How to change PlayStation Network login

Sony’s PlayStation 4 is one of the most popular consoles of all time, with Sony selling over 108 million units since its launch back in 2013, and there are already 10 million PS5s in the wild despite stock issues. While many of the games available for the platforms are single-player, those that want to play with friends online require a PlayStation Network login.

But what happens when you want to change the email or password associated with your PlayStation Network login? Or if you want to change your Online ID? While changing your username on PSN was once nothing more than a pipe dream, it’s now possible – but there are risks involved. Read on and we’ll explain how to change your PSN ID, email and password on PS4, PS5 and web.

How to change your PSN Online ID

It wasn’t possible to change your PSN Online ID for the longest time because of how it would affect the PlayStation Network ecosystem, however, an April 2019 update introduced the ability to change your PSN Online ID through your PS4 or web browser (and later on the PS5). Finally, no more having to use the ID you created when you were 15!

How to change your PSN ID on your PS4

1. Head to the Settings section on your PS4.
2. Select Account Management > Account Information > Profile > Online ID.
3. Enter your new Online ID of choice.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the change.

How to change your PSN ID on your PS5

1. Head to the Settings menu on your PS5.
2. Select Users and Accounts > Account > Profile > Online ID.
3. Enter your new Online ID of choice.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to save your changes.

How to change your PSN ID in a web browser

1. Sign in to your PSN account on the Sony site and select PSN Profile in the menu.
2. Select the Edit button that’s next to your Online ID.
3. Enter an Online ID of your choice.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the change.

The issue with changing your ID existed because not every title supported the feature, meaning an ID change could mean losing achievements, trophies or even access to certain games. Sony ran a beta test for this feature at the end of 2018 to ensure that it worked properly for the majority of its user base and it has now been officially released to everyone on the service.

Sony does mention, however, that some older games may not support the name change feature. All PS4 titles published on or after 1 April 2018 have been developed to include the ability to support name changes, but to be extra safe you can look at this list of tested games to make sure your favourite game can be played with a changed ID.

Sony has also released an FAQ that answers common questions involving ID changes (which you can find at the bottom of this page) and if you have any further questions you can always contact its support team directly.

How to change your PSN email address

It’s recommended that you always associate an up-to-date email address with your PlayStation Network login as it’s where you’ll receive emails about new games, PlayStation Store receipts and the like.

So, what do you do when you’ve changed your email? Do you need to create a new PlayStation Network login? Thankfully not.

In fact, it’s a breeze to change the email associated with your PSN login on your console:

1. Turn on your console and select the user account associated with your PSN.
2. On PS4, Head to Settings > Account Management > Account Information > Sign-in ID. If you’ve got a PS5, head to Settings > Users and Accounts > Account > Sign-in ID.
3. Enter your PSN password to verify that the account isn’t being accessed maliciously.
4. Enter your new Sign-in ID (aka your new email address) and select ‘Confirm’.
5. You should receive a verification email via the new email address you entered – click the included link to verify the change.
6. You should now be able to sign in to your account using your new email address.

It’s worth noting that if you’re changing a sub-account sign-in then the master account will need to authorise the change by entering their password.  

How to change your PSN password

It’s a similar process to change your PlayStation Network login password on your PS4 or PS5, although it’ll only work if you already know your existing password.

Changing PSN password on PS4

1. Turn on your PS4 and select the user account associated with your PSN.
2. On PS4, head to Settings > Account Management > Account Information > Security (at which point you’ll be prompted to log in to verify that it’s you accessing the account) and select Password. For PS5 users, head to Settings > Users and Accounts > Account > Security > Password. 
3. Enter your new password and make a note of it somewhere secure.
4. Click ‘Continue’ to save the new password.

Changing PSN password on PS5

1. Turn on your PS5 and log in to the account associated with your PSN account.
2. Head to Settings > Users and Accounts > Account > Security > Password.
3. Enter your existing password and new password. 
4. Select Confirm to save the changes. 

But what if you can’t remember your original password to access your account details on your console? If you’ve forgotten your PSN password, you can change it on a PC, Mac or mobile by heading to the Forgot Password section of Sony’s website and following the on-screen instructions.

Looking for some great games to play? Here’s our top pick of the best PS4 games.