How to Game Share on PS5 Safely: Console Sharing Explained

Guide · Updated October 14, 2026

To game share on PS5, sign in with the account that owns the digital games, then open Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play and select Enable. Other user profiles on that enabled PS5 can then play downloaded purchases and use selected PlayStation Plus benefits.

Sony calls the feature Console Sharing and Offline Play, not “primary PS5.” It can be enabled for an account on only one PS5 at a time. PlayStation’s current support guidance also says you cannot use Plus sharing as a way to share the subscription with a friend on another console.

How to game share on PS5

On the PS5 that household members will use, sign in to the PlayStation account that owns the games.
Open Settings from the top-right corner of the home screen.
Select Users and Accounts.
Select Other.
Choose Console Sharing and Offline Play.
Select Enable.
Download the games from the owning account’s Game Library.
Switch to the other person’s user profile and launch the downloaded game.

These are the steps in PlayStation’s official Console Sharing and Offline Play guide. The feature is normally enabled automatically on the first PS5 where an account signs in to PlayStation.

Enabling the setting does not move purchases into another account. The original account still owns the licenses. It simply allows other profiles on the designated PS5 to use eligible downloaded content.

What PS5 Console Sharing actually does

Feature	Shared with other users on the enabled PS5?
Digital games purchased by the owner account	Yes, when downloaded and eligible
Purchased downloadable media	Yes, where supported
Playing eligible purchases while the console is offline	Yes
Online multiplayer from the owner’s PlayStation Plus membership	Yes, subject to parental controls
Downloaded PlayStation Plus monthly games	Yes, while the owner’s membership and license remain valid
Downloaded Game Catalog and Classics Catalog games	Yes, according to the owner’s plan and current catalog availability
PlayStation Plus cloud save storage	No
Redeeming monthly games on the other account	No
Buying games with the owner’s Plus discount	No
Time-limited game trials	No

The key distinction is between using a downloaded entitlement on the shared console and transferring the entitlement itself. A second user may be able to play the owner’s installed game, but the purchase does not appear as a game owned by that second account.

Can two people play the same shared game at once?

The account owner can sign in and use their library on another PS5 while household users play eligible shared content on the PS5 where Console Sharing and Offline Play is enabled. The enabled console receives the local sharing and offline rights; the owner’s other console generally needs the owner account signed in and connected so the license can be verified.

This does not create a second copy of the purchase or change its license terms. Some games, add-ons, third-party accounts, in-game currencies, and online services may have additional restrictions. If simultaneous access fails for one particular title, check that game’s store listing and publisher account requirements.

Can you enable game sharing on two PS5 consoles?

No. Each PlayStation account can have Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled on only one PS5 at a time.

Several different accounts can enable sharing on the same household PS5, but one account cannot designate two PS5 consoles simultaneously. When you enable a new PS5 for your account, you may first need to disable the old one.

This PS5 limit is separate from Sony’s PS4 activation system. PlayStation says selected Plus benefits can be shared on one PS5 with Console Sharing enabled and one PS4 activated as the account’s primary PS4.

How to move Console Sharing to a new PS5

If you still have the old console

On the old PS5, sign in to the account that owns the games.
Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play.
Select Disable.
Sign in to the same account on the new PS5.
Open the same menu and select Enable.

If the new console is a PS5 Pro, our PS5-to-PS5 Pro transfer guide explains how to move games, saves, user data, and settings without confusing console activation with data transfer.

If you no longer have the old console

Sign in to PlayStation Account Management in a browser and use the device-management option to deactivate all consoles. Sony warns that remote deactivation of all devices can be used only once every six months.

After deactivation, sign in on the PS5 you want to use and enable Console Sharing and Offline Play locally. Remote deactivation is broader than disabling a single console from its settings, so use the local method whenever you still control the old hardware.

Which PlayStation Plus benefits can be shared?

According to PlayStation’s official benefit-sharing page, users on the enabled PS5 can share:

Online multiplayer, subject to parental controls
Downloaded games bought using a PlayStation Plus discount
Downloaded monthly PlayStation Plus games
Downloaded games from the Game Catalog or Classics Catalog when included in the owner’s plan

Those benefits depend on the subscribing account remaining eligible. A monthly game claimed through Plus is not the same as a normal purchase: access can stop if the owner’s subscription expires. Catalog games can also leave the service.

The other user does not inherit the membership. Their profile cannot use the owner’s Plus discount to buy something, claim monthly games for itself, use the owner’s cloud storage, receive automatic patch downloads as a subscription benefit, or access time-limited trials.

Can you share PlayStation Plus with a friend?

PlayStation’s support page answers this directly: no. It says games and selected Plus benefits can be shared with accounts on one PS5 where Console Sharing and Offline Play is activated, plus the account’s primary PS4.

That setup is useful for a family or household sharing one console. It is not an invitation to distribute account credentials. Sony’s security guidance says never to share account details with anyone else and warns that signing in on public or untrusted consoles creates a security risk.

If you sign in temporarily on hardware you do not control, sign out when finished. Better yet, avoid entering the credentials at all unless it is necessary and the console is trusted.

Protect the account before enabling sharing

Use a passkey or two-step verification. PlayStation recommends a passkey as a faster, more secure replacement for a password.
Never send a verification code. A legitimate helper does not need your password, passkey, email recovery link, or two-step code.
Do not scan QR codes sent by strangers. PlayStation specifically warns that fake QR codes may promise games, vouchers, or rewards.
Add a console login passcode if other people can physically open the owner profile.
Require a password at checkout and remove stored payment methods if the console is used by people you do not fully trust.
Use individual user profiles. Everyone gets separate saves, trophies, privacy settings, and parental controls.

Console Sharing is safer when the owner account remains private and every other player uses their own profile. The feature does not require everyone in the home to play from the purchasing account.

Why does a shared PS5 game show a padlock?

A padlock usually means the console cannot verify the license, the content belongs to another account, the relevant Plus subscription is inactive, or sharing is not enabled for the account that owns the game.

Check these items in order:

Confirm that the account which bought or claimed the game is still present on the PS5.
On that owner account, verify that Console Sharing and Offline Play is enabled.
Check the owner’s transaction history to confirm which account purchased the game.
If it came from PlayStation Plus, verify the subscription is active and the catalog title is still included.
Make sure the full game—not merely an add-on, trial, or different edition—is downloaded.
Update the PS5 system software and restart the console.
Check PlayStation Network’s service status if licenses cannot be verified.
Restore the owner account’s licenses.

How to restore licenses on PS5

Sign in with the account that owns the game.
Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses.
Select the licenses you want to restore.

You can also highlight a game on the home screen or in the Game Library, press the Options button, and select Restore License. PlayStation says restoring licenses does not affect saved data.

This is useful when a purchased game has a padlock, an add-on is missing, or owned content does not appear. It cannot restore a subscription game after the membership expires or a catalog title after it leaves the service.

Why can’t you enable Console Sharing?

If the Enable option fails or the console says another PS5 is active:

Disable Console Sharing on the previous PS5 if you can access it.
Check the PlayStation Network status page for account-service problems.
Install the latest PS5 system software.
Restart the console.
Restart the router after leaving it powered off for at least five minutes.
Use Account Management to deactivate all devices only if the old console is unavailable.
Contact PlayStation Support if the account or console may be compromised.

Do not repeatedly give credentials to someone else in an attempt to fix activation. If the unexpected console is not yours, treat that as a possible account-security problem, change the sign-in method, sign out of all devices, and contact support when appropriate.

Does game sharing also share save data?

No. Console Sharing grants eligible access to games and selected subscription benefits; it does not merge user profiles or saves.

Each player should launch games from their own profile so progress, trophies, friends, parental settings, and online identity remain separate. PlayStation Plus cloud storage is not a shared benefit, so another user needs their own eligible membership to upload that profile’s saves to the cloud.

Does it work offline?

On the PS5 where the owner account has enabled Console Sharing and Offline Play, users can play eligible purchased and downloaded games while the console is offline. That is one of the feature’s stated purposes.

Online-only games still require their servers, and some third-party launchers or publisher accounts can require a connection. Subscription entitlements may also need periodic verification. “Offline Play” does not turn an internet-dependent game into an offline game.

What happens if you disable Console Sharing?

Other users on that PS5 lose the shared license access provided by your account. Your purchases remain attached to your account, and you can continue using them while signed in under the normal license requirements.

Disabling does not delete installed games or saved data. A game may remain visible but show a padlock to users who no longer have a valid license. Re-enabling sharing for the owner account can restore eligible access.

Quick answers

What is the PS5 version of “primary console”?

The setting is called Console Sharing and Offline Play. People often call it a primary PS5, but that is not the name used in the console menu.

Can another PS5 user play my digital games?

Yes, if that person uses the one PS5 where your account has Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled and the game is eligible and downloaded.

Can the other person download my games from their account?

The game should be downloaded through the account that owns or is entitled to it. The other profile can then launch eligible installed content on the enabled console.

Will game sharing delete my saves?

No. Enabling, disabling, or restoring licenses does not erase saves. Saves remain tied to the user profile that created them.

Can child accounts use shared games?

Yes, when the content is age-appropriate under the family’s parental controls. Ratings and account restrictions can block content even when the console license is shared.

The bottom line

Enable PS5 game sharing from Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play. Use it on the one PS5 where family or household profiles need access to the owner’s downloaded games and selected Plus benefits.

The account owner keeps the purchase; other profiles receive eligible access on that console. Cloud saves, Plus discounts, redemptions, trials, and account ownership do not transfer. Keep the owner account secured with a passkey or two-step verification, use separate profiles, and never share recovery codes or credentials.

If a game stays locked, confirm the purchasing account, subscription status, enabled console, and download, then restore licenses. For other common PS5 setup issues, our cache-clearing and database-rebuild guide explains when Safe Mode maintenance can help—and when it will not fix a license problem.

Instructions and sharing limits were checked against PlayStation Support on October 14, 2026. Sony may revise console menus, activation policies, or subscription benefits in future updates.