How to Control Purchases on PS5: A Comprehensive Guide

Controlling purchases on a PlayStation 5 (PS5) is essential, especially if you have children or want to manage your spending effectively. There are several robust tools available that allow you to set spending limits, require passwords for purchases, and monitor transaction history. You can restrict both purchases from the PlayStation Store and in-game content. Here’s a detailed guide on how to implement these controls.

Setting Spending Limits for Child Accounts

The most effective way to manage a child’s spending on PS5 is by setting a monthly spending limit. This ensures they can enjoy gaming without incurring unexpected costs. Here’s how to do it:

Accessing Family Management Settings

1. On your PS5 console, navigate to “Settings” from the main menu.
2. Select “Family and Parental Controls”.
3. Choose “Family Management”.
4. You may need to re-enter your account password for security purposes.

Setting the Monthly Spending Limit

1. Select the child account for which you want to set a spending limit.
2. Choose “Parental Controls.”
3. Navigate to “Applications/Devices/Network Features.”
4. Scroll down and select “Monthly Spending Limit.”
5. Set the desired monthly spending limit and save the changes.

This limit will apply to all purchases made by the child’s account, including games, DLC, and in-game content.

Requiring a Password for All Purchases

To further enhance purchase control, you can require a password for every transaction. This is especially helpful in preventing accidental purchases by anyone using your account.

Enabling Password Requirement at Checkout

1. Go to “Settings” from the PS5 main menu.
2. Select “Users and Accounts.”
3. Navigate to “Account”, then “Payment and Subscriptions.”
4. Select “Purchase Settings.”
5. Enable the option “Require Password at Checkout.”

From now on, the password screen will appear every time you or anyone using your account attempts to make a purchase.

Managing Purchases on the PlayStation Store

You can also set parental controls specifically for purchases made through the PlayStation Store.

Utilizing Family Management for Purchase Restrictions

1. Go to “Settings” and select “Family and Parental Controls.”
2. Choose “Family Management.”
3. Select the user’s account that you want to set restrictions for.
4. Navigate to “Applications/Devices/Network Features.”
5. Here you will find options for controlling access to specific types of content and purchasing limits, ensuring your child does not have access to age-inappropriate games and content.

Restricting Spending on the PS4

The process is similar on a PS4 system:

1. Go to “Settings” and select “Parental Controls/Family Management.”
2. Choose “Family Management.”
3. Select the user for whom you want to set a spending limit.
4. Choose “Applications/Devices/Network Features.”
5. Scroll down to “Monthly Spending Limit” and press the X button to configure.

Viewing Transaction History

To keep track of purchases made on your account, it’s important to regularly check your transaction history.

Accessing Transaction History on PS5

1. Go to “Settings” and select “Users and Accounts.”
2. Choose “Account”, then “Payment and Subscriptions.”
3. Select “Transaction History.”
4. Choose the account you want to view transactions for.
5. Set the desired transaction date range and select “Continue.”
6. You can select individual transactions to view details.

Managing Subscriptions

It is equally important to manage your active subscriptions to prevent automatic renewals that you might not want.

How to View and Manage Subscriptions

1. Go to “Settings” and select “Users and Accounts.”
2. Select “Account”, then “Payment and Subscriptions.”
3. Choose “Subscriptions.”
4. Here you will see a list of active subscriptions.
5. Select a subscription to check the expiry date or to cancel the subscription.

Additional Security Tips

• Never share your PSN password with anyone, including children.
• Utilize two-factor authentication for added security.
• Regularly monitor account activity and spending habits.

FAQs on Controlling Purchases on PS5

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further assist you with managing purchases on your PlayStation 5.

1. How do I turn off parental controls on PS5?

To turn off parental controls, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management. Select the relevant account and disable the restrictions as desired. Remember to save your changes. You can’t turn it off completely for a child account without deleting the child account.

2. Can you remove games from your library on PS5?

Yes, you can delete games from your storage but they’ll still be in your library and available to re-download. Go to Settings > Storage > Games and Apps, select “Delete Content”, choose the data you want to remove and confirm.

3. Is there a way to see all purchases on PlayStation?

Yes, you can view all purchases in your Transaction History. Navigate to Settings > Users and Accounts > Account > Payment and Subscriptions > Transaction History to see your purchase details.

4. Can I hide purchases on PS5?

Yes, you can hide games from other players. Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy > View and Customize Your Privacy Settings > Hide your games from other players and select the titles you want to keep private.

5. Can you put restrictions on PlayStation?

Yes, you can set various restrictions including spending limits, play time limits, and content restrictions via Parental Controls in the PS5’s Settings.

6. How do I change my payment limit on PS5?

The master account holder can adjust monthly spending limits for associated sub-accounts by going to Account Management > Edit Parental Control Settings.

7. How do I block in-game purchases?

While you can’t completely block in-app purchases on the PS5 system level, you can use Parental Controls and set spending limits. Additionally, requiring a password at checkout will provide another layer of security against unwanted purchases. You can also control in-app purchases on an Android device if that is your main concern using Google Play settings.

8. How do I hide purchases from my parents?

The best way to hide purchases is by paying with cash or a gift card instead of credit/debit cards, as those transactions will appear on statements. This only works outside the Playstation environment, as all purchases within Playstation are tied to your account history.

9. Can an unopened PS5 be tracked?

No, unopened PS5 consoles cannot be tracked by Sony. They do not have GPS tracking devices.

10. Can you lock a stolen PS5?

Yes, if you report your stolen PS5’s serial number to Sony, they can brick the device if it goes online. They will effectively render it unusable.

11. How do I stop my child from buying in-app purchases?

Use Parental Controls to set spending limits and enable password protection for all purchases. On Android, you can use Google Play settings to require a password or PIN for every purchase.

12. How do I set in-app purchase restrictions?

Set Content and Privacy Restrictions through Screen Time in your device’s settings to manage content and in-app purchases. Specific steps depend on if you use Apple or Android.

13. How do I restrict my child from buying apps?

For Android, you can add your child to your Google Family Group and enable the “Ask To Buy” feature. In Playstation, you can use Parental Controls to set spending limits and content restrictions.

14. Where is my game library on PS5?

Your game library is located on the PS5’s home screen. Navigate to the right to Game Library, select “Your Collection,” and this will display all your purchased games.

15. How do I download add-ons to my PS5?

Go to your Game Library, select a game, and navigate to the “Add-ons” section in the game hub to download and install available content.

By utilizing these settings and frequently asked questions, you can have greater control over purchases on your PS5 console and ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for all.