Enable game share on PS5 by turning on Console Sharing and Offline Play in Settings > Users and Accounts > Other.
Game sharing on a PS5 isn’t a hidden hack — it is a built-in feature called Console Sharing and Offline Play. Turning it on takes about 30 seconds. Once active, anyone who signs into that PS5 can play your digital games and use your PlayStation Plus benefits without buying them again. Below is the exact path and the rules you need to know before setting it up.
What Is Game Sharing on PS5?
Game sharing on the PS5 relies on a single system setting. When you enable Console Sharing and Offline Play for your account on a specific console, every other user on that PS5 can access your digital game library and any active PlayStation Plus subscription. The feature is designed to let you play your purchased content on a second console and to share it with family or friends on the same device.
The setting applies to digital games only. Physical discs do not benefit from Console Sharing — a disc must be inserted to play its game regardless of this setting. One account can only have Console Sharing enabled on one PS5 at a time, so enabling it on a new console automatically disables it on the previous one.
| What Gets Shared | What Does Not Get Shared |
|---|---|
| Digital games purchased by the account | Physical disc games |
| PlayStation Plus benefits (online play, monthly games, cloud saves) | Other accounts’ saved data or trophies |
| Add-ons and DLC tied to the account | Payment methods or personal info |
How To Enable Game Share On Your PS5
The setup requires signing in with the PlayStation Network account that owns the content you want to share. The steps below use the standard PS5 system menu, which is consistent across current firmware versions.
- Sign in on your PS5 using the PSN account that holds the digital games or PlayStation Plus subscription.
- Press the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of the home screen.
- Scroll down and select Users and Accounts.
- Select Other from the list of options.
- Select Console Sharing and Offline Play.
- Select Enable. Confirm the change if prompted.
After you confirm, the option switches to show Disable instead of Enable, meaning the feature is now active on that console. Any other profile on this PS5 can now play your digital library without being signed into your account.
Setting Up Game Share On A Friend’s PS5
To share games with a friend’s console, you need to enable Console Sharing for your account on their machine. This is the pattern most people use to swap libraries between two households.
- On your friend’s PS5, add your PSN account and sign in.
- Navigate to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play.
- Select Enable for your account on their console.
- If you want reciprocal sharing, have your friend sign into your PS5 and repeat the same steps for their account.
You should only enable this on a console you trust, because the other user’s console will have broad access to your entire digital library. If you already have Console Sharing enabled on your own PS5, turning it on your friend’s console will automatically deactivate it on yours. One account can only designate one console as its primary sharing machine at a time.
The complete setup process is described in detail in this console sharing and offline play guide.
Common Mistakes & How To Fix Them
Most game sharing issues come down to signing in under the wrong account or missing the activation confirmation. Here are the most frequent problems and their solutions.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Enable” button is grayed out or missing | You are signed into a guest or child account that lacks the game licenses | Switch to the PSN account that originally purchased the games or holds the PlayStation Plus sub |
| Content is locked despite enabling | The target console hasn’t refreshed the licenses | Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses |
| “Disable” is showing instead of “Enable” | Console Sharing is already active on this console | No action needed — the feature is already turned on for this console |
| Games won’t launch on the second console | Console Sharing is still active on a different PS5 | Deactivate it on the old console via Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play > Disable |
Rules That Apply To Every Game Share Setup
Console Sharing is a straightforward feature, but three rules catch most first-timers. First, it only applies to digital content — disc games require the physical media in the drive. Second, you can only share with one PS5 at a time per account; switching to a new console automatically revokes access from the previous one. Third, the feature is tied to the console, not the network. The other users must be physically signed into that specific PS5 to access the shared library.
If you ever need to reverse a setup, simply return to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play and select Disable.
References & Sources
- Webnetic. “How to Gameshare on PS5.” Describes the full setup path and two-console sharing pattern.