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How to Manage Game Data and Privacy Settings on PlayStation (PS5 and PS4)

Learn where PlayStation privacy settings live, how to control activity and messages, and how to manage game installations separately from saved progress on PS5 and PS4.
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PlayStation privacy controls and game storage are managed separately: account settings determine what other people can see or do, while storage settings control installed games, saved progress, and captures. On PS5, open Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy; on PS4, open Settings > Account Management > Privacy Settings. Before deleting anything, identify whether it is a game installation or a save file, and make sure important saves are backed up.

Change privacy settings on PS5, PS4, or the web

Sony says privacy settings are tied to your PlayStation account, so changes apply across devices. The available options and labels can vary by console and account type. Use the route for the device you have, then check the specific audience for the information or contact feature you want to control. PlayStation’s privacy settings guide lists current routes and controls.

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  • PS5: Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy. Choose a preset or select View and Customize Your Privacy Settings to adjust individual options.
  • 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.

Choose who can see your activity and profile

PS5 controls cover real name and profile picture, friends and profile information, activity and gaming history, and the option to hide games from other players. If you want to limit who sees what you are playing, review activity and gaming-history controls rather than assuming one general privacy switch hides everything.

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Limit requests, messages, and invitations

Review settings for friend requests and connections, communication and multiplayer, blocked players, and crossplay game invitations. Consider each pathway separately: limiting who can see your activity does not necessarily limit who can contact you.

#1 Best Overall
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller – Remix Green - for PS5, PC, MAC & Mobile
  • Heighten Your Senses. Discover Deeper, highly immersive gaming experiences.
  • Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback
  • Chat online through the built-in microphone or connect a headset directly via the 3.5mm jack
  • Play on more devices Connect using a USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth wireless technology so you can easily play on more devices including Windows PC and Mac computers, Android and iOS mobile phones.
  • Elevate PC gaming with advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in a range titles

Use presets as a starting point

PS5 offers four privacy presets: Social and Open, Team Player, Friend Focused, and Solo and Focused. You can customize individual settings after choosing one. Check the audience shown for the particular item you care about, such as current activity or real-name visibility.

Secure your account and review connected apps

Privacy controls 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. Changes made online are saved to the account and apply across devices and consoles.

Rank #2
Playstation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller - White (Renewed)
  • Haptic feedback - Feel physically responsive feedback to your in-game actions with dual actuators which replace traditional rumble motors. In your hands, these dynamic vibrations can simulate the feeling of everything from environments to the recoil of different weapons. .Operating temperature : 41 °F to 95 °F (5 °C to 35 °C)
  • Adaptive triggers - Experience varying levels of force and tension as you interact with your in-game gear and environments. From pulling back an increasingly tight bowstring to hitting the brakes on a speeding car, feel physically connected to your on-screen actions.
  • Built-in microphone and headset jack - Chat with friends online using the built-in microphone or by connecting a headset to the 3.5mm jack. Easily switch voice capture on and off at a moment’s notice with the dedicated mute button. Internet and account for PlayStation Network required.
  • DualSense Controller PS5 and PC compatible. Not compatible with PS4.
  • PS Remote Play requires Remote Play App connected to Wi-Fi, PS4 or PS5 console with the latest system software and compatible game. A PS4 or PS5 console with a wired connection via a LAN cable is recommended. Version 4.0 of the Remote Play App on iOS and iPadOS or version 4.1 on macOS is required for games to be playable with the controller over Bluetooth.

Authorized third-party apps may receive some account data, including online status and gameplay information. Review services you no longer use and unlink them through Account Management online, PS5 or PS4 settings, or the PlayStation App. Sony explains how to review and unlink authorized apps.

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

Manage a child account’s privacy and family controls

A family manager, parent, or guardian can manage a child’s privacy settings and choose which ones the child may change. Sony says a notification is sent when the child or manager changes a setting. If an option is unavailable, family restrictions or the child’s account status may govern it; check Sony’s parental controls and spending limits guide.

Rank #3
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller - Midnight Black
  • Bring gaming worlds to life - Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback*. Experience varying force and tension at your fingertips with adaptive triggers*
  • Find your voice, share your passion - Chat online through the built-in microphone. Connect a headset directly via the 3.5mm jack. Record and broadcast your epic gaming moments with the create button
  • A gaming icon in your hands - Enjoy a comfortable, evolved design with an iconic layout and enhanced sticks. Hear higher-fidelity** sound effects through the built-in speaker in supported games
  • Multi-device connectivity - Connect using a USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth technology and easily play on more devices including Windows PC and Mac computers.
  • Elevate PC gaming with advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in a range of blockbuster PC titles.

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 are using the Family app, Account Management, PS5, or PS4, and some controls are region-limited.

Know the difference between a game, a save, and a capture

An installed game or app is not the same thing as saved progress. Deleting a game installation can free space while leaving a save alone; deleting a save removes progress and is a separate operation. Captures have their own storage restrictions. Sony’s PS5 storage guide lists options by data type.

Rank #4
PlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller - Midnight Black
  • Ultra Customizable Controls
  • Mappable Back Buttons
  • DualSense Wireless Controller Features Built In
  • Replaceable Stick Modules and Caps
Data type PS5 storage options listed by Sony PS4 storage options listed by Sony
Game files USB extended storage or M.2 storage USB extended storage or M.2 storage
Saved data Cloud storage for PlayStation Plus members Cloud storage or USB
Captures Restrictions differ by data type; check Sony’s storage guide Restrictions differ by data type; check Sony’s storage guide

The storage table describes supported data types, not a promise that a save can be backed up to any drive used for game files. In particular, Sony lists M.2 and USB extended storage for game files, not as a PS5 save-file backup method. For PS5 saves, Sony lists cloud storage for PlayStation Plus members. For PS4 saves, Sony also documents copying between system storage and a connected USB drive.

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Free space without deleting saved progress

Delete a PS5 game or application

  1. Open Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games and Apps.
  2. Select the game or application, then choose Delete.

Sony says purchased applications remain available to redownload from your Library. Some games also let you remove selected portions, such as unused add-ons, without removing the entire installation. This does not establish that a deleted save can be recovered, so treat save management as a separate task.

Best Value
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PC
  • Enjoy precise, comfortable control over 10,000+ supported Steam games.
  • Easily pair the controller directly to your Windows PC via Bluetooth or play as you charge with the included USB Type-C cable
  • Stay paired with up to four different Bluetooth devices, making it easy to enjoy the controller across Windows PC, Mac, PS5 consoles and smartphones. Discover more connection tips and tricks at playstation.com/pair-dualsense
  • Access the latest available controller firmware directly from your PC with the free-todownload PlayStation Accessories app
  • Play games streamed from your PS5 or PS4 console to your PC via the PS Remote Play App

Check or manage PS5 saved data

  1. Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
  2. Choose Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4), as appropriate.
  3. For cloud storage, use the upload or download options available for the selected game and confirm the save is synced before deleting local data or changing consoles.

Sony’s PS5 guide requires PlayStation Plus for cloud storage. Confirm your subscription and that the relevant save has uploaded before relying on it as a backup.

Manage PS4 saved data

On PS4, open Settings > Application Saved Data Management. Sony documents deleting saves from system, online, or USB storage, and copying saves between system storage and a connected USB drive. PS Plus online storage is another option. Purchased applications can be deleted and downloaded again from the Library, but an application download is not the same as restoring its save. See Sony’s PS4 storage and saved-data guide for the available options.

Back up before changing consoles or resetting one

Before deleting saved data, replacing a console, or troubleshooting with a reset, verify that the save exists in the backup location you intend to use. Restoring default settings is different from resetting or initializing a console. Sony says restoring default settings does not affect user or game data; resetting PS5 or initializing PS4 deletes user and game data, cannot be undone, and deleted data cannot be restored. Follow the relevant PlayStation reset and Safe Mode guidance only after checking what the selected option deletes.

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

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller – Remix Green - for PS5, PC, MAC & Mobile
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller – Remix Green - for PS5, PC, MAC & Mobile
Heighten Your Senses. Discover Deeper, highly immersive gaming experiences.; Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback
$84.00
Bestseller No. 2
Playstation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller - White (Renewed)
Playstation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller - White (Renewed)
DualSense Controller PS5 and PC compatible. Not compatible with PS4.; Devices with macOS 11.3, iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5 or tvOS 14.5 or later supported.
$58.00
Bestseller No. 4
PlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller - Midnight Black
PlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller - Midnight Black
Ultra Customizable Controls; Mappable Back Buttons; DualSense Wireless Controller Features Built In
$199.00
Bestseller No. 5
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PC
PlayStation DualSense® Wireless Controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PC
Enjoy precise, comfortable control over 10,000+ supported Steam games.; Play games streamed from your PS5 or PS4 console to your PC via the PS Remote Play App
$74.00

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.

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