How to Restrict Games by Age Rating on PlayStation (PS5 & PS4)

To restrict games by age rating on PlayStation, set a game age level on the child’s account. On PS5, open Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, choose the child, and adjust the game-and-app age level. On PS4, open Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management, choose the child, and set Age Level for Games. Use the rating scale shown for your account’s region, then secure the console so a child cannot switch to an unrestricted profile.

This guide explains how to restrict games by age rating on PlayStation on both consoles, what these controls cover, and how to troubleshoot a game that still starts.

How PlayStation age-rating restrictions work

PlayStation’s controls apply to a child’s family account. Game ratings come from the rating organization used in the account’s country or region. For example, ESRB ratings are used in the United States and Canada, while PEGI is used in many European markets. The labels and age thresholds can differ, so follow the rating scale displayed on your console and check the rating on a game’s PlayStation Store page or physical packaging.

A rating describes age suitability and content, not how difficult a game is. It is also separate from controls for chat, user-generated content, web browsing, playtime, purchases, and Blu-ray or DVD playback. Those need their own settings. If you manage more than one child, use a separate child account for each and set the real date of birth during account setup; do not let a child use an adult account as their regular profile.

Before you start

• Sign in as the family manager or an appointed parent/guardian.
• Add the child as a family member and use the child’s own account. PlayStation recommends that the child complete email verification and be signed in on the console for parental controls to work as intended.
• Check the rating shown on the game’s store listing or box. The local rating system and wording may differ from examples you see online.
• Keep the adult account’s login passcode private. A game age limit cannot protect a child who can freely switch to an adult profile.

How to restrict games by age rating on PS5

1. Open Family Management. Sign in with the family manager account. From the home screen, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management.
2. Select the child’s account. Choose the correct child in the family list. If you have multiple children, set each profile separately rather than changing an adult account.
3. Set the game age level. Open the child’s parental controls and choose the age level for games and apps. Select a preset restriction level or customize the available controls to suit the child. If the screen offers separate age levels for PS5 and PS4/PS3 content, review both. A lower age threshold is more restrictive; use the local rating icons and details rather than assuming a US-to-PEGI conversion.
4. Protect and verify the setting. Set a PS5 console restriction passcode, add login passcodes to adult profiles, and disable user creation and guest login if a child could use those routes to avoid the child account. Ask the child to sign out and back in after you change a control while a game is open, then check that a game above the selected age level is blocked.

On PS5, a child can request an exception for a restricted game. The family manager or an appointed parent/guardian can review the request in Notifications or under Allowed Games, including in the PlayStation Family app. Treat an exception as a decision about that specific title, not as a reason to raise every age limit.

How to restrict games by age rating on PS4

1. Go to Family Management. Sign in as the family manager, then open Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management. Enter the account password if prompted.
2. Choose the child profile. Select the child whose games you want to manage. The restriction is tied to that profile, so confirm the child is not playing through an adult or guest account.
3. Set Age Level for Games. Open the child’s parental controls and select Age Level for Games. Choose the level that matches the child’s age and your family’s rules. On some PS4 screens, the choices use a numeric control level; a lower number means tighter restrictions. Use the rating icons shown on the console for your region instead of relying on an age-number chart from another market.
4. Lock system-level changes and test. Go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > PS4 System Restrictions and change the system restriction passcode. Disable new user creation and guest login where available. Sign out and back in to the child account, then test with a title whose displayed rating exceeds the selected limit.

The PS4 system restriction passcode is different from a user’s login passcode. If you have never changed the system restriction passcode, PlayStation says its default is 0000; replace it with a code only adults know. Store it somewhere secure because forgetting it can require initializing the console.

What to check if a restricted game still launches

Use the PlayStation Family app or web settings

You can also manage a child’s access to games and content away from the console. In the PlayStation Family app, select the child, open the settings icon beside their name, then choose Parental Controls > Games and Apps. On the web, sign in to Account Management, open Family Management, select the child, and edit parental controls. PlayStation says account-based parental-control changes apply across the child’s devices; if the child is already playing, have them sign out and back in.

Frequently asked questions

Does an age limit also block purchases?

Not by itself. Game access, Store purchases, and the child’s monthly spending limit are separate controls. Review the spending limit in Family Management if you also want to manage purchases.

Does the game age limit disable online chat?

No. Set Communication and User-Generated Content separately if you want to restrict messaging, voice chat, or player-created content. Some communication features may also have in-game settings.

Will the settings carry over from PS4 to PS5?

Parental controls are tied to the child’s account, and PlayStation says controls applied to the child account online or on PS4 carry over to PS5. Still review the PS5 game-and-app age level and the PS4/PS3 level shown on the PS5 so each content type matches your family’s rules.

Official PlayStation references

• PlayStation parental controls for PS5, PS4, and the Family app
• How age ratings work on PlayStation
• Prevent children from changing parental controls
• Set up a PlayStation family and child accounts