How to Set Up Parental Controls on PlayStation: A Complete Guide for Parents

Why PlayStation Parental Controls Matter

PlayStation consoles are among the most popular gaming devices for children and teenagers worldwide. Sony's PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 both include a comprehensive suite of parental control tools that, when properly configured, give parents significant control over what their child can access, how they can communicate, and how much they can spend. Setting these up correctly from the start is far easier than trying to address problems after they arise.

Step 1: Create a Sony Account for Your Family

PlayStation parental controls work through Sony's Family Management system, which requires every member of the family to have a PlayStation Network (PSN) account. You, as the parent or carer, should have an adult PSN account first. If you do not have one, you can create one at account.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com or through the console itself.

Step 2: Create a Child Account

From your adult PlayStation account, navigate to Account Management and then Family Management (or go to Family on the PS5 Settings menu). Select Add Family Member, then Create a Child Account. You will need to enter your child's date of birth and verify your identity as the parent, usually by entering your payment card details (no charge is made; this is a verification step only in most regions).

The child account is linked to your family and subject to your parental controls. Your child can use this account to play games, access PlayStation Network features, and build a gaming profile, all within the boundaries you set.

Step 3: Set Content Age Restrictions

In Family Management, select your child's account and choose Parental Controls. Here you can set a content rating restriction that determines which games they can access based on age rating. The ratings used will be those relevant to your region (PEGI ratings in Europe, ESRB ratings in North America, and others elsewhere).

If you set a restriction of, for example, PEGI 12, any game rated PEGI 16 or above will require your PIN to launch. This applies to both physical discs and digital downloads from the PlayStation Store.

You can also restrict access to PlayStation Store content by age, preventing your child from browsing or purchasing games, films, or other content rated above their threshold.

Step 4: Manage Communication and Online Features

Under Parental Controls for your child's account, you will find options to restrict online communication features:

• Communication with Other Players: Set to Friends Only or Block All. This controls who your child can send and receive messages from, voice chat with, and play with online.
• User-Generated Content: Restrict or allow content created and shared by other players. This includes custom levels, images, and videos shared within games.
• PS VR Social Screen: Restrict whether others in the room can see what the VR user is seeing.

For younger children, restricting communication to Friends Only at minimum is advisable. Consider blocking all communication entirely for children under eight or nine, and gradually opening this up as they mature.

Step 5: Control Spending

Unexpected in-game purchases are a common concern. To manage this:

• Do not save your payment card details on the child's account or on the console itself.
• Any purchase from the PlayStation Store by a child account requires approval from the family manager by default.
• You can add a specific wallet amount to your child's account through Family Management, giving them a fixed allowance to spend. Once the wallet is empty, they cannot purchase anything without your approval.
• Go to Family Management and set Monthly Spending Limit under your child's account to add an additional layer of control.

Step 6: Set Play Time Limits (PS5)

The PlayStation 5 introduced a Play Time Management feature accessible through Family Management. You can:

• Set a daily play time limit (for example, two hours on weekdays and three hours on weekends).
• Schedule specific hours when the console can be used (for example, only between 4pm and 8pm on school days).
• Choose what happens when the limit is reached: the session can end immediately, or a notification can be sent to both the child and your app.

The PlayStation App on iOS and Android allows you to monitor your child's gaming activity and adjust settings remotely, including sending a message to tell them their time is up or approving a request for more time.

Step 7: Configure PS5 Console Restrictions

On the PS5, there are additional console-level restrictions you can configure from Settings, then Family and Parental Controls, then PS5 Console Restrictions. Here you can restrict access to features such as:

• The internet browser
• Blu-ray and DVD playback
• HDMI device link settings
• VR headset use

Set a separate restriction passcode (not the same as your PSN account password) that only you know. This passcode is needed to change any console-level restriction.

Step 8: Monitor Activity

Through Family Management on the web or the PlayStation App, you can view your child's recent gaming activity, see what games they have been playing, and review any purchase requests they have submitted. Check this regularly, not necessarily as surveillance, but as a way to stay engaged with what your child is enjoying and to spot anything that warrants a conversation.

Practical Tips

• Keep your PIN and account credentials private. If your child knows your parental control PIN, the controls are ineffective.
• Set up the child account before giving your child access to the console. It is much easier to configure controls before habits are established.
• Talk to your child about why the controls exist. Children who understand the reasoning behind limits are more cooperative than those who simply see restrictions imposed without explanation.
• Revisit settings as your child grows. Controls appropriate for an eight-year-old should be reviewed and adjusted by the time they are twelve or thirteen.
• Be aware of games with online communities. Voice chat and messaging within online games may expose your child to content and contact not covered by game ratings alone.

Using PlayStation Safely Alongside Conversation

Technical controls are valuable, but they work best alongside open family conversations about gaming. Ask your child what games they are enjoying and why. Play together occasionally. Talk about what happens in online communities and who they interact with. A child who knows they can come to you with concerns about what they encounter in gaming is far better protected than one who is simply locked behind controls they are actively trying to circumvent.