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Why PS5 Games Are Locked After Switching Accounts or Consoles

A PS5 lock icon often means the console cannot verify the game’s entitlement. Check the purchasing account, PlayStation Plus status, Console Sharing and Offline Play, and licenses.
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A lock icon on a PS5 game usually means the console cannot currently verify that the signed-in account has access to it. The most common causes are using an account other than the one that bought the game, an inactive or ineligible PlayStation Plus entitlement, Console Sharing and Offline Play being enabled on a different PS5, or a network or license-check problem. Start by checking ownership, then sharing settings, and finally restore licenses.

Why a PS5 game can show a lock

PS5 access is tied to the account that owns the game or subscription entitlement. If you switch accounts, the new account may not own the title. Other accounts can play a game downloaded by its owner when Console Sharing and Offline Play is enabled on that PS5. Sony also identifies network or license-verification problems as possible reasons for a padlock, so the icon alone does not identify a single cause. Sony’s locked-game troubleshooting guide explains the checks to make.

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Check the account and entitlement first

  1. Sign in with the account that purchased the game. Check that the successful purchase appears in that account’s transaction history. If it does not, confirm you are using the correct account.
  2. For a PlayStation Plus game, check the subscription and game availability. Access may end if the subscription is inactive or the game is no longer available through the service. Sony’s locked-game guide covers these entitlement checks.

When another account owns the game: check console sharing

Console Sharing and Offline Play can be enabled on one PS5 at a time. On the console where it is enabled, other users can play the owner’s purchased and downloaded games, including offline. If you have moved to a new PS5, the permission may still be enabled on the previous console.

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  1. On the previous PS5, sign in as the game owner and go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play. Disable the feature if it is enabled there.
  2. On the new PS5, sign in as the owner and open the same menu path. Choose the option to enable Console Sharing and Offline Play.

Sony’s Console Sharing and Offline Play guide explains the one-console limit and how to change the setting. Other users on the enabled console can then use the owner’s eligible downloaded games.

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Restore licenses on the PS5

If the correct account owns the game and the sharing setup is right, refresh the console’s license information:

  1. Open Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses.
  2. Select the licenses you want to restore and follow the on-screen prompts.

Sony says restoring licenses does not affect saved data. See its Restore Licenses instructions for details.

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If the game remains locked

Work through the remaining checks in this order, moving on only if the game still will not start:

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  • Check PlayStation Network status. A service or connection problem can prevent the console from confirming a license. Use Sony’s PlayStation Network status page.
  • Install current PS5 system software. Then try opening the game again.
  • Use Safe Mode only after the account, entitlement, sharing, and license checks. Sony’s download and game troubleshooting steps include clearing the cache and rebuilding the database.
  • Contact PlayStation Support if the checks do not resolve it. Provide the exact error code, what you did before the lock appeared, and the date and time you tried to access the game. These details help support investigate the access attempt.
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What error CE-109245-1 means

Sony defines CE-109245-1 as: “The license information of the content can’t be confirmed.” Its CE-109245-1 support page includes signing in as the content owner and enabling Console Sharing and Offline Play among the initial steps. Follow those checks before treating the error as proof that the purchase is missing.

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