Which route is yours?
Choose your situation. The lightest tool comes first; the web deactivation is the one to save, because it can't be repeated for six months.
I sold my PS4 months ago and never deactivated it.
- Sign Out on All Devices, under Security
- Device Management, PlayStation Consoles, Deactivate All Devices
- Next remote use in 6 months 6 mo
The web option deactivates every console at once; PlayStation doesn't let you pick one. Turn Console Sharing and Offline Play back on for the PS5 you actually use.
Your route, step by step
Choose where the console is. Each route uses PlayStation's own menus and shows where the six-month limit applies.
The step order, in full
Work from the lightest step to the heaviest and confirm each one before the next. You need to be able to sign in to your account; if you can't, start with our guide to PSN sign-in problems.
- If anyone may know your password, change it first. This is our advice rather than a PlayStation rule: otherwise the other person can simply sign in again after you sign them out.Account Management → Security → Password
- Sign out on all devices. Sign in to Account Management on the web, choose Security in the left sidebar, then the option at the bottom of the screen. You may need to sign in again on your own console afterwards.Account Management → Security → Sign Out on All Devices
- Switch off sharing on consoles you can reach. On a PS5, disable Console Sharing and Offline Play. On a PS4, open Activate as Your Primary PS4 and choose Deactivate.PS5: Settings → Users and Accounts → Other → Console Sharing and Offline Play → DisablePS4: Settings → Account Management → Activate as Your Primary PS4 → Deactivate
- Deactivate remotely only if you need to. For a sold, lost or unreachable console, use the web option. For a stolen console, PlayStation lists three steps: sign out on all devices, deactivate your consoles, and consider removing payment methods.Account Management → Device Management → PlayStation Consoles → Deactivate All Devices
- Turn sharing back on for your own PS5. Console Sharing and Offline Play works on one PS5 at a time, so enable it on the console you actually use.PS5: Settings → Users and Accounts → Other → Console Sharing and Offline Play → Enable
The six-month limit
When can you deactivate remotely again?
Pick a date to see the earliest day, six months later.
It adds six calendar months. Sony doesn't publish how the window is counted, so treat the result as a guide. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
| Tool | What it ends | Where and limit |
|---|---|---|
| Sign Out on All Devices | Sign-ins on consoles and apps | Account Management, Security; no limit stated |
| Console Sharing and Offline Play off | Sharing on one PS5 | On that PS5; one PS5 at a time |
| Primary PS4 off | Sharing on one PS4 | On that PS4; one primary PS4 |
| Deactivate All Devices | Sharing on every console at once | Device Management, PlayStation Consoles; once every six months |
| Password change | Use of the old password | Account Management, Security; the fallback once the window is used |
What changes after you deactivate
Before: with Console Sharing and Offline Play on, anyone who uses that PS5 can play your games and media, even offline, and enjoy some of your PlayStation Plus benefits. That PS5 is your one sharing console, or on PS4 your one primary PS4.
After: that sharing stops for other users of the console. PlayStation states that deactivating does not delete your data or damage the console. You can then turn Console Sharing and Offline Play on for the PS5 you use.
Deactivation and signing out are separate steps, so pair one with the other. If the console belongs to children you manage and you want limits rather than sign-outs, see our guide to family accounts.
What no one can do for you
These steps are for the account you own. PlayVault won't help anyone sign in to, sign out or deactivate an account that isn't theirs, and no site can deactivate a console for you. If purchases, settings or sign-in details look changed by someone else, PlayStation asks you to contact PlayStation Support as soon as possible; our guide to someone else using your PSN lists the signs.
When the usual route won't work
- You used Deactivate All Devices in the last 6 months. PlayStation allows it once every six months. To sign out a console you can't reach, change your password.
- You want to remove just 1 console from the web. PlayStation says you can't remotely deactivate individual consoles. Only switching it off on that console removes one alone.
- Your new PS5 won't take Console Sharing. It works on 1 PS5 at a time; if it's still on for another PS5 you can reach, disable it there first.
- The other person knows your password. Signing out alone won't keep them out. Change the password, then sign out on all devices.
- You can't sign in to Account Management. None of these tools work until you can; see our guide to PSN sign-in problems.
Questions about signing out and deactivating
Does Sign Out on All Devices also deactivate my consoles?
No, they are separate tools. For a stolen console, PlayStation lists both: sign out on all devices, then deactivate your consoles. For any console you no longer control, we suggest doing both.
Can I deactivate just one console from the website?
No. PlayStation says you can't remotely deactivate individual consoles; the web option deactivates all of them. To remove a single console, switch the setting off on that console.
How often can I deactivate consoles remotely?
Once every six months, according to PlayStation Support. If you have already used it, PlayStation suggests changing your password to sign out consoles you can't reach.
Will deactivating a PS5 delete my games or saves?
No. PlayStation states that deactivating your console does not delete your data or damage your console.
Can Console Sharing be on for two PS5s?
No. PlayStation lets you turn on Console Sharing and Offline Play on one PS5 at a time. Disable it on the old console, if you can reach it, before enabling it on the new one.
Should I change my password before signing out?
That's our advice, not a PlayStation rule. If someone else knows the old password, they can sign in again after you sign them out, so change it first.
How do I do the same for Xbox?
Xbox uses a Microsoft account and its own settings. See our guide to an unknown console on your Xbox account.
Sources
- PlayStation Support: Deactivate a PlayStation console Checked October 2026
- PlayStation Support: Console Sharing and Offline Play on PS5 Checked October 2026
- PlayStation Support: Signing in to your PlayStation account Checked October 2026
- PlayStation Support: Unauthorized payments and compromised accounts Checked October 2026
- PlayStation Support: Account security best practice Checked October 2026
Verified October 2026 against the PlayStation support pages above, US English edition. Menu names can vary by system software version and region, so follow what your own screens show.