PlayStation

Controls are set by the Family Manager, either on the console or at playstation.com.

Menu names shift between software versions and between phone makers. If a name here does not match what you see, look for something close by rather than assuming the setting is gone.

1. 1

   Set up Family Management and a child account

   Restrictions only apply to child accounts within your family.

   playstation.com/acct/family

   1. Sign in at playstation.com/acct/family with your own account.
   2. Add a family member and create a child account with their real date of birth.
   3. Sign that account in on the console.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

   Already done this?

   If they are already on an adult account, a new child account is the only route and nothing carries across. Before you make the switch, go into the console restrictions and set User Creation and Guest Login to Not Allowed, otherwise they will simply sign back into the old account and none of this will have mattered.

2. 2

   Set age-level restrictions for games and content

   Blocks games above their rating from launching, which is more reliable than hoping you notice.

   Family Management → [your child] → Parental Controls → Age level for games

   1. Set the age level for games to match their age.
   2. Set the level for Blu-ray and DVD content.
   3. Restrict or block the internet browser for younger children.

   Recommended by age

   Under 7	PEGI 7 / ESRB E, browser blocked
   7–11	PEGI 7 / ESRB E, browser blocked
   11–12	PEGI 12 / ESRB E10+, browser blocked
   13–15	PEGI 12–16 / ESRB T, browser restricted
   16–17	PEGI 16–18 / ESRB T–M

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

   Already done this?

   If you never set a console restriction passcode, the default is 0000, so your child could have walked straight past it. If you did set one and cannot remember it, Sony's answer is to reset the console. Note that the login passcode is a separate setting from the restriction passcode. Set both.

3. 3

   Restrict communication and user-generated content

   This is the setting that governs voice chat, messages and shared content from strangers.

   Family Management → [your child] → Parental Controls → Communication and user-generated content

   1. Restrict messaging and chat with other players.
   2. Restrict the ability to view or share videos and images made by other players.

   Recommended by age

   Under 7	Restricted, so no messaging or chatNobody can message, call or speak to them on this app. Not strangers, and not their friends either.
   7–11	Restricted, so no messaging or chatNobody can message, call or speak to them on this app. Not strangers, and not their friends either.
   11–12	RestrictedNobody can message, call or speak to them on this app. Not strangers, and not their friends either.
   13–15	Allowed with friends onlyOnly people already on their friends list can reach them. Strangers cannot.
   16–17	Allowed, discussed togetherOnly people already on their friends list can reach them. Strangers cannot.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

   If someone is being cruel to them

   This limits contact from strangers. Party voice chat with people they already know is the more common route, and it is not something a setting fixes.

4. 4

   Set play time limits

   PlayStation lets you set both a daily amount and a window of hours, which is useful for school nights.

   Family Management → [your child] → Play Time Settings

   1. Set the hours of the day they can play.
   2. Set a daily duration.
   3. Choose whether the console logs them out at the limit or just warns them.
   4. Note these settings apply to both PS5 and PS4.

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

5. 5

   Set a monthly spending limit

   Wallet top-ups and in-game currency are where console spending usually escapes.

   Family Management → [your child] → Monthly spending limit

   1. Set a monthly limit, or zero.
   2. Remove any saved payment card from the account.

   Recommended by age

   Under 7	$0
   7–11	$0
   11–12	$0
   13–15	A small agreed monthly cap
   16–17	An agreed monthly cap

   Who holds this: You set this from your own account, and your child cannot change it back.

Menus move. If something on screen does not match these steps, check the official link above.