PS5 "Can't Use This Content" Error: How to Fix It

"Can't use this content" on a PS5 is a license check failing — the console can't confirm your account owns the game or app. It's almost never a corrupted game. The two real causes are: this isn't set as your primary PS5 (so it relies on a live PSN check that's failing), or your stored licenses are stale. Both are quick fixes.

Fix it

1. Restore your licenses — the #1 fix. Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses > Restore. This re-downloads ownership records and clears the error for the majority of cases. Restart the game after.
2. Set this console as your Primary PS5. If you bought the game and play it here most, set this as your primary console so games run on the stored license without a live check: Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play > Enable. A game tied to your account won't run on a non-primary console while offline.
3. Sign in with the account that bought it. Digital games are locked to the purchasing account. A second user on the console can only play if console sharing is enabled (above) and the buyer's console is primary.
4. Check PSN isn't down. A PlayStation Network outage breaks the live license check. Check the PSN status page; if it's down, wait it out.

If it's a disc game

• Reseat the disc and wipe it — a disc that won't read can throw an ownership/content error, and a disc the drive truly can't read tends to surface as error CE-10005-6 instead. The disc must stay in the drive to play a disc game.
• A disc game also needs its install and any update intact — let updates finish.

If it still won't clear

1. Rebuild the database in Safe Mode (hold power for the second beep > Rebuild Database) — clears a corrupted license/content state. Harmless to your games. The full walkthrough is in how to rebuild the PS5 database.
2. Delete and reinstall the game if only one title is affected — re-downloading re-attaches a clean license.

FAQ

What does "Can't use this content" mean on PS5? The console can't verify your account owns it — a license problem, not a broken game. Restore Licenses usually fixes it.

Why does it happen on my second PS5? Because that console isn't your primary. Set it as primary (Console Sharing and Offline Play > Enable), or stay online so it can check the license live.

Restore Licenses didn't work. Confirm you're signed in with the purchasing account, check PSN isn't down, then rebuild the database in Safe Mode. If you're also seeing a numbered code, match it against the PS5 error codes list.

It's a disc game. Reseat and clean the disc, make sure it stays in the drive, and let any install/update finish before launching.