PlayStation 5 parental controls
Good presets and a genuinely useful new phone app — but the presets are broad age buckets, and the default one still allows more than most parents expect.
- Time
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Straightforward
- Where
- playstation.com/acct/family, the console, or the PlayStation Family app
- Checked
- 2026-08
Recently changedSeptember 2025: the PlayStation Family app added activity reports and lets you approve extra playtime from your phone.
Before you start: A PSN account for you and a child account under your family group.
Do this
- Sign in at playstation.com/acct/family
- Choose Family Management, then Add Family Member, then Add a Child
- Pick a restriction level, or choose Customise
- Optionally install the PlayStation Family app for approvals from your phone
The settings that matter
| Setting | Younger child | Teenager |
|---|---|---|
| Restriction levelPresets roughly matched to age: Child, Early Teens, Late Teens and above, or Customise. | Child, then customise upward as needed | Customise — the Late Teens preset still permits mature content |
| Monthly spending limitCaps store spending. The default is already zero. | Leave at zero | Set an amount deliberately rather than removing the cap |
| Playable hoursDaily play windows, with remote extension approvals from the app. | Set windows, not totals | Use the app so extra time is a conversation, not a fight |
| Communication and user-generated contentRestricts messaging, voice chat, and viewing content other players have made. | Restrict fully | Restrict messaging from strangers at minimum |
What this does not do
- Presets are broad bands, not a curated blocklist. A preset alone will not keep every mature title out.
- Restrictions follow the account, so the same child signed in elsewhere is governed by whatever that setup allows.
What people get wrong
- Choosing a preset and stopping there. The preset is a starting point; the spending and communication settings are where the real protection is.
Checked against PlayStation parental controls
in 2026-08. Platforms change these settings often — if what you see does not match, the platform’s own
page is the authority, and we would be glad to be told.