How to fix PS5 software problems: The 2026 troubleshooting guide

Updated: May 2, 2026

There is nothing more frustrating than a PlayStation 5 that refuses to play nice. Whether you are staring at a locked game with padlock icon, wondering where your missing games went, or dealing with a console that lags, freezes, or turns itself on with your TV, you’re in the right place.

From performance drops and 'ghost icons' to the PS5 going into Rest Mode by itself, most of these headaches aren't hardware failures; they are simple software 'hiccups' or buried settings often triggered by the latest 2026 updates. The good news? You can fix almost all of them in less than five minutes without needing a tech degree or a screwdriver. Let's get your console back to 100%.

Is your PS5 doing any of the following?

Showing a 🔒 padlock or "Buy Again" error?
Lagging, crashing, or freezing mid-game?
Turning on automatically when you switch on the TV?
Falling asleep (Rest Mode) while you're away?
Showing an icon of a deleted game that won't go away?
Or something else that just doesn't feel right?

Find the fix for your specific issue below. Most of these "hiccups" can be fixed in less than five minutes.

How to clear the system software cache

Choose this fix if you’re experiencing system feature issues or performance drops.

Clearing the cache will NOT delete your games, saved data, or other essential files, nor will it log you out of your PSN account.

Make sure the PlayStation 5 is completely powered off — with no white or blue lights showing.
Press and hold the PS5 power button for 6 to 8 seconds until you hear a second beep.
When the Safe Mode screen appears, connect your controller to your PS5 with a USB cable.
Press the PS button (PlayStation logo) on your controller.
Choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
Choose Clear System Software Cache.
Click OK.

Your PS5 will now clear the system software cache.

How to rebuild the database

Choose this fix if you’re experiencing system feature issues or a game icon remains on the home screen after it has been deleted.

Rebuilding the database will NOT delete your games, saved data, or other essential files, nor will it log you out of your PSN account.

Make sure the PlayStation 5 is completely powered off—with no white or blue lights showing.
Press and hold the PS5 power button for 6 to 8 seconds until you hear a second beep.
When the Safe Mode screen appears, connect your controller to your PS5 with a USB cable.
Press the PS button (PlayStation logo) on your controller.
Choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
Choose Rebuild Database.

Note: It says it might take a few hours to rebuild the database, but in my experience, it only takes a minute or two.

Click OK.

Your PS5 will now rebuild the database.

How to restore licenses

Restoring licenses can help if a game shows a padlock icon, you can’t find a game or add‑on, or a game keeps crashing.

Restoring licenses will NOT affect your data.

Note: You can no longer restore licenses for all owned games at once; the option now only works for games currently downloaded and installed on your PS5.

In late April 2026, many users are seeing a "30-day online check-in" requirement for new digital games. If a user hasn't been online in 30 days, their licenses "expire" and show a lock icon. So, connecting to the internet is the first step of "Restoring Licenses" in 2026! While everyone is calling it a "30-day requirement," Sony’s official line is that it’s a one-time check to combat refund fraud. However, for a user who just wants to play their game right now, the "Internet first" advice is the absolute best way to start.

To restore licenses, follow the steps below.

Method 1: From the Home screen (fastest)

Select the game from the home screen or game library.
Press the Options button (the small button with three lines) on your controller.
Choose Restore License.
On the next screen, click Restore.
Your PS5 will now restore the license. When the process is complete, click OK.

Method 2: From Settings (full library)

Open settings (gear icon).
Open Users and Accounts.
Select Other.
Click Restore Licenses.
Select the game or games for which you want to restore licenses.
Click Restore (bottom right).
Your PlayStation 5 will now restore licenses. When the process is complete, click OK.

🔗 Still having trouble starting a game?

Fix: locked & missing games & "Buy Again" errors

It is incredibly frustrating to see a padlock icon on a game you’ve already paid for, or to have your PS5 ask you to "Buy Again" for something in your library. Usually, this happens because the console has lost track of your digital "licenses" from the PlayStation Store.

This section covers:

🔓 Padlock icons appearing next to games.
🛒 Being prompted to repurchase owned games.
🔍 Purchased games "missing" from your Game Library.
🚫 "Can’t start game or app" errors.

Don't worry—Sony hasn't forgotten you paid for that game; your PS5 just needs a quick reminder that you own the digital keys.

⚡ 2026 Quick Check: Most "locked" icons right now are caused by the new one-time DRM check. Before following the steps below, simply connect your PS5 to the internet for 60 seconds. This often clears the padlock immediately without needing to run the full restoration process.

The quick fix: Restore licenses

Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other.
Select Restore Licenses.
Select the game or games for which you want to restore licenses.
Click Restore (bottom right).
Wait for the process to finish and restart your PS5.

🔗 Still seeing the lock?

Fix: PS5 turns on with your TV (HDMI-CEC)

If your PS5 beeps and boots up every time you turn on your TV or switch inputs, it’s not a ghost—it’s a feature called HDMI Device Link. While intended to be convenient, it can be annoying if you just wanted to watch Netflix.

The quick fix: Go to Settings > System > HDMI and toggle off Enable HDMI Device Link.
Why this happens: Your TV and PS5 are "talking" via the HDMI cable. Turning this off breaks that connection so they act independently.

🔗 Need more detail? Read the full guide on stopping your PS5 from turning on with your TV.

Fix: PS5 goes into Rest Mode by itself

Is your console falling asleep while you’re downloading a game or taking a break? This is usually caused by the PS5's Power Saving settings, which are designed to save electricity by putting the console into a low-power state after a period of inactivity.

The quick fix: Go to Settings > System > Power Saving > Set Time Until PS5 Enters Rest Mode.
The adjustment: You can change the time for During Media Playback (videos) and While Playing Games to Don't Put in Rest Mode.

🔗 Still having issues? Check out our deep dive into PS5 Power Saving and Rest Mode settings.

Fix: Can't start a game

If your PS5 won’t start a game, the issue is usually caused by a corrupted license, damaged game files, a dirty disc, or temporary system data; try restoring licenses, reinstalling the game, cleaning the disc, clearing the system cache, or rebuilding the database in Safe Mode.

Solutions

Restore licenses
Clean the disc with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth dampened with water. WARNING: do not use soap, window cleaners, or any other cleaning agents.
Delete and reinstall the game
Clear system software cache (Requires Safe Mode)
Rebuild database (Requires Safe Mode)

Fix: PS5 stuck in safe mode

Safe Mode is a diagnostic startup that loads only essential system functions so you can troubleshoot serious software or hardware problems. It’s designed to help you repair or reset the console without fully loading the operating system.

If your PS5 keeps booting into Safe Mode, it usually means the console detected a system or hardware problem and is offering diagnostic tools. Many issues can be resolved by power‑cycling the console, clearing the system cache, or installing a system update; use Reset only as a last resort.

Solution 1: Complete power down

Shut down your PS5 completely by pressing and holding the power button until you hear a beep.
Unplug the power cable from your PS5 console.
Unplug the HDMI cable and any USB accessories (e.g., USB flash drive or external SSD or USB drive).
Wait for at least 20 minutes.
Plug only the power and HDMI cable back in and try to start normally.
Press the power button on your PS5 to turn it on.

Solution 2: Update system software

Shut down your PS5 completely by pressing and holding the power button until you hear a beep.
Press and hold the PS5 power button for 6 to 8 seconds until you hear a second beep.
When the Safe Mode screen appears, connect your controller to your PS5 with a USB cable.
Press the PS button on your controller.
Choose Update System Software.
Choose Update Using Internet.
Select Update.

Note: If an update is available, your PS5 will install the system software and restart automatically; it may restart twice — wait until the login screen appears.

Solution 3: Clear System Software Cache

Shut down your PS5 completely by pressing and holding the power button until you hear a beep.
Press and hold the PS5 power button for 6 to 8 seconds until you hear a second beep.
When the Safe Mode screen appears, connect your controller to your PS5 with a USB cable.
Press the PS button on your controller.
Choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
Choose Clear System Software Cache.
Click OK.

The PS5 will clear the system software cache and restart automatically; wait until the login screen appears.

Solution 4: Rebuild database

Shut down your PS5 completely by pressing and holding the power button until you hear a beep.
Press and hold the PS5 power button for 6 to 8 seconds until you hear a second beep.
When the Safe Mode screen appears, connect your controller to your PS5 with a USB cable.
Press the PS button (PlayStation logo) on your controller.
Choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
Choose Rebuild Database.

Note: It says it might take a few hours to rebuild the database, but in my experience, it only takes a minute or two.

Click OK.

The PS5 will rebuild the database and restart automatically; wait until the login screen appears.

Solution 5: Reset

If none of the solutions work, try the Reset option as a last resort.

Warning: The Reset option deletes all data on your PlayStation 5 and should be used only as a last resort when troubleshooting.

Shut down your PS5 completely by pressing and holding the power button until you hear a beep.
Press and hold the PS5 power button for 6 to 8 seconds until you hear a second beep.
When the Safe Mode screen appears, connect your controller to your PS5 with a USB cable.
Press the PS button on your controller.
Choose Reset PS5.
Follow the on-screen steps to reset your PS5.