PS5 console sharing, also called Console Sharing and Offline Play, lets any user on your console play your digital games and access your PlayStation Plus benefits. To unify your game libraries across platforms, you can also link PlayStation to Steam. Enabling this feature replaces the old "Primary PS4" concept, making your PS5 the designated console for sharing content locally.
What is PS5 console sharing and offline play?
Console Sharing and Offline Play is the PS5's version of setting a home console. When you turn this setting on, every account on that PS5 can play your purchased games and use your PlayStation Plus subscription. This includes online multiplayer, monthly games, and access to the PlayStation Plus game catalog. It is designed for households where multiple people share one console, allowing everyone to enjoy your library without needing their own copies or subscriptions.
How to enable console sharing on your PS5
- From the PS5 home screen, go to Settings.
- Select Users and Accounts.
- Choose Other from the menu.
- Select Console Sharing and Offline Play.
- Choose Enable.
Once enabled, the feature activates immediately. No restart is required, and other users on the console will instantly have access to your games and benefits.
What you can share with other users
Enabling this feature allows any local user on that console to play games from your library and access your PlayStation Plus subscription benefits, including online multiplayer and game catalog access. This means friends or family members signed into the same PS5 can join online matches, download and play titles from the PlayStation Plus collection, and enjoy any digital games you own.
Limitations you should know
You cannot share PlayStation Plus with a friend on another console. Console Sharing and Offline Play only works on one PS5 and one PS4 at a time. Specifically, you can share certain PlayStation Plus benefits on one PS5 console with Console Sharing and Offline Play activated and one PS4 console that is activated as your primary PS4 console. If you try to enable the setting on a second PS5, the first PS5 will automatically be disabled. This means you cannot share your library with a friend across the internet, only people physically using your console benefit.
How to disable console sharing
To stop sharing your games and PlayStation Plus benefits, return to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play and select Disable. This is useful if you are selling your console, lending it to someone temporarily, or simply no longer want other accounts on the same PS5 to access your content. Disabling the setting does not affect your personal account or game saves; it only revokes access for other users on that console. If you ever want to get Discord on PlayStation, you can do so through the PlayStation Network integration after linking your accounts, but that feature is separate from console sharing.
