Buying a PS5 Pro does not automatically retire the standard PS5 sitting under the TV. A growing number of households now run both consoles side by side, one upstairs for a kid or partner, one downstairs hooked up to the good TV, both signed into the same PlayStation Network account. The problem is that Sony never designed this to be intuitive. The feature that makes it work is buried under a menu labeled “Console Sharing and Offline Play,” and getting it right on a PS5 Pro plus a base PS5 trips up more people than it should.
This tutorial walks through the entire process: activating the correct console as primary, adding a second account without losing access to your library, understanding what breaks when you get the order wrong, and fixing the specific error codes that show up when a PS5 Pro and a PS5 fight over primary status. By the end, both consoles will share your digital library, PS Plus benefits, trophies, and cloud saves correctly, and you will know exactly what to do when Sony’s six-month deactivation lock gets in the way. For more console setup walkthroughs, see our full gaming hardware and setup hub.
What “PS5 Game Sharing 2 Consoles” Actually Means
Sony killed the term “primary PS4” years ago, but the community never stopped using “primary console” because that is functionally what the replacement feature does. The official name is Console Sharing and Offline Play, and it lives at Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play. According to Sony’s own support page, reviewed August 30, 2026, the feature can be enabled on only one PS5 at a time per account, and any local user profile on that console gets access to the account holder’s downloaded games plus select PlayStation Plus benefits, even while the account holder is offline.
The first PS5 you ever sign into with an account is automatically granted this status. That detail matters more than it sounds like: if you set up your new PS5 Pro and sign into your main account before deactivating anything on the old PS5, you can end up in a standoff where neither console will hand over primary status cleanly.
For a two-PS5 household, this single-console limit is the entire game. You pick one console (usually the PS5 Pro, since it plays PSSR-upgraded and enhanced titles at their best) to hold Console Sharing and Offline Play, and the second console gets a local profile signed into a secondary or family account that borrows access from the shared console. Get that order backwards and you will spend an evening fighting Sony’s account servers instead of playing anything.
Console Sharing and Offline Play vs. Share Play
People frequently conflate two different Sony features because both involve “sharing” a PS5. Console Sharing and Offline Play is a persistent setting tied to one console, letting every local profile on that machine use the account holder’s library at any time, connected or not. Share Play is a temporary, session-based screen and controller stream to another player over the network, and it stops the moment the session ends. The rest of this tutorial focuses on Console Sharing and Offline Play, since that is the feature that actually lets a PS5 Pro and a base PS5 function as one shared library, but Step 8 covers Share Play as a lighter-weight alternative for occasional co-op rather than full-time access.
Why This Got More Confusing With the PS5 Pro
On PS4, Sony called this exact feature “Primary PS4,” and the naming made the concept obvious: one console was primary, everything else was secondary. The PS5 rebrand to “Console Sharing and Offline Play” buried the same one-console rule inside a settings submenu three levels deep, and the PS5 Pro’s launch made the confusion worse simply by giving people a second, more desirable console to juggle. Nothing about the underlying mechanic changed between the PS4 era and the PS5 Pro era; only the number of households running two consoles at once did.
Prerequisites and Versions
Before starting, confirm the following. Skipping any of these is the number one cause of failed setups reported in PlayStation support threads.
- A PS5 Pro and a standard PS5 (Slim or original), both updated to the latest available system software. As of September 2026 the stable build in wide release is version 26.04-13.40.00; Sony has PS5 system update 14.0 in closed testing with a wider PSSR rollout, expected before the end of September 2026, so check Settings > System > System Software > Update System Software on both consoles first.
- One PlayStation Network account that owns the digital games and PS Plus subscription you want shared (the “main” account).
- A second PSN account for whoever uses the other console (a partner, roommate, or child). This can be a brand-new free account.
- Both consoles connected to the internet during setup — Console Sharing and Offline Play cannot be toggled while offline.
- Physical access to both consoles, or at minimum the one you are demoting from primary. Remote deactivation from the web exists but comes with a real cost, covered in Step 9.
- 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted time. The activation itself takes seconds, but account propagation across PSN can take a few minutes per step.
Step 1: Decide Which Console Holds Console Sharing and Offline Play
Pick the console that stays home most and gets used by whoever is not the primary account holder. In most households that ends up being the PS5 Pro, because the person who bought the upgrade usually keeps the old PS5 for a second bedroom or a kid’s setup, and wants that secondary user to inherit the full digital library without owning a PS Plus subscription of their own. If you just finished moving your account over from a PS5 Slim to PS5 Pro upgrade, this is the natural next step once your data transfer is complete.
There is no PS5 Pro-specific activation flow. Sony’s support documentation describes Console Sharing and Offline Play generically for all PS5 hardware, and the menu path, wording, and behavior are identical whether the console is a launch PS5, a PS5 Slim, or a PS5 Pro. The only practical difference is which console you want your less-frequent user sitting in front of, since that is the one that will NOT get the shared benefits automatically applied without extra steps.
Step 2: Sign Into the Main Account on the Console You Are Sharing From
On the console you picked in Step 1 (we will assume the PS5 Pro from here), go to Settings > Users and Accounts, and confirm the main PSN account — the one that owns the digital games and the PS Plus subscription — is signed in as a user on that console. It also helps to have PS5 Pro Enhanced graphics and HDR calibration already sorted on the Pro before adding a second user, so the account you are sharing from is fully configured first.
If this is a brand-new PS5 Pro and the main account was previously signed into the old base PS5, this is the point where conflicts start. Sony only allows the sharing feature to run on one console per account. If the base PS5 still holds primary status from before, activating it on the PS5 Pro will fail or silently revoke it from the old console. Decide now whether you want that old PS5 to lose sharing status entirely, or whether you plan to designate it as the secondary console for a family member — that changes the order of the next few steps.
Step 3: Enable Console Sharing and Offline Play
With the main account signed in and active, navigate to:
Settings
> Users and Accounts
> Other
> Console Sharing and Offline Play
> EnableIf this is the first PS5 the account has ever signed into, this toggle may already show as Enabled. If a different console (the base PS5) currently holds this status, the PS5 Pro’s toggle will either be grayed out or will prompt you that another console must be deactivated first. That prompt is normal and is covered in Step 4.
Once enabled, every local user profile that exists on this PS5 Pro — not just the main account — can play the main account’s downloaded games and use selected PS Plus benefits, including online multiplayer, even while the main account itself is offline or not signed into this console at that moment.
Step 4: Deactivate the Old Console Correctly
If the base PS5 previously held Console Sharing and Offline Play status and you still have it powered on and accessible, deactivate it from the console itself rather than from the website. On the base PS5, sign into the main account and go to the same Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play menu, then select Disable.
This local, on-console deactivation does not trigger Sony’s six-month waiting period. That restriction only applies to the “Deactivate All Devices” option inside PlayStation’s web-based Account Management, which several Reddit threads from 2025 and 2026 confirm is a separate, much heavier tool meant for lost or sold consoles, not for switching sharing status between two consoles you still own. Commenters on r/PS5 have pointed out that the six-month lock is tied specifically to using the remote “Deactivate All” button on the website, and that changing which console holds sharing status directly from the consoles themselves can be done as often as needed.
Step 5: Add the Secondary Account to the Non-Sharing Console
Now go to whichever console is NOT holding Console Sharing and Offline Play — in our example, the base PS5 — and create or sign into the secondary local user profile. This is the account your family member, roommate, or kid will use day to day.
Because the PS5 Pro has sharing enabled and this secondary account is now a local user with internet access, it inherits the main account’s digital game library and eligible PS Plus perks whenever it signs in — the console it is physically using does not need to be the one holding the shared status. This is the part that confuses most people: the sharing flag lives on one console (the PS5 Pro in this setup), but any account signed in anywhere with internet access, including on the base PS5, can pull from that shared library as long as it is properly linked as a family or sub-account, or is simply logging in locally with internet access enabled.
Step 6: Verify Digital Games Actually Download and Launch
On the secondary console, open the PS Store or Library, find a digital game owned by the main account, and confirm it shows as installable rather than locked behind a purchase prompt. Download a small title first to confirm the pipeline works before pulling down anything large.
Digital purchases and subscription entitlements (like the PS Plus Game Catalog) are what actually get shared through this system. Physical disc games are a hard exception: a disc-based title still needs the physical disc inserted into whichever console is playing it, because the license lives on the media itself, not the account. If your PS5 Pro is the disc-drive-equipped model or has the optional $79.99 external UHD Blu-ray drive attached, and the base PS5 does not, any disc-only games in your collection simply will not be playable on the base console regardless of sharing status. This is one of the clearest practical reasons to weigh PS5 digital vs disc edition before deciding which console keeps the drive.
| Content Type | Shared via Console Sharing? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Digital game purchases | Yes | Downloadable and playable by any local user on the sharing console |
| PS Plus Game Catalog / Classics | Yes | Selected benefits extend to local users on the sharing console |
| PS Plus online multiplayer | Yes | Local users can go online in supported games without their own PS Plus |
| Physical disc games | No | Disc must be physically present in the console being used |
| DLC and add-on content | Yes, tied to entitlement | Follows the same rule as the base digital purchase |
| Trophies | Account-bound, not console-bound | Syncs through PSN regardless of which console you use |
| Save files | Account-bound if cloud sync is on | Requires PS Plus cloud storage or manual USB transfer otherwise |
Step 7: Set Up Cloud Saves So Progress Follows the Account, Not the Console
Trophies are account-bound and sync automatically through PlayStation Network the moment you are online, regardless of which of the two consoles you are using. Save files are a different story: they only follow you between the PS5 Pro and the base PS5 automatically if cloud save storage is enabled and the account has PS Plus.
On each console, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS5) > Cloud Backup, and confirm Automatic Upload is toggled on for the account playing there. Without this, progress on the base PS5 stays local to that console’s internal SSD and will not appear when the same account signs into the PS5 Pro.
Settings
> Saved Data and Game/App Settings
> Saved Data (PS5)
> Cloud Backup
> Automatic Upload: ONStep 8: Configure Share Play if You Want to Stream Instead of Split Access
Console Sharing and Offline Play is not the only option. If you would rather stream a live session from the PS5 Pro to whoever is at the base PS5 (or a phone, PC, or another console entirely) instead of granting full offline access, use Share Play. Sony’s support documentation confirms that starting a Share Play session requires the host — the person sharing their screen and controller — to be a PlayStation Plus member. The person receiving the stream does not need their own PS Plus subscription to join.
To start a session, press the PS button to open the Control Center on the host console, select your profile icon, then Share Play, and invite the other player from your friends list. Share Play is session-based streaming over the network, not a persistent access grant, so it is better suited to co-op sessions or letting a friend try a game remotely than to permanently splitting a household library. For streaming your PS5 Pro to a phone, PC, or another room entirely rather than sharing with a specific friend, see our full PS5 Remote Play setup guide.
Step 9: Handle Remote Deactivation the Right Way (Avoid the 6-Month Lock)
If you no longer have physical access to the old base PS5 — it was sold, given away, or is at another location — you cannot disable Console Sharing and Offline Play locally. Your only option is the web-based Account Management portal: sign in, go to Device Management > PlayStation Consoles, and select Deactivate All Devices.
This is the step multiple threads in r/playstation flag as a trap. Deactivate All Devices does not target a single console; it wipes sharing status from every device tied to the account, and Sony then locks you out of using that specific web tool again for six months. Several users in 2025 and 2026 support threads describe getting stuck exactly this way after trying to reset sharing status remotely for a console they no longer had in hand, then being unable to activate a new primary console through the website until the lock expired. If you still have the old console physically available, always deactivate locally through the console’s own menu instead — that path has no cooldown.
Step 10: Confirm PS Plus Benefits Are Actually Reaching the Second Console
Sony’s support page for sharing PlayStation Plus benefits states that PS Plus can be shared on one PS5 console and one PS4 console simultaneously, and notes you cannot share your games and PS Plus benefits with accounts across two separate PS5 consoles at the same time — reinforcing the one-console limit from Step 1. On the secondary console, sign into the secondary account, open a PS Plus-exclusive title from the Game Catalog, and confirm it launches without a “subscription required” prompt. If it fails, double-check that Console Sharing and Offline Play is still enabled on the PS5 Pro and that the secondary account is signed in with internet access rather than in offline mode.
Step 11: Update Both Consoles Before Troubleshooting Anything
A large share of the sharing and activation errors reported on Reddit and in Sony’s own error code database trace back to one console running an older system software build than the other. Before assuming a setting is broken, update both the PS5 Pro and the base PS5 to the latest available version from Settings > System > System Software > Update System Software, and reboot both consoles once the update completes.
Step 12: Test the Full Loop End to End
Finish by running through the complete scenario once: sign into the secondary account on the base PS5, download and launch a digital game owned by the main account, earn or unlock a trophy, then sign into the same secondary account (or the main account) on the PS5 Pro and confirm both the trophy and any save progress carried over. If all three — access, trophies, and saves — check out, the two-console setup is complete.
Example Output: What a Correctly Shared Setup Looks Like
PS5 Pro (main account "Alex_Main")
Console Sharing and Offline Play: ENABLED
Local users: Alex_Main, Jordan_Kid
Cloud Backup: Automatic Upload ON
Base PS5 (secondary console)
Console Sharing and Offline Play: DISABLED (by design)
Local users: Jordan_Kid
Jordan_Kid library access: Inherited from Alex_Main via PS5 Pro
Jordan_Kid PS Plus multiplayer: Active (inherited)
Jordan_Kid trophies: Syncing to PSN under Jordan_Kid profile
Jordan_Kid save data: Uploading to cloud, restorable on either consoleCommon Pitfalls
- Signing into the main account on the new PS5 Pro before deactivating the old base PS5. This creates a conflict where the system does not know which console should hold sharing status, and can force you into the remote deactivation path with its six-month lock.
- Assuming disc games will play on the non-primary console. Console Sharing and Offline Play only covers digital entitlements. A disc still has to be physically inserted wherever it is played.
- Forgetting to enable Cloud Backup on the secondary account. Without it, hours of progress on the base PS5 stay stuck locally and never appear on the PS5 Pro.
- Using Deactivate All Devices on the website out of habit. It is a blunt, account-wide reset with a six-month cooldown — not a per-console toggle.
- Leaving one console on an older system software version. Mismatched firmware between the PS5 Pro and the base PS5 is behind a large share of the WS- and NP- prefixed error codes people report.
- Expecting a PS5 Pro-specific menu. There isn’t one. The activation path, wording, and rules are identical to a standard PS5; the console model has no bearing on the sharing feature itself.
- Trying to make both consoles “primary” at once. Sony’s one-console limit is a hard rule, not a soft cap — attempting to enable sharing on the second console while it is still active on the first will fail outright.
Troubleshooting
Error WS-116521-6 when enabling Console Sharing and Offline Play. This is a network-level failure during activation. Reports from r/playstation link it most often to an unstable internet connection or a temporary PSN service hiccup. Restart the router, confirm PlayStation Network services are online on Sony’s status page, and retry. If you have a laptop on the same network, a quick manual check rules out whether the problem is your connection or Sony’s servers:
# Run from a computer on the same network as the PS5
ping -c 4 8.8.8.8
# 4 replies with low, consistent latency = local internet is fine
nslookup account.sony.com
# A resolved IP address means DNS can reach PSN's account servers
# A timeout here points to a router/DNS issue, not a PS5 problemIf both checks succeed but the PS5 still throws WS-116521-6, the fault is almost always on Sony’s side and simply retrying after a few minutes clears it.
“Another console is already set as your Console Sharing and Offline Play console.” This means the old base PS5 (or a previous console) still holds the status. If you have it in hand, disable it locally first. If you do not, you will need the web-based Deactivate All Devices tool, which triggers the six-month cooldown described in Step 9.
Secondary account can’t download a game the main account owns. Confirm Console Sharing and Offline Play is enabled on the console the secondary account is currently using, and that the secondary account is signed in online rather than in local/offline mode.
NP-102946-2 or NP-102945-1 appearing during setup. Sony’s official PS5 error code database lists both as prompts to install the latest system update. Run Update System Software on the affected console before retrying any sharing step.
Six-month deactivation lock is already active. There is no workaround or support override for this cooldown once triggered through the website tool. Wait out the period, or use the console-based Disable toggle on whichever device you can still physically access instead.
Trophies aren’t showing up on the second console. Trophies are tied to the PSN account profile, not to Console Sharing status. Confirm the correct account is signed in and that the console has an active internet connection; trophy sync can lag by a few minutes after unlocking one.
PS Plus multiplayer works on the PS5 Pro but not the base PS5. Double check that the secondary account on the base PS5 is a local user rather than a guest profile, and that it is online rather than playing in offline mode, which blocks shared PS Plus benefits entirely.
Save data conflict prompts when switching between consoles. This happens when local saves exist on both the PS5 Pro and the base PS5 for the same title without cloud sync reconciling them first. Manually upload the most recent save from Saved Data and Game/App Settings before switching consoles to avoid overwriting progress.
Setup worked, then broke after a system update. Sony’s August/September 2026 support documentation states the sharing rules have not changed with recent firmware, including the incoming 14.0 update focused on PSSR and graphics, so a break after an update is more likely a temporary PSN sync issue. Sign out and back into the affected account on both consoles to force a refresh.
Unsure which error code you’re actually looking at. Keep this quick-reference nearby before opening a support ticket with Sony, since several of the codes people mix up during sharing setup look similar but mean different things:
WS-116521-6 Network timeout during Console Sharing activation
NP-102946-2 System software update required — install latest update
NP-102945-1 System software update required — install latest system software
NP-34954-8 PSN sign-in token expired — sign out and back in
WS-37397-9 Temporary PlayStation Network service interruptionThree Real-World Two-PS5 Household Scenarios
The steps above cover the mechanics, but the right configuration depends on who is actually using the second console. These are the three setups readers ask about most often.
Scenario 1: A Couple Splitting a PS5 Pro and a Hand-Me-Down PS5
One partner keeps the PS5 Pro in the living room and buys new titles digitally; the other inherits the base PS5 in a home office or bedroom. This is the cleanest scenario because there is usually only one PSN account with a real purchase history. Put Console Sharing and Offline Play on the PS5 Pro, create a local profile for the second partner on the base PS5, and both cloud saves and trophies sync independently per profile without any real friction. The only recurring complaint in this setup is disc games: if the couple owns physical copies and only the PS5 Pro has a drive attached, those titles stay exclusive to whoever is sitting in front of the Pro.
Scenario 2: A Parent Upgrading and Handing the Old PS5 to a Kid
This is the most common reason people search for this setup in the first place. The parent’s account holds the PS Plus subscription and most of the digital library; the child gets their own local profile, often with parental controls layered on top through Family Management in the PlayStation app. Because the child’s profile is local to a console with Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled, they inherit access to age-appropriate titles from the shared library without the parent needing to buy a second PS Plus subscription or hand over login credentials. Set spending limits and playtime restrictions separately through Family Management, since those are unrelated to the console-sharing toggle and will not be inherited automatically.
Scenario 3: Roommates Who Each Have Their Own PSN Account
This is the scenario where Console Sharing and Offline Play is the wrong tool. It is designed for one account’s library to be borrowed by other local users on one console, not for two independently purchasing accounts to merge libraries across two consoles. Roommates who each buy their own games and PS Plus subscriptions are better served by Share Play for occasional co-op sessions, or by each running their own account on their own console without attempting to link sharing status between the two PS5s at all. Trying to force this setup for two full, independent libraries usually ends in the exact conflict described in Step 4, since Sony’s system assumes one account is the “owner” of whichever console holds the sharing flag.
Advanced Tips
If your household has more than two people who need access, remember that Console Sharing and Offline Play grants access to every local user profile on the sharing console, not just one designated secondary account. You can add multiple family members as local users on the PS5 Pro itself and they will all inherit the shared library without needing a second console at all — the two-console scenario in this guide is specifically for when people want to play simultaneously on separate screens.
For families that also use a PS4 alongside the PS5 Pro and base PS5, Sony’s PS Plus sharing documentation confirms benefits can extend to one PS5 and one PS4 at the same time, so a three-console household (PS5 Pro, base PS5, and an older PS4) can still work, provided the PS4 is the one holding “Primary PS4” status rather than a second PS5 competing for the single PS5 slot.
If you plan to eventually sell the base PS5 rather than keep it as a secondary console, disable Console Sharing and Offline Play and sign out of all accounts on it before listing it, then run a factory reset. Doing this ahead of time avoids the seller needing to use the six-month-locked remote deactivation tool after the fact, which is a common regret documented across several r/PS5 threads from resellers who forgot this step.
Storage capacity is worth planning around before you start downloading the same library twice. A PS5 Pro’s 2TB SSD leaves roughly 1.8TB usable after the system partition, while a standard PS5 Slim’s 1TB drive nets closer to 840GB. If both consoles are pulling from the same shared digital library, the base PS5 will run out of room first, especially with modern titles regularly exceeding 100GB. Prioritize which games actually need to live on the secondary console rather than mirroring the entire library, and lean on the PS5’s per-title uninstall/reinstall flow (which keeps saves intact) to rotate titles in and out as needed.
Bandwidth is the other practical constraint people overlook. If both consoles start downloading a newly released, multi-hundred-gigabyte title at the same time on a shared home connection, expect both downloads to slow down noticeably rather than each pulling full speed independently. Staggering large downloads, or scheduling one for overnight through Settings > System > Power Saving options, avoids the two consoles competing for the same upstream bandwidth from your ISP.
Complete Working Setup Checklist
| Task | Console | Status Check |
|---|---|---|
| System software updated | Both | Settings > System > System Software shows no pending update |
| Main account signed in | PS5 Pro | Appears under Users and Accounts |
| Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled | PS5 Pro | Toggle shows Enabled |
| Old console deactivated locally | Base PS5 | Toggle shows Disabled, no pending web lock |
| Secondary account created/signed in | Base PS5 | Appears under Users and Accounts |
| Test digital game download | Base PS5 | Installs without purchase prompt |
| Cloud Backup automatic upload | Both | Set to ON for each active profile |
| PS Plus online multiplayer test | Base PS5 | Joins online match without subscription error |
| Trophy sync test | Both | New trophy appears on PSN profile within minutes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share games between a PS5 Pro and a regular PS5 the same way as two base PS5 consoles?
Yes. Sony’s support documentation describes Console Sharing and Offline Play generically for PS5 hardware, and there is no separate process, restriction, or menu for the PS5 Pro. The console model makes no difference to how the feature works.
How many PS5 consoles can hold Console Sharing and Offline Play at once?
Only one per account. This is a hard limit confirmed by Sony’s own support page reviewed in August 2026, not a setting you can adjust.
Does the secondary account need its own PlayStation Plus subscription?
No, as long as it is a local user on the console currently holding Console Sharing and Offline Play status, or is signed in as a linked account benefiting from that console’s sharing settings. It inherits access to the main account’s eligible PS Plus benefits and digital library.
Will disc-based games work on the console that isn’t set as primary?
Only if the physical disc is inserted into that specific console. Console sharing covers digital purchases and subscription entitlements, not physical media.
What happens if I try to switch primary status too often?
Switching directly on the consoles themselves, by disabling on one and enabling on the other, has no cooldown according to community reports and Sony’s documented process. The six-month lock applies specifically to the “Deactivate All Devices” tool on the PlayStation website.
I sold my old PS5 without deactivating it first. What now?
Use Account Management on playstation.com, go to Device Management > PlayStation Consoles, and select Deactivate All Devices. Expect a six-month wait before you can use that same remote tool again if you need it a second time.
Do trophies and save data automatically move between the PS5 Pro and PS5?
Trophies sync automatically through your PSN account regardless of console. Save data only follows you automatically if Cloud Backup’s Automatic Upload setting is turned on for that profile; otherwise saves stay local to whichever console generated them.
Is Share Play a replacement for Console Sharing and Offline Play?
No, they solve different problems. Share Play streams a live session to another player over the network and requires the host to have PS Plus, while Console Sharing and Offline Play grants persistent, offline-capable access to your library on one designated console.