How to Troubleshoot PS Plus Games Locked After Claiming Them

If a PlayStation Plus game you claimed now shows a padlock, first confirm which account owns access and whether the game is still covered by your membership or sharing setup. Then check PlayStation Network status, update the console, and restore licenses. A padlock can be a license-sync problem, but restoring licenses will not renew a membership or bring back a game that is no longer eligible.

Check that you still have access to the game

Before changing console settings, determine how the game was obtained and which account provides the entitlement. PlayStation’s locked-games guide recommends checking the account, transaction history, membership, and sharing settings.

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Confirm the account that claimed or bought it

Sign in to the account that originally claimed or purchased the game. For a recent purchase or voucher redemption, check that account’s transaction history. If a different account owns the game, access on your profile depends on that account’s sharing setup.

Identify the type of PS Plus benefit

Monthly games and catalog games have different eligibility rules. PlayStation says monthly games are available at no extra cost while the membership is active; new monthly games are added each calendar month. See the current PlayStation Plus monthly games information for the benefit details.

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Game Catalog access requires an eligible plan, and the game must still be available in the catalog. Extra includes the Game Catalog; Premium includes both the Game Catalog and Classics Catalog. A game’s presence in your library or the fact that you downloaded it earlier does not establish that it is still available through the catalog. Check the current PlayStation Plus game catalog.

Check sharing if another account provides access

If a family member or another profile owns the game, check the console setting that lets other users access that account’s content: Console Sharing and Offline Play on PS5, or primary PS4 activation on PS4. These are separate from your own PS Plus entitlement.

Check PlayStation Network and system software

1. Visit the PlayStation Network service status page. If it shows an alert affecting the relevant service, wait for it to clear and try the game again.

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2. Check for and install the latest system software for your console. PlayStation includes service status and system software among its locked-game troubleshooting checks.

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Restore the console’s licenses

If the account and game eligibility are correct, restore licenses to refresh the console’s access information. PlayStation says restoring licenses does not affect your data. The procedure is available on both PS5 and PS4; it does not renew an expired membership or change catalog availability. Follow PlayStation’s current restore licenses instructions if the on-screen labels differ.

PS5

1. Open Settings.

2. Select Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses.

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3. Select the licenses to restore and start the process. You can also open the game’s options menu from the home screen or library and choose Restore License, if that option is shown.

PS4

1. Open Settings.

2. Select Account Management > Restore Licenses > Restore.

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Verify console sharing and use Safe Mode only if needed

If another account owns the game, revisit sharing after confirming its account is signed in and has the entitlement. On PS5, check Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play. On PS4, check whether the owner account has activated that console as its primary PS4. Use PlayStation’s current locked-game instructions for the applicable platform.

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If access is valid and license restoration has not cleared the padlock, PlayStation’s guidance proceeds to Safe Mode options: Clear Cache and Rebuild Database on PS5 or Rebuild Database on PS4. These steps are beyond routine account and license checks; follow the current official console guide before using them.

Contact PlayStation Support if the game remains locked

If the lock persists after the relevant checks, contact PlayStation Support. Include the error code or message, what you did immediately before it appeared, and clear steps that reproduce the problem. Attach a screenshot or video if possible. For PS4 download troubleshooting, PlayStation also asks for the date and time of the attempt.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.