Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

PlayStation privacy controls are tied to your account, while installed games and saved progress are managed separately on each console. On PS5, open Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy; on PS4, open Settings > Account Management > Privacy Settings. Before deleting a game or resetting a console, check where its save is stored and whether it is backed up.

Open privacy settings on PS5, PS4, or the web

Sony says account privacy changes are reflected across devices. The menus differ by console, and labels or available controls can vary by platform and account type. PlayStation’s privacy settings guide gives these routes:

  • PS5: Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy. Choose a preset, or select View and Customize Your Privacy Settings to adjust individual controls.
  • PS4: Go to Settings > Account Management > Privacy Settings. You may need to sign in again.
  • Online: Sign in to Account Management, open Privacy settings, choose a feature, and select Edit.

On PS5, the four presets—Social and Open, Team Player, Friend Focused, and Solo and Focused—are starting points. Review the individual controls after choosing one rather than assuming a preset matches every preference.

Choose who can see your activity and contact you

Privacy is not one on/off switch. In the relevant settings, consider each audience and type of information separately: who can see your real name and profile picture, friends and profile information, activity and gaming history, or the games you hide from other players. You can also review controls for communication and multiplayer, blocked players, and crossplay game invitations. The available categories depend on the platform and account.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
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If your main concern is being contacted, check friend requests and connections as well as communication settings; changing who sees your profile does not necessarily change who can send messages or invitations. After editing, check your profile and settings to confirm the visibility you intended.

Protect your account and review connected apps

Use account security settings as well as privacy controls

Privacy settings govern what others can see or do through social features; they do not replace account security. Sony’s account security guide lists controls for sign-in ID, passkey, password, security question, mobile number, and two-step verification, with online, PS5, and PS4 routes. Sony says security changes made online are saved to the account and apply to all devices and consoles.

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Unlink services you no longer use

Authorized third-party apps may receive account information such as online status and gameplay information. Review the services connected to your account and unlink ones you no longer use. Sony documents app review and unlinking through Account Management online, console settings, or the PlayStation App.

Manage a child account’s privacy and family controls

A family manager, parent, or guardian can manage a child’s privacy settings and decide which settings the child is allowed to change. Sony says a notification is sent when the child or manager changes a setting. If a control is unavailable or cannot be changed, the family manager’s restrictions or the child’s account status may determine what is permitted.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
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Family controls also cover communication and user-generated content, age-based game access, playtime, monthly spending limits, and access to linked services. The route depends on whether you use the Family app, Account Management, PS5, or PS4; some controls are region-limited. See Sony’s parental controls guide for the applicable family-management route.

Understand the difference between game installs and saves

An installed game or application is not the same thing as its saved progress. Sony’s storage guidance lists different storage options by data type and console generation, so choose a destination based on whether you want to play from the storage device or preserve a save. Sony’s PS5 storage guide lists the following options:

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Data type Storage options Sony lists
PS5 and PS4 game files USB extended storage or M.2 storage
PS5 saved data Cloud storage
PS4 saved data Cloud storage or USB
Captures Separate restrictions apply; check Sony’s storage guide for the relevant type.

Sony’s PS5 guide says PlayStation Plus is required to use cloud storage for saved data. Confirm your subscription and that the save has uploaded before deleting data or moving to another console. An M.2 drive is listed for game files, not as a PS5 save-file backup method.

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Delete a game without deleting its save

PS5

  1. To review space, open Settings > Storage.
  2. To remove an installed game or application, open Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games and Apps, select the item, and choose Delete.
  3. To manage progress separately, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings, then choose Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4). Check or back up the relevant save before deleting saved data.

Sony says purchased applications remain available to redownload from your Library. Some games also let you remove selected portions, such as unused add-ons, while keeping the rest installed. Redownloading a game does not establish that a separately deleted save can be recovered.

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Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
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PS4

  1. To manage progress, go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management.
  2. From there, Sony documents deleting saves from system, online, or USB storage, and copying saves between system storage and a connected USB drive. PlayStation Plus online storage is another option.
  3. To remove a purchased application, use the Library; it can be downloaded again later.

For Sony’s PS4 save-management steps, see Manage storage space on PS4. Copying a save and deleting a save are different actions; verify the copy is present before removing the original.

Know what a reset deletes

Restoring default settings is not the same as resetting the console. Sony says restoring default settings does not affect user or game data. Resetting a PS5 or initializing a PS4 deletes user and game data, cannot be undone, and deleted data cannot be restored. Back up or sync saves and verify the backup before proceeding with a reset. See Sony’s guide to restoring default settings and resetting a console.

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