A game sharing rules checklist should confirm who owns each purchase, which console is designated for sharing, what the platform actually allows, and how access will be removed later. Treat sharing as a console and account setting, not as permission to exchange passwords or verification codes.
Identify the owner and designated console
Write down the platform, console model, purchasing account, household users, and current designated console. On PS5, Console Sharing and Offline Play is managed under Settings, Users and Accounts, Other. PlayStation says the setting can be active on one PS5 console at a time. See PlayStation's Console Sharing and Offline Play guide.
Before changing the designation, confirm that the account owner agrees and still controls the account's email and sign-in security. If an old console is being replaced, deactivate it through the official account route. Do not leave an owner's account signed in on a console that has been sold, returned, or given away.
Check exactly what can be shared
List the specific game or subscription benefit and verify it against the platform's current support page. PlayStation explains that selected Plus benefits can be shared on one PS5 with Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled and one primary PS4. Its list includes online multiplayer and certain downloaded games, while online storage, redemption on another account, automatic patch downloads, and some trials are not shared. See PlayStation's benefit-sharing guide.
A subscription catalog can also change over time, so access today is not proof of permanent ownership. Record which account bought a title and whether access depends on an active subscription. If a padlock appears, check ownership, subscription status, and the designated console before deleting files or purchasing the game again.
Review family and spending controls
For a child account, verify the age rating, family role, communication controls, and monthly spending limit separately from game access. Sharing a playable title does not override the account's parental controls. Keep purchases on the intended account so receipts, licenses, and refund requests remain understandable.
Do not add a payment method merely to make a shared game launch. If a purchase is required, stop and let the account owner review the price, edition, recurring terms, and refund rules. A household checklist should name who may buy content and who may alter the designated-console setting.
Test access and prepare an exit path
After enabling the official setting, test the owner's account and one intended secondary user. Confirm that the game launches, saved progress stays under the correct profile, and privacy or family controls still apply. Test offline play only if it is genuinely needed; reconnect afterward and confirm licenses remain healthy.
Record the date, designated console, account owner, tested title, and result. Also document how to remove access if the console leaves the household or a relationship changes. Disable sharing and sign out through the official account tools rather than relying on deleting a local profile alone. Finish only when the owner can still sign in, the intended users have the expected access, and no password or recovery secret was shared.
Sources
- How to turn on PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play — PlayStation
- Share PlayStation Plus benefits on PlayStation consoles — PlayStation