and Allowed Games. To stop your child changing these settings, change the console restriction passcode at Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions (the default is 0000). Your child must have completed email verification and be signed in on their console for the controls to be effective.

How do I set parental controls on a PS4?

Sign in and go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management. If you are adding a member for the first time, select Set Up Now > Create User; to add another child, select Add Family Member > Create User. Select your child and select a parental control to set, such as Age Level for Games, Use of Internet Browser, Communication and User-Generated Content, Playtime Settings or the Monthly Spending Limit (under Applications/Devices/Network Features). To stop your child changing the settings, change the system restriction passcode at Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > PS4 System Restrictions (the default is 0000).

Can I set PlayStation parental controls from my phone?

Yes. The PlayStation Family app lets you manage your family from your smart device: set up your family, set parental controls (games and apps, online communication, spending, web browsing, age filtering where available, VR and Blu-ray/DVD levels), set playtime and manage privacy settings. It also shows what game your child is playing and its age rating, and an activity summary for the last 7 days. Some family features may only be available through the app. You can also sign in to Account Management on the web, select Family Management, select your child and select Edit.

How do I limit playtime on PlayStation?

Sign in as the family manager or an appointed parent/guardian, go to Family Management and select your child (PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management; PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management). Set a Time Zone, then select Playtime Settings. Choose whether to restrict playtime, what happens when playtime ends ('Notify Only' or 'Log Out'), and the Playtime Duration and Playable Hours for every day or specific days, then select Save. Notifications appear at the top of the screen as playtime nears its end. The limits apply to both a PS5 and a PS4 if your child uses both, and a child on a PS5 can ask for more playtime, which you can accept or decline.

Can my child turn off PlayStation parental controls?

Not easily, if you lock the console settings. A console restriction passcode (PS5) or system restriction passcode (PS4) prevents your child from changing parental controls; the default is 0000, so change it to a four-digit passcode only you know. Also set a login passcode, because otherwise child family members may be able to avoid parental controls, and set User Creation and Guest Login to 'Not Allowed' so your child cannot create a new unrestricted account instead of using the one you made. You can also decide who can change your child's privacy settings (Parent/Guardian or Child). Parental controls are tied to accounts, so keep your child on their own child account.

Sony

PlayStation Parental Controls & Safety Guide

Complete guide to setting up parental controls on PlayStation consoles (PS5/PS4) to keep children safe while gaming.

PlayStation is Sony's games console, offering Family Management controls that let parents set spending limits, restrict games by age rating, and manage online chat and play time.

To set parental controls on a PlayStation, create a family, add your child as a family member with their own child account, then set parental controls for that child. You can do this on the console (PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management; PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management), on the web by signing in to Account Management and selecting Family Management, or in the PlayStation Family app. Parental controls are tied to your child's account, so a change you make on one device also applies on the others. PlayStation consoles (PS5 and PS4) are among the most popular gaming platforms for children and teenagers in the UK. Sony provides comprehensive parental controls through the PlayStation Family Management system, allowing parents to restrict games by age rating, limit online interactions, control spending, and manage play time. The built-in web browser and streaming apps also require consideration.

Recommended age: 7+

Main risks

• Playing games with content unsuitable for their age (violence, mature themes)
• Communicating with strangers through voice chat and messaging in online multiplayer games
• Making unauthorised purchases on the PlayStation Store using stored payment methods
• Exposure to toxic behaviour, bullying, or grooming in online gaming communities

Initial setup steps

Set up your adult PSN account as Family Manager

You need an account of your own before you can create accounts for your children, so ensure you have a PlayStation Network account and are signed in on the console. Once you have an account, you become the family manager when you add your first family member, and you can then add child or adult members. Open Family Management: on PS5 go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management; on PS4 go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management; or on the web sign in to Account Management and select Family Management.

Create a child account and add them to your family

PS5: sign in, select your profile icon in the upper right of the home screen, then Switch User > Add User > Get Started > Create an Account. PS4: in Family Management select Set Up Now > Create User (for the first member) or Add Family Member > Create User. Web: in Account Management > Family Management select Set Up Now > Add a Child (first time) or Add Family Member > Add a Child. PlayStation Family app: select Sign in or Create an Account, then Set Up Your Family. Enter your child's name and accurate date of birth and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the account and set parental controls. Set a password for their account.

Set age levels, communication and web restrictions

Open Family Management (PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management; PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management), select your child's account and select the parental control to set. Set the age level for games and apps (and the Blu-ray Disc and DVD level) to match your child's age. Configure Communication and User-Generated Content — for children under 13, restrict all communication with other players. Restrict Web Browsing and the use of PlayStation VR/VR2 for younger children (Sony says VR is not for children under 12). You can also pick a preset Restriction Level on PS5 and in the PlayStation Family app.

Set playtime

Sign in as the family manager or an appointed parent/guardian. Go to Family Management, select your child, set a Time Zone, then select Playtime Settings. Choose Restrict Playtime ('Restrict'), When Playtime Ends ('Notify Only' or 'Log Out') and the Playtime Duration and Playable Hours for every day or specific days of the week, then select Save. On the web, go to Account Management > Family Management, select the child and select Edit next to the playtime limit, then Save.

Set a monthly spending limit

PS5: in Family Management select your child, then Parental Controls > Monthly Spending Limit. PS4: in Family Management (re-enter your account password if prompted) select your child, then Applications/Devices/Network Features > Monthly Spending Limit. Keep the default limit of 0 (no spending allowed) for young children, or set a monthly amount for older ones.

Lock the console-level settings

Sign in as the family manager. PS5: go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions, enter the existing console restriction passcode (the default is 0000), select Change Your Console Restriction Passcode and enter a new four-digit passcode twice. PS4: go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > PS4 System Restrictions, enter the existing passcode (default 0000), select Change System Restriction Passcode and enter a new four-digit passcode twice. Then set User Creation and Guest Login (PS4: New User Creation and Guest Login) to 'Not Allowed', and set a login passcode (PS5: Settings > Users and Accounts > Login Settings > Set a PS5 Login Passcode; PS4: Settings > Login Settings > Login Passcode Management).

Install the PlayStation Family app

Download the PlayStation Family app on your smart device and sign in. From the app you can set up your family, manage parental controls (games and apps, online communication, spending, web browsing, VR and Blu-ray/DVD levels), set playtime, manage privacy settings and view what your child is playing right now (Playing Now, with the game's age rating) and an activity summary for the last 7 days with their most played games and apps. You receive a notification when your child's playtime is up.

Parental control settings

Family Management Child Account

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management. Web: Account Management > Family Management. Or Settings > Family Management in the PlayStation Family app.

Recommended: Create a separate child account for each child, using their name and an accurate date of birth, linked to your adult account as family manager

A child account under your Family Management allows you to set age-appropriate restrictions. Children under 18 should never use an adult account, as this bypasses all parental controls. Every child needs their own separate child account, and the child must be a family member for you to manage them. There can only be one family manager in a family, and child members cannot be removed from a family.

Restriction Level (preset age-appropriate levels)

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Restriction level. Also in the PlayStation Family app: select the child > Settings icon > Parental Controls > Restriction Level.

Recommended: Start from the preset that best fits your child (Child, Early Teens or Late Teens or Older), then adjust individual settings

On PS5 and in the PlayStation Family app, parental controls come preset with age-appropriate levels of restrictions. All three presets (Child, Early Teens, Late Teens or Older) set Communication and User-Generated Content to Restrict, Age Filtering for Online Content to Restrict and the Monthly Spending Limit to 0. The Child preset also restricts PlayStation VR2 and PlayStation VR use. The Child and Early Teens presets restrict Web Browsing. If you change a specific setting within a preset, the restriction level changes to Customise. Parental controls you applied to your child's account online using a PS4 console or PlayStation Vita system carry over to PS5.

Age Rating Restrictions (Age Level for Games and Apps)

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Age level for games and apps. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Age Level for Games. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit. App: select the child > Settings icon > Parental Controls > Games and Apps.

Recommended: Set to match your child's age, and check the age rating of each game before you buy it

Restricts which games your child can play based on PEGI age ratings (3, 7, 12, 16, 18). Games above the set rating cannot be started, even if already installed. On the PS5 presets, PS5 games and apps can be started if the age rating is the same as or lower than the child's age; for PS4/PS3 games the Child preset allows ratings of 6 or 7 and under, Early Teens allows 12 or 13 and under, and Late Teens or Older allows 15 and under. Sony states these PS4/PS3 limits as ages in years (for example '6 or 7 years and under'). If your child tries to start a restricted game it is blocked. On a PS5 they can send you a request for an exception (see Allowed Games below). Age ratings are about content, not difficulty. You can check a rating on the PlayStation Store details screen for digital games, or on the packaging for discs.

Blu-ray Disc and DVD Age Level

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Blu-ray Discs and DVDs. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Age Level for Blu-ray Disc and DVD Videos. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit.

Recommended: Set to match your child's age

Sets the age level for Blu-ray Disc and DVD video. On the PS5 presets, the Child preset allows Blu-ray Discs rated 7 and under, Early Teens allows 13 and under and Late Teens or Older allows 16 and under, while DVD is set to Don't Restrict on all three.

Use of PlayStation VR and PlayStation VR2

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Use of PlayStation VR and PlayStation VR2. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Use of PlayStation VR. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit.

Recommended: Restrict for children under 12

Sony states that PlayStation VR and PlayStation VR2 are not for use by children under 12 years. The Child preset restricts VR; Early Teens and Late Teens or Older leave it as Don't Restrict.

Web Browsing

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Web Browsing. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Use of Internet Browser. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit.

Recommended: Restrict for younger children

Restricts access to the web browser on the console. The Child and Early Teens presets restrict Web Browsing; Late Teens or Older does not.

Communication and User-Generated Content

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Communication and User-Generated Content. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Communication and User-Generated Content. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit. App: select the child > Settings icon > Parental Controls > Online Communication.

Recommended: Restrict for younger children; allow with oversight for teenagers

Controls whether your child can send text messages and voice chat with other players, and whether they can share or see user-generated content. Selecting Restrict disables: sending text messages and voice chatting with other players (sending pre-written messages in-game is still allowed); sharing user-generated content your child creates; seeing another player's user-generated content; and linking select third-party services and apps that provide communication and user-generated content features. The user-generated content you can block covers screenshots, video clips (gameplay video), gameplay broadcasts, another player's content in-game and another player's personal description on their profile. Your child can request an exception to use communication features in a specific game.

Age Filtering for Online Content

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Age Filtering for Online Content. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Age Filtering for Online Content. Web and PlayStation Family app: under the child's parental controls.

Recommended: Restrict, if the setting is available to you

Sony notes that this setting only applies in some countries or regions (the PlayStation Family app says it may not be available in your country/region), so you may not see it. All three PS5 presets set it to Restrict.

Monthly Spending Limit

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Parental Controls > Monthly Spending Limit. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > re-enter your account password if prompted > select the child > Applications/Devices/Network Features > Monthly Spending Limit. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit > Monthly Spending Limit. App: select the child > Monthly Spending Limit widget.

Recommended: Leave at 0 for younger children, or set a specific monthly limit for older children

Caps how much your child can spend on the PlayStation Store each month. By default the limit is 0, so you must change it if your child is going to buy content. Leave it at 0 to prevent any purchases, or set a reasonable allowance for older children. When your child buys content on their account, payment is taken from the family manager's wallet. Anyone you appoint as a parent or guardian can change the spending limits you have set, so ask them to tell you if they change them.

Playtime Settings

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > set a Time Zone, then Playtime Settings > Save. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > set a Time Zone, then Playtime Settings > Save. Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit next to the playtime limit > Save. App: select the child > Playtime widget.

Recommended: Restrict Playtime set to 'Restrict', with a daily Playtime Duration and Playable Hours that suit your child's age

Family managers can set limits on when, and for how long, each child can play on PS5 and PS4 consoles. Playtime is based on three settings: Restrict Playtime ('Restrict' or 'Do Not Restrict'), When Playtime Ends ('Notify Only' or 'Log Out') and Playtime Duration and Playable Hours (for every day or specific days of the week). A time zone must be set for the child account before playtime controls can be adjusted. As playtime nears its end, notifications appear at the top of the screen. If your child uses both a PS5 and a PS4, the restrictions apply to both consoles. Family managers, parents or guardians can use Change Playtime for Today (PlayStation Family app and PS5) to give extra time, and a child can use Ask for More Playtime from a PS5 console, which sends you a notification where you can Change Playtime or Decline.

Allowed Games (exceptions to game and communication restrictions)

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Allowed Games, or press the PS button > Notifications > select your child's request > Go to Allowed Games. Web: open the link in the request email, select your child, then select Gameplay or Communication in the Allowed Games section. App: select the child > Settings icon > Parental Controls > Games and Apps (or Online Communication).

Recommended: Review each request and allow only games you have checked

When your child tries to start a restricted game on a PS5, it is blocked and they can send you a request for an exception. The family manager and appointed parents or guardians receive a notification and an email, and can allow the request on the PS5, in the PlayStation Family app, or on the web from the link in the email. Sony documents game exceptions for PS5 only, not PS4. Your child can send a similar request when they try to use in-game communication features, and Allowed Games also lists the games you have already allowed.

Services and Apps

Location: Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > Edit > Services and Apps. PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management > select the child > Services and Apps. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > select the child > Services and Apps.

Recommended: Check which third-party services your child has linked

Lets you view and manage your child's access to third-party services and apps that they have linked their accounts to. You receive a notification if your child links a third-party service or app to their account.

Who Can Change Privacy Settings

Location: Web: Account Management > Family Management > select the child > scroll to Privacy Settings > Edit > select Parent/Guardian or Child. App: select the child > Settings icon > Privacy Settings > Privacy Settings Set By. On PS5, your child's own privacy settings are under Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy.

Recommended: Parent/Guardian for younger children

If you select Parent/Guardian, the family manager, parents or guardians can change your child's privacy settings using parental controls, and you can still allow your child to change specific privacy settings themselves. If you select Child, your child can change their privacy settings and parents or guardians can only view them. You are notified each time your child adjusts their settings. The PlayStation Family app lets you manage settings such as who can ask to be your child's friend, who can interact with them through parties, games and messages, who can see their games, trophies and online status, and who can follow them.

Console Restriction Passcode (preventing your child changing parental controls)

Location: PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions (signed in as the family manager). PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > PS4 System Restrictions.

Recommended: Change the default passcode of 0000 to a memorable four-digit passcode that only you know

A console restriction passcode prevents your child from changing parental controls on the console. The default is 0000 if you have not set one. On PS5 select Change Your Console Restriction Passcode; on PS4 select Change System Restriction Passcode. Enter a new four-digit passcode, then enter it a second time to confirm. If you forget it you need to reset your PS5 console, or initialise your PS4 console.

Location: PS5 login passcode: Settings > Users and Accounts > Login Settings > Set a PS5 Login Passcode. PS4 login passcode: Settings > Login Settings > Login Passcode Management. PS5 user creation: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions > User Creation and Guest Login > 'Not Allowed'. PS4: Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > PS4 System Restrictions > New User Creation and Guest Login > 'Not Allowed'.

Recommended: Encourage everyone with an account on the console to set a login passcode, and set User Creation and Guest Login to 'Not Allowed'

Without a login passcode on the accounts on the console, child family members may be able to avoid parental controls. Setting user creation and guest login to 'Not Allowed' stops your child creating a new unrestricted account instead of using the one you made for them. The login passcode is not the same as the console restriction passcode.

Age recommendations

Ages 7-10

Set the age level for games and apps to match your child's age, and as a rule of thumb choose PEGI 7 games at most (the Child preset is a starting point that allows PS4/PS3 games rated 6 or 7 and under, and restricts VR and Web Browsing). Set Communication and User-Generated Content to Restrict. Keep the Monthly Spending Limit at 0. Use Playtime Settings to limit daily gaming to 1-2 hours. Only allow carefully chosen games, using Allowed Games for any exceptions (Sony documents game exceptions for PS5 only).

Ages 11-13

Set the age level for games and apps to match your child's age, and as a rule of thumb choose PEGI 7 games at most for an 11-year-old and PEGI 12 games at most from age 12 (the Early Teens preset is a starting point that allows PS4/PS3 games rated 12 or 13 and under). Consider allowing communication in specific games you have vetted through Allowed Games, rather than turning off Communication and User-Generated Content altogether. Set a modest Monthly Spending Limit. Maintain Playtime Settings, especially on school nights. Sony states VR is not for children under 12.

Ages 14-17

Set the age level for games and apps to your child's actual age (on PS5 a child can start content rated the same as or lower than their age); the Restriction Level presets are starting points you can then customise. As a rule of thumb, choose PEGI 12 games at most for 14-15-year-olds and PEGI 16 for 16-17-year-olds. Allow broader communication but discuss online safety, and make sure your child knows how to block and report players. Set a reasonable Monthly Spending Limit. Use the 'Notify Only' playtime setting rather than 'Log Out'. Keep the console restriction passcode private so your child cannot change parental controls.

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