What restoring licenses means and when you need to do it
Restoring licenses on your PlayStation 5 tells the console to re-read and re-authenticate all the games and apps you own from your PlayStation Network account. You need to do this when a game you bought suddenly says you don't own it, when you see a lock icon on a title you installed, or when you move a PS5 to a new location and your games stop working.
The most common reason this happens is that your PS5 lost connection to Sony's servers while you were playing, or your account's license information became out of sync with what the console thinks you own. Restoring licenses fixes the mismatch in about five minutes and costs nothing — it is a built-in troubleshooting tool, not a purchase or reactivation.
You do not need to delete your games or reinstall anything. The restore process works in the background while your games stay on the console.
Key Takeaways
- Restoring licenses re-authenticates your games with PlayStation Network and takes about five minutes from the Settings menu.
- You must be signed into the PlayStation Network account that purchased the games for the restore to work.
- Your games stay installed on the console — restoring licenses does not delete anything or require you to read again.
- If a game still shows as locked after restoring, the account that bought it may not be set as the console's primary account.
How to restore licenses from the Settings menu
Start by going to Settings on your PS5 home screen. Scroll down and select Users and Accounts, then choose Other, and tap Restore Licenses. The console will ask you to confirm — select Restore again.
The process runs in the background and usually finishes within a few minutes. You will see a notification when it is complete. Your games should now show as owned rather than locked, and you can launch them normally.
If you do not see the Restore Licenses option, make sure you are signed into the account that purchased the games. You cannot restore licenses for games bought by a different account unless that account is also on the console.
Why your games show as locked even after restoring
If a game still displays a lock icon after you restore licenses, the account that bought it is probably not set as the console's primary account. On a PS5, any account can play any game that was purchased by any account on that console — but only if the purchasing account is marked as primary.
To set an account as primary, go to Settings, then Users and Accounts, then Other, and select Console Sharing and Offline Play. Choose the account that bought the games and select Set as Primary Console. After you do this, restore licenses again.
This setup also lets you play games offline on your PS5 even if the PlayStation Network is down, because the console trusts that the primary account owns those titles.
What to do if restoring licenses does not work
If your games are still locked after restoring licenses and setting the account as primary, sign out of your account completely and sign back in. Sometimes the console's session information gets stale, and a fresh sign-in forces it to re-check your account status with PlayStation Network.
Go to Settings, then Users and Accounts, then Other, and select Sign Out. Wait a few seconds, then sign back in with your password. After that, try restoring licenses one more time.
If games are still locked after this, the issue may be that your account's payment method failed or your subscription (like PlayStation Plus) expired. Check your account on the PlayStation website to see if there are any warnings or outstanding issues, and update your payment method if needed.
Restoring licenses on a console you just set up
When you first set up a new PS5 or move to a different console, your games may not show as owned until you restore licenses. This is normal — the console has not yet synced with your account's purchase history.
Sign into the account that bought the games, go to Settings, and restore licenses as described above. The console will then read the license information for every game and app you own, and they will appear in your library ready to play.
If you are setting up a PS5 for someone else in your household, you can set your account as the primary account on their console. That way, they can play all your games without needing to sign into your account every time.
When to contact PlayStation Support
If restoring licenses, signing out and back in, and setting the account as primary do not fix the problem, the issue may be with your account itself rather than the console. This could mean a payment dispute, a suspended account, or a licensing error on Sony's side.
Visit the PlayStation Support website and start a chat or call their phone line. Have your account email and the name of the game that is locked ready to share. They can check whether your account has any holds or disputes and manually refresh your license information if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I lose my game saves if I restore licenses?
No. Restoring licenses only refreshes the permission to play your games — it does not touch your save files, settings, or any data stored on the console. Your saves stay exactly where they are.
Can I restore licenses for games bought by someone else?
Only if that person's account is on your console. You restore licenses by signing into their account and running the restore from Settings. After that, any account on the console can play those games if the purchasing account is set as primary.
Will restoring licenses delete my installed games?
No. Restoring licenses does not delete, uninstall, or re-read anything. Your games stay on the console exactly as they are. The process only updates the license information that tells your PS5 you own them.
How often should I restore licenses?
You only need to restore licenses when a game shows as locked or you see an error saying you do not own it. It is not something you do regularly — only when something goes wrong.
What if I restored licenses but the game is still locked?
Make sure the account that bought the game is set as the console's primary account. If it is, sign out and back in, then restore licenses again. If it still does not work, contact PlayStation Support — there may be an issue with your account that needs their help to fix.