How to Set Up PS5 Parental Controls

PS5 parental controls work through a family account: you are the family manager, your child gets their own child account, and you set playtime, age ratings and spending for them. Setup takes about 15 minutes and is worth doing before the school holidays begin.

Create a family account

1. Sign in to the PS5 with your own PlayStation account (the adult account).
2. Go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management.
3. Choose Add Family Member > Create User, enter your child’s date of birth and follow the steps. Sony creates a child account linked to yours.
4. Let your child use only this account. Controls follow the account, not the console.

The child account must be on the same region as yours. If your family uses a UK or South African account because there is no Kenyan PlayStation Store, create the child under that same region.

Set playtime limits

In Family Management, select your child, then Playtime Settings:

• Daily duration: for example 2 hours on school days and more at weekends.
• Allowed hours: such as 4 pm to 8 pm, so there’s no gaming after bedtime.
• When playtime ends: choose to log them out or just notify them.

Your child can request extra time from the console, and you can approve or decline it.

Age ratings and spending limits

Under the child’s Parental Controls:

• Age level for games: blocks games above the rating you choose (check the PEGI or ESRB label).
• Communication and user-generated content: limit or turn off chat with strangers.
• Web browsing: restrict it.
• Monthly spending limit: the child’s purchases come out of your wallet, up to the limit you set. Setting it to zero means nothing is bought without you. This stops wallet credit you topped up through an M-Pesa-bought gift card from disappearing on in-game items.

Note: a game may still sell in-game currency, so keep the limit low.

The console restriction passcode

The console restriction passcode is a 4-digit code that stops anyone using the PS5 without logging in, and blocks new users or guests from getting round your controls. Commonly reported default: 0000, so change it straight away in Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions. If you forget the code, you may need to reset the console.

Manage it from your phone

Install the PlayStation Family app (Android and iPhone) and sign in as the family manager. From your phone you can:

• See what your child plays and for how long.
• Change playtime and approve extra-time requests.
• Adjust spending and content settings.

You can also manage everything through your account on the PlayStation website.

Got an Xbox too? Follow our guide to Xbox parental controls. Still choosing a console for the family? See PS5 vs Xbox Series X and our beginner’s guide to gaming in Kenya.

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