To set up parental controls on a PS5, first create a child account inside your PlayStation family, using the PlayStation Family app, the Account Management website, or the console itself. Then, signed in as the family manager, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select your child and set their age ratings, playtime, chat and spending limit. Finally, change the console restriction passcode from its default of 0000 so your child cannot undo your work. Each step is explained below in plain English, following Sony’s own support pages.
The order matters. Controls on the PS5 are attached to the child’s account, not to the console. Sony says changes apply to the account, so they follow your child to any PlayStation they sign in to. If your child plays on your account, none of this works.
Step 1: Understand the Family Roles
Sony’s family system has three kinds of member:
- Family manager. The adult who creates the family. Sony says there can only be one. The manager can add members, set parental controls and console restrictions, and see each child’s playtime.
- Parent/guardian. Another adult the manager chooses. They can set parental controls and see playtime, but cannot add or remove members or spend the manager’s wallet funds.
- Child. A restricted account. Sony notes that child members cannot be removed from the family, and that a child account can be upgraded to an adult account once the child is eligible, but cannot be turned back afterwards.
Because the family manager’s wallet pays for anything a child buys, the manager’s account needs to be well protected. Turn on two-factor authentication for that account before you hand over the controller.
Step 2: Create Your Child’s Account
Sony gives three ways to add a child. Pick whichever is easiest:
On your phone (PlayStation Family app)
- Install the PlayStation Family app and sign in, or create an account.
- Select Set Up Your Family to create an account for a child.
- Follow the prompts, including the parental control choices.
On a computer
- Sign in to PlayStation Account Management in a web browser.
- Open Family Management, choose to add a child and follow the prompts.
On the PS5
- From the home screen, select your profile icon, then Switch User, then Add User.
- Choose Create an Account and follow the on-screen steps, which include parental controls.
Sony’s parental controls page adds one more requirement: the child should complete email verification and be signed in on the console.
Step 3: Pick a Restriction Level
On the PS5, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management and select your child. The quickest start is a preset restriction level. Sony’s support page sets out what each one does:
| Setting | Child | Early Teens | Late Teens or Older |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 games and apps | Age rating the same as or lower than the child’s age | ||
| PS4/PS3 games | 6 or 7 and under | 12 or 13 and under | 15 and under |
| Blu-ray Discs | 7 and under | 13 and under | 16 and under |
| PS VR / PS VR2 | Restricted | Not restricted | Not restricted |
| Web browsing | Restricted | Restricted | Not restricted |
| Communication and user-generated content | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Monthly spending limit | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sony also states that PS VR and PS VR2 are not for children under 12. If you change any single setting, the level switches to Customize. That is fine; the presets are just a starting point.
Step 4: Decide Who Your Child Can Talk To
The setting is called Communication and User-Generated Content. When it is set to Restrict, Sony says text and voice chat with other players is turned off, although pre-written in-game messages still work. It also stops your child sharing their own content or seeing other players’ content, and limits linking some third-party apps.
For younger children, leave this restricted. For older teenagers, many parents open it up gradually, perhaps after talking about what to do if a stranger messages them. You can also separately block screenshots, video clips and gameplay broadcasts.
Step 5: Set Playtime Limits
Select your child in Family Management, then Playtime Settings. Set the Time Zone first so the limits line up with your actual evenings, then choose daily limits. For one-off changes, such as an extra half hour on Christmas Day, use Change Playtime for Today rather than editing the whole schedule.
If your child is signed in and playing when you change something, Sony says they need to sign out and back in for it to take effect.
Households with more than one console can find the Xbox side confusing. WittyTeens explains the equivalent tools in its guide to Xbox’s Family Settings app and daily screen-time schedules.
Step 6: Set a Monthly Spending Limit
Go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select your child, then Parental Controls > Monthly Spending Limit.
The default is 0, which means your child cannot buy anything. Sony explains that purchases come out of the family manager’s wallet, so if you raise the limit, you are setting how much of your money they can spend each month on PlayStation Store. Note that some games have their own in-game currency and purchase settings, which you may need to check inside each game.
Step 7: Change the Console Restriction Passcode
This is the step most families miss. Sony’s support page says the default console restriction passcode is 0000, which is the first thing anyone would try. To change it:
- Sign in as the family manager.
- Go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions.
- Enter the current passcode (0000 if never changed).
- Choose the option to change the passcode and enter a new four-digit code using the controller buttons.
- Enter it again to confirm.
Write the new code down somewhere safe. Sony warns that if you forget it, you need to reset the PS5, and a reset deletes all users and data from the console’s storage.
Close the two common loopholes
- New accounts and guest logins. In the same PS5 Console Restrictions menu, set User Creation and Guest Login to Not Allowed. Otherwise a child can simply make a fresh, unrestricted account.
- Your own account. Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Login Settings > Set a PS5 Login Passcode. Sony recommends everyone with an account on the console sets one, because otherwise a child could sign in as an adult.
When a Game Is Blocked
If your child tries to open a game that their settings block, they can send you a request. The family manager or a parent/guardian gets a notification and an email. To approve it, open Notifications in the control centre, select the request and choose Go to [Allowed Games]. You can also manage this list from Family Management.
For the same kind of controls on phones and tablets, see our guide to screen time limits on a child’s phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the default PS5 parental control passcode?
Sony says the default console restriction passcode is 0000 until someone changes it. Change it as soon as you set up the console.
Do PS5 parental controls work on other consoles?
Yes. Sony says parental control changes apply to the account, so they affect every device the child signs in to.
Can my child spend money on the PS5?
Not by default. The monthly spending limit starts at 0, and anything allowed comes from the family manager’s wallet.
Can I manage PS5 parental controls from my phone?
Yes. Sony says the settings can be managed in the PlayStation Family app as well as on the console.
What happens if I forget the console restriction passcode?
Sony states you would need to reset the PS5, which deletes all users and data on the console. Keep a written copy somewhere safe.
Sources: PlayStation Support, How to set parental controls on PlayStation consoles, How to set up family accounts on PlayStation and How to prevent your child from changing parental controls.
Last updated: November 13, 2026