The fastest way to add a friend on PS5

To add a friend on PS5, go to your profile in the top-left corner of the home screen, select Friends, then choose Add Friend. Type their PlayStation Network (PSN) username or search by their email address. Once you find them, select their profile and choose Send Friend Request. They will see the request in their notifications and can accept or decline it.

The person you are adding does not have to accept right away — the request sits in their notifications until they respond. Once they accept, you can see when they are online, join their game sessions, and send them messages directly from your console.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add friends by searching their PSN username or the email address linked to their PlayStation account.
  • Friend requests stay pending until the other person accepts them, so you can send requests to people who are offline.
  • You can also add friends through the PlayStation App on your phone or through a web browser on any computer.
  • If someone sends you a friend request, you can see it in your notifications and accept or decline from there.
  • Blocking a player removes them from your friends list and prevents them from seeing your online status or sending you messages.

Adding friends by searching their username

The most common way to add a friend is by their PSN username. From the home screen, press the PS button on your controller to open the control center, then navigate to your profile icon in the top-left. Select Friends, then Add Friend. A search box will appear where you can type their username exactly as it appears on their account.

PSN usernames are case-sensitive in some systems, so if the search does not find them on the first try, ask them to spell it out character by character. Once you find their profile, select it and choose Send Friend Request. You will see a confirmation that the request was sent.

Adding friends by email address

If you know the email address someone used to create their PlayStation account but not their username, you can search by email instead. Go to Friends > Add Friend and look for an option to search by email. Type their email address and the system will show you their profile if it is linked to a PlayStation account.

This method works best when you are adding someone you know in person but have never played with before. Make sure you have their email spelled correctly, since the search will not return results for partial matches or misspelled addresses.

Managing friend requests you receive

When someone sends you a friend request, a notification appears on your home screen. You can see pending requests by going to your profile > Friends > Requests. From there, you can accept the request, decline it, or ignore it for now. If you accept, they are added to your friends list when ready.

You can also manage requests through the PlayStation App on your phone. Open the app, go to your profile, select Friends, and tap on the Requests tab. You can accept or decline from there without turning on your console.

Adding friends through the PlayStation App

You do not have to be at your console to add friends. read the PlayStation App on your phone (available for iOS and Android) and sign in with your PSN account. Tap your profile icon, select Friends, then Add Friend. You can search by username or email the same way you would on the console.

The app also shows you which friends are currently online and what game they are playing. You can send them a message or join their session directly from the app if your console is in rest mode and set to allow remote play.

Removing or blocking friends

If you want to remove someone from your friends list, go to your profile > Friends, find their name, and select their profile. Choose Remove Friend. They will not be notified that you removed them, but they will no longer see you in their friends list.

If someone is harassing you or you do not want them to contact you, use the Block Player option instead. Blocking prevents them from seeing when you are online, sending you messages, or viewing your profile. You can block someone from their profile page or from a recent players list if you played with them in a game.

Troubleshooting friend requests that do not go through

If your friend request fails to send, the most common reason is that you have typed the username incorrectly. Ask the person to confirm their exact PSN username, including any numbers, underscores, or hyphens. Usernames are case-sensitive in some searches, so try different combinations if the first search does not work.

If the search returns no results even with the correct username, the account may be new or the person may have changed their privacy settings to prevent friend requests. Ask them to send you a request instead, or have them adjust their privacy settings to allow incoming requests from anyone. You can also try adding them through the PlayStation App, which sometimes finds accounts that do not appear in the console search.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add someone as a friend if they are offline?

Yes. Friend requests stay in their notifications until they accept or decline, so the other person does not have to be online when you send the request. They will see it the next time they turn on their console or check the PlayStation App.

What happens when someone sends me a friend request?

A notification appears on your home screen. You can accept it, decline it, or leave it pending. If you accept, they are added to your friends list and can see when you are online. You can manage all pending requests from your profile > Friends > Requests.

Can I add friends from other gaming platforms like Xbox or PC?

No. PS5 friends must have a PlayStation Network account. You cannot add Xbox Live or Steam accounts as PS5 friends, though you may be able to play cross-platform games with them if the game supports it.

What is the difference between removing a friend and blocking them?

Removing a friend straightforward deletes them from your list, but they can still see you online and send you messages. Blocking prevents them from seeing your online status, viewing your profile, or contacting you. Use blocking if someone is harassing you.

Can I add a friend if my account is new?

Yes, but new accounts may have temporary restrictions on sending friend requests. If you cannot send requests, wait a few days for your account to fully set up, or check your privacy settings to make sure friend requests are not blocked by parental controls.