How to delete a PS4 account

You can delete a PS4 account directly from your console in the Settings menu without needing a computer or contacting PlayStation support. The process takes about five minutes and removes that user profile from your system entirely. The account itself remains tied to the email address you used to create it — deleting it from the PS4 does not close the PlayStation Network account or remove your purchase history.

If you want to delete the account from the PlayStation Network completely (so no one can use that email to sign in anywhere), you will need to do that separately through the PlayStation website after removing it from the console.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting an account from your PS4 console removes the profile but does not close your PlayStation Network account or erase your purchase history.
  • You can delete any account from the PS4 Settings menu, but you cannot delete the console owner account unless you change the console owner first.
  • Games purchased on a deleted account remain playable on the console if the console is set as the account's primary PS4.
  • To fully close your PlayStation Network account, you must delete it from the PlayStation website after removing it from the console.
  • Deleting an account is permanent — you cannot undo it from the console, though you can create a new account with the same email later.

Delete an account from your PS4 console

Go to Settings on your PS4 home screen. Select Users and Accounts, then Users. You will see a list of all profiles on the console. Choose the account you want to delete and select Delete. The system will ask you to confirm — select Delete again.

The console will warn you if that account owns games or has saved data. If it does, you have the option to save the data to a USB drive before deletion, or to leave it on the console. If you delete the account but leave the data, the saved games remain but are no longer tied to a user profile — you cannot use them unless you create a new account or sign in with a different profile.

The account is now removed from your console. Any games purchased on that account will no longer be playable unless the console was set as that account's primary PS4 (in which case any user on the console can still play them).

What happens to games and purchases

Games bought on a deleted account stay on your console's hard drive, but access depends on whether that account had the console set as primary. If it did, any user on the console can play those games. If it did not, the games become unplayable once the account is deleted.

Your purchase history and digital games remain attached to your PlayStation Network account even after you delete the profile from the console. If you sign back in with that email address on any PS4, you can redownload those games. Deleting the account from the console does not erase your library from PlayStation's servers.

Delete the console owner account

If the account you want to delete is the console owner (the primary account on the system), you must change the console owner first. Go to Settings, Users and Accounts, Other, Console Sharing and Offline Play. Select a different account to be the new console owner, then confirm the change.

Once a different account is set as owner, you can delete the original owner account using the steps above. The console will continue to work normally with the new owner account in place.

Close your PlayStation Network account completely

Deleting an account from the PS4 only removes it from that console. To close your PlayStation Network account entirely — so that email address cannot be used to sign in anywhere — you must do it through the PlayStation website.

Go to the PlayStation Network account management page, sign in with the account you want to close, and look for Account Closure or Close Account in the settings. You will need to confirm your identity and may be asked why you are closing the account. PlayStation will give you a important date to read your data before the account is permanently closed. After that important date, the account cannot be recovered.

What to do before deleting an account

Before you delete, read any saved games you want to keep. Connect a USB drive to your PS4, go to Settings, process Saved Data Management, Saved Data in System Storage, and select the account. Choose the saves you want to back up and copy them to the USB drive. You can then transfer these saves to another account or console later.

If the account has games you want to keep playing, make sure the console is set as that account's primary PS4 before deletion. That way, other users on the console can continue playing those games. If you do not set it as primary first, the games will lock after the account is deleted.

If the account has a PlayStation Plus subscription, check when it expires. Deleting the account does not refund unused subscription time, but the subscription remains active until the expiration date if the console is set as primary for that account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a deleted account?

No, deleting an account from the PS4 is permanent. However, you can create a new account using the same email address later. If you closed the PlayStation Network account through the website, there is a grace period (usually 30 days) during which you may be able to contact PlayStation support to request recovery before it is fully deleted.

Will deleting an account remove my games from the console?

Games remain on the console's hard drive, but they become unplayable unless the console was set as the account's primary PS4. If it was primary, any user on the console can still play those games even after the account is deleted. If it was not primary, the games lock when ready.

What if I delete an account by mistake?

You cannot undo the deletion from the console. If you deleted the account but did not close it on the PlayStation website, you can sign back in with that email address on the PS4 and the account will reappear. If you closed it on the website, contact PlayStation support within the grace period to request recovery.

Do I lose my PlayStation Plus membership if I delete the account?

The membership remains active until its expiration date if the console is set as that account's primary PS4. Other users can use the benefits during that time. If the console is not set as primary, the membership becomes unavailable when ready when the account is deleted.

Can I delete someone else's account from my PS4?

Yes, if you have access to the console and know the account name. However, you cannot delete the console owner account unless you first change who the owner is. If the account has saved data or games, you will be warned before deletion.