To limit a child’s PS4 use, sign in as the family manager or an appointed parent/guardian, then open Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management. Select the child, set their time zone, and open Playtime Settings to choose the schedule, allowed hours, daily duration, and what happens when time is up.
Who can set PS4 playtime limits?
Playtime controls apply to a child account in your PlayStation family. The adult must be the family manager or a parent/guardian appointed by the family manager, and each child needs a separate child account. Set the child’s time zone before configuring playtime.
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How to set a time limit on a child’s PS4
- Sign in to the PS4 as the family manager or appointed parent/guardian.
- Go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management, then select the child.
- Set the child’s Time Zone if it is not already set.
- Open Playtime Settings.
- Choose whether to apply the same schedule every day or set different playtime settings for particular days. Set the allowed playtime and the hours during which the child can use the console.
- Choose what happens when playtime ends: Notify Only or Log Out, then save your settings.
PlayStation’s menu labels can vary with system software and region, so use the closest matching labels shown on your console. You can also manage family settings through PlayStation Account Management on the web or the free PlayStation Family app.
Can you use different limits for weekdays and weekends?
Yes. Playtime Settings lets you use one schedule for every day or set a schedule that varies by day of the week. You can adjust both the permitted duration and the hours when the child may use the PS4, making it possible to allow different play windows on school days and weekends.
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What PS4 counts as playtime
The timer counts the time the child is logged in to the PS4, even if no game or application is running. Closing a game or leaving it paused does not stop the logged-in time from counting. The allowance resets at midnight in the time zone set for that child. PlayStation’s support guidance defines playtime as time logged in to the console.
What happens when the time limit is reached?
- Notify Only: The PS4 repeatedly alerts the child that playtime is over, but does not automatically log them out. PlayStation says this is the default setting.
- Log Out: The PS4 can automatically log the child out when the limit is reached.
Choose the option that fits your household: a reminder leaves the child responsible for stopping, while logout enforces the end of the session.
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Can you change only today’s playtime?
PlayStation’s feature guidance documents a way for a family manager or guardian to change the child’s remaining playtime for the current day without replacing the regular schedule. The PS4 feature guide published in March 2018 says adjustments were made in 15-minute increments through the PS4, a web browser, or the PS App. That increment is documented for the feature at that time; current support guidance does not confirm that the same step size remains available on PS4. See PlayStation’s PS4 system software 5.50 feature guide for the original details.
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Other ways to manage family playtime
Besides setting limits directly on the PS4, a parent or guardian can use PlayStation Account Management on the web or the PlayStation Family app. These options are useful when you need to manage family controls away from the console; use the current instructions in the relevant service for the available controls.
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