How to Make a PS5 Primary for Offline Play & Game Sharing

• Setting a PS5 as the primary console allows other users to play your games offline and play the games you downloaded. They also share your PS Plus benefits.
• Users on non-primary PS5 consoles will NOT be able to play the games you purchased from the PS Store, share your PS Plus benefits, or play your games offline.
• Select the "Settings" icon > "Users and Accounts" > "Other" > "Console Sharing and Offline Play > "Enable" to set a PS5 as the primary console.

Setting a PS5 as the Primary Console

Login to the primary user account on the PS5. If your PS5 has multiple user profiles, make sure you sign in with the primary account holder's user account. This can be the parent account or the account that all PlayStation Store purchases are made through. Select the primary account holder's icon on the PlayStation 5 sign-in screen.

Select the Settings icon. It's the icon that resembles a gear. It's in the upper-right corner of the PlayStation 5 Home screen. Use the left analog stick or directional buttons to navigate the PlayStation menu system. Press the "X" button to make a selection.

Select Users and Accounts. It's next to an icon that resembles a square with a smiley face or your account's profile picture. It's near the top of the Settings menu.

Select Other. It's in the menu bar to the left.

Select Console Sharing and Offline Play. It's a the top of the "Other" menu under "Users and Accounts."

Select Enable. It's the second button at the bottom of the screen. This enables Console Sharing and Offline Play, which sets your PS5 console as the primary console. The first PlayStation 5 console you log into is set as the primary automatically. If your console is already set as the primary console, you will see "Disable" and "Don't disable" at the bottom instead. Select Don't Disable to leave the console as your primary console.

Console Sharing & Offline Play Uses

It sets your PlayStation 5 console as the primary console. The wording has changed from the PlayStation 4 console, but enabling Console Sharing and Offline Play does the same thing as setting your PS5 as the primary console.

It allows other users to play games and media you have purchased. If you have purchased a lot of games from the PlayStation Store, setting a PlayStation 5 as the primary console allows other users who have an user account on your PlayStation 5 to play those games and as well.

It allows you to play your games offline. An internet connection is needed for the PlayStation 5 to verify the licenses to the games you have purchased. If your console is not set as the primary console, you cannot play the games you have purchased without an internet connection.

It allows other users to share your PlayStation Plus benefits. Any other users who have a user account on your PlayStation 5 can also enjoy the benefits of your PlayStation Plus subscription if you happen to have one. This includes the ability to play online or to play free monthly games, and games from the Games catalog.

Can I Set More Than One Primary PS5?

No, you can only have one primary PlayStation 5 console. If you try to enable Console Sharing and Offline Play on another PlayStation 5 console, it will be disabled on your current console. You will not be able to play games offline on that console, and other users on that console will not be able to play your games or share your PlayStation Plus benefits.

Will It Affect My Primary PlayStation 4?

No, it will not affect your PlayStation 4 settings. Enabling Console Sharing and Offline Play on your PlayStation 5 will not affect the activation limits on any of your other PlayStation consoles. If you have a PlayStation 4 set as the primary console, it will remain the primary PlayStation 4 console after enabling Console Sharing and Offline Play on your PlayStation 5. In other words, you can have a primary PlayStation 5 and a primary PlayStation 4.