How do I force deactivate my PS4?

To force deactivate your PS4, you can use the Account Management feature on a web browser to remotely deactivate all devices attached to your account, or you can initialize your PS4 which will wipe all accounts on it and deactivate it as the primary console for those accounts. If you have access to the console, you can also go to Settings > Account Management > Activate as Your Primary PS4 and select Deactivate to force deactivate your PS4.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Deactivation Questions

1. How do you deactivate a PS4 you no longer have access to?: If you can’t access the console, it’s still possible to remotely deactivate all devices attached to your account using Account Management on a web browser, by selecting Console Sharing and Offline Play > Disable.
2. Is it possible to deactivate a Playstation account?: Yes, you can deactivate a Playstation account by choosing Account Management, selecting Create, change and close account, and then following the prompts to close your account.
3. How do I delete my primary PS4 account without password?: You can perform a factory reset by opening Settings and scrolling to Initialization, or back up your data and do a manual reset by turning off your PS4, turning it back on, and then clicking Restore Default Settings.

Account and Console Management

4. What happens if you deactivate your PS4 as your primary PS4?: You will lose access to any content purchased using the account, and you will also lose access to any subscriptions and their associated entitlements.
5. Can 2 PS4 have the same primary account?: No, each player can have only one PS4 console activated as the primary PS4 console for their account.
6. How to hard reset PS4 controller?: To perform a hard reset on your controller, power down the PS4, turn over the DualShock 4 controller, and locate the small hole near the left shoulder button, then unfold one end of a paper clip and insert it to push the button buried inside the hole.

Initialization and Factory Reset

7. Does initializing PS4 deactivate it?: Yes, when you initialize a PS4, it will wipe all accounts on it and deactivate it as the primary console for those accounts.
8. Is initialize PS4 the same as factory reset?: No, while both will wipe your PS4’s settings, Initialize PS4 will completely wipe your PS4’s hard drive, whereas Restore Default Settings will only reset your PS4 to its default settings.
9. How long does full initialization take on PS4?: The initialization process can take around 30 minutes to complete, and you can’t cancel it once you’ve started.

Account Security and Management

10. Will changing my PSN password deactivate my account?: No, changing your PSN password won’t deactivate or disable your account, and you will still be able to access all of the features and content you had access to before.
11. How long do you have to wait if your PSN account is locked?: If your PSN account is locked, you will have to wait for 120 minutes before you can try to log in again.
12. Can you delete a PSN account to reuse email address?: Yes, you can delete a PSN account to reuse the email address, but you will lose all trophies, purchases, and funds tied to your old account.

PS4 Console Management

13. How often can you activate and deactivate PS4?: You can only deactivate your consoles once every six months.
14. Can I use 2 PSN accounts on PS4?: Yes, up to four users can log in to your PS4 system at the same time, and each user can have their own PSN account.
15. Can I log into my PSN account on a different PS4?: Yes, you can log in to your PSN account on a different PS4, but you cannot log in to two or more PS4 consoles at the same time with the same PSN account.