- What is Console Sharing and Offline Play on PS5?
- How do I switch the setting on before going offline?
- Do disc and digital PS5 titles behave differently?
- Which PlayStation Plus benefits carry over to a shared console?
- What replaced the old primary PS4 setting?
- Restore Licenses and other fixes when a PS5 title won't launch
- Before you unplug: a three-point check
- Frequently asked questions
Yes. Sony says that with Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled, anyone using your PS5 can play your purchased and downloaded games even when the console is offline. Turn it on in Settings, Users and Accounts, Other, while you're still connected. You can only enable it on one PS5 at a time, and online multiplayer still needs internet.
Last checked: October 2026.
Broadband down, PlayStation Network having a wobble, or a PS5 packed into the car for a holiday cottage with no Wi-Fi. Whatever the reason, the question's the same: will my games still load? On PS5, the answer comes down to one setting with a long name, Console Sharing and Offline Play.
Everything below comes from PlayStation's own support pages. I've kept to what Sony says and left out the forum guesswork, so you can set things up once and stop worrying about it.
What is Console Sharing and Offline Play on PS5?
PlayStation's support page says that when you enable Console Sharing and Offline Play, anyone who uses your PS5 can play your games and media even when the console is offline, play games and media you've purchased and downloaded, and enjoy some benefits of your PlayStation Plus membership.
Two more facts from Sony are worth knowing. You can turn it on for one PS5 at a time. And it's switched on automatically on the first PS5 you sign in to with your account, so if you've only ever had one console, there's a good chance it's already on.
It's the key that lets your digital library run without a connection. If it's off on the console you're using, downloaded games you own may refuse to start until the console can check in again.
How do I switch the setting on before going offline?
It only takes a moment, but do it while the console is still connected:
- Go to Settings on your PS5 home screen.
- Select Users and Accounts.
- Select Other.
- Select Console Sharing and Offline Play.
- Select Enable. If it's already enabled, you'll see the option to disable it instead, which confirms it's already working.
- Make sure the games you want are fully downloaded and updated, then test one with the network cable unplugged or Wi-Fi off.
If you've moved to a new PS5, Sony says you'll need to turn the setting off on your previous console first. Lost access to the old one? You can sign in to Account Management in a web browser and deactivate all devices, but Sony notes you can only do that remotely once every six months. So don't use it casually.
Do disc and digital PS5 titles behave differently?
Digital games are where this setting matters most, because there's no disc in the drive to show you own the game. Sony's support pages talk about licences for downloaded games, and the setting above is how a console is trusted to run them offline.
For disc versions, PlayStation's game launch troubleshooting points to a separate guide, and its steps are mostly the same as for digital games. I won't claim a disc game will always start offline, because Sony doesn't put it that way. What I'd do is the same test: install it, update it while connected, then try it offline before you rely on it.
If you're planning couch co-op while the internet's out, my guide to split-screen PS5 games for two players is worth a look, because local play on one screen is the kind of gaming that doesn't lean on the network.
Which PlayStation Plus benefits carry over to a shared console?
Sony's page on sharing PlayStation Plus says you can share selected benefits on one PS5 with Console Sharing and Offline Play activated. Here's what each item is, and what Sony says you need:
| Item on your PS5 | What Sony's support pages say |
|---|---|
| Games and media you bought and downloaded | Playable by anyone on the console, even when it's offline, with the setting on |
| Downloaded Monthly Plus games | A shared PlayStation Plus benefit on that console |
| Game Catalog and Classics Catalog games | Shared depending on your membership plan |
| Games bought with a PlayStation Plus discount | A shared benefit on that console |
| Online multiplayer | Shared, subject to parental controls, and online by definition |
| Subscription games | Sony says make sure the subscription is active |
The line to underline is the last one. Games that come with your PlayStation Plus membership depend on that membership being active. Sony's sharing page doesn't spell out an offline check-in schedule, so I'm not going to invent one. My advice: if you'll be offline for a while, connect the console the day before you leave so everything is up to date.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
What replaced the old primary PS4 setting?
If you came from a PS4, you'll remember activating it as your primary PS4. That's still the PS4 wording. On PS5, the equivalent is Console Sharing and Offline Play. Sony's troubleshooting page mentions both side by side: enable Console Sharing and Offline Play on PS5, or activate your console as your primary PS4.
They're separate settings on separate consoles. Still got the older console under the telly? My list of two-player games for the PS4 is a nice way to give it a second life.
Restore Licenses and other fixes when a PS5 title won't launch
If a game you own won't start, PlayStation's own troubleshooting suggests working through these, in roughly this order:
- Restart the PS5.
- Restore licences: Settings, then Users and Accounts, then Other, then Restore Licenses. You can also press the Options button on the game and choose Restore License. Sony says this won't affect your data.
- Turn on Console Sharing and Offline Play, or ask whoever owns the game on your console to turn it on.
- Check you've got the latest system software.
- Delete and download the game again, ideally over a wired connection.
- As a later step, use Safe Mode to clear the cache and rebuild the database, after backing up your data.
Restoring licences needs the console to be online, so it's a fix you do once you're connected again, not while you're stranded. If you'd like the bigger picture on why some games want the internet at all, I've written a plain guide to what makes a game work offline.
Before you unplug: a three-point check
- Console Sharing and Offline Play shows as enabled on this PS5.
- Every game you want is downloaded and updated.
- You've started each one once with the network off.
Do those three and you'll know where you stand before the router light goes red, not after.
I keep every related walkthrough in the Free Games to Play Offline and Online: Every Guide in One Place (2026).
Frequently asked questions
Can I play digital PS5 games without internet?
Yes, if Console Sharing and Offline Play is enabled on that PS5. Sony says anyone using the console can then play your purchased and downloaded games even when it's offline.
Where is Console Sharing and Offline Play on PS5?
Go to Settings, then Users and Accounts, then Other, then Console Sharing and Offline Play, and select Enable.
Can I turn on offline play on two PS5 consoles?
No. Sony says you can turn it on for one PS5 at a time. Turn it off on the old console before turning it on for a new one.
Do PlayStation Plus games work offline?
Sony says selected PlayStation Plus benefits are shared on the PS5 with Console Sharing and Offline Play turned on, and that the subscription needs to be active for subscription games. Connect before a trip so everything is current.
What should I do if a PS5 game won't start?
Restart the console, then restore licences from Settings, Users and Accounts, Other, Restore Licenses. Sony says restoring licences won't affect your data, but the console needs to be online to do it.
