Troubleshooting: Common Issues When Removing A Child From Family Manager On Ps4

PlayStation 4 offers parental controls called Family Manager, which allows parents to restrict access to games based on their content, limit spending in the PlayStation Store, set a time limit on gameplay, and more. The Family Manager feature also lets parents create sub-accounts for children under 18. However, there may come a time when you need to remove a child from the Family Manager, and the process can sometimes be problematic. In this article, we will discuss common issues that may arise when removing a child from Family Manager on PS4 and how to troubleshoot them.

Issue 1: The child’s sub-account is the family manager

The first issue that may arise when trying to remove a child from the Family Manager is when the child’s sub-account is currently the Family Manager. In this situation, you will not be able to remove the child from the account until you have assigned Family Manager status to another adult account.

How to assign new Family Manager:

Go to Settings → Parental Controls/Family Management → Family Management.
Select the adult account you want to make the new Family Manager.
Choose the “Manage Family Members” button.
Select the child account you want to remove from the Family Manager.
Choose “Remove from Family.”
The child account will be removed, and the adult account will become the new Family Manager.

Issue 2: The child’s account has pending purchases or pre-orders

Another common issue is when the child’s account has pending purchases or pre-orders. In this scenario, the account cannot be removed from Family Manager until all pending transactions are cleared.

How to clear pending transactions:

Go to Settings → Account Management → Account Information → Wallet.
Review your transactions and cancel any pending purchases or pre-orders.
Alternatively, you can add funds to your child’s PSN wallet to cover the purchase, which will allow you to remove the child from Family Manager.

Issue 3: Cannot locate the child’s account

In rare cases, you may not be able to locate the child’s sub-account in the Family Manager menu. This issue can occur if the child is signed in on another device or has accidentally deleted their account.

How to locate missing sub-account:

Make sure the child’s account is signed in on the PlayStation 4 in question.
Try restarting the PlayStation 4 console.
If you still cannot locate the child’s account, try signing in to the account through a web browser or another device to confirm the account still exists.
If the account is missing or deleted, contact PlayStation support to recover the account.

Issue 4: Error messages when trying to remove the child

If you encounter error messages when trying to remove the child from Family Manager, this could be due to a glitch or bug in the system.

How to troubleshoot error messages:

Try quitting the Family Manager menu and restarting it to see if the error message goes away.
Restart the PlayStation 4 console.
Ensure the PlayStation 4 console has the latest system software updates installed.
If none of the above steps work, contact PlayStation support for additional assistance.

Issue 5: Child account has an active PS Plus subscription

If the child’s sub-account has an active PlayStation Plus subscription, you will not be able to remove it from the Family Manager until the subscription expires or is cancelled.

How to cancel PS Plus subscription:

Go to Settings → Account Management → Account Information → PlayStation Subscriptions.
Select “Cancel Automatic Renewal.”
The subscription will continue until the current period is over but will not renew after that time.
Once the subscription is cancelled, you can remove the child from the Family Manager.

Conclusion

The PlayStation 4 Family Manager feature is a useful tool for parents to manage their child’s access to games and content, but it can also present challenges when trying to remove a child from the account. If you encounter any of the issues discussed in this article, follow the troubleshooting steps to hopefully resolve the problem. If all else fails, contact PlayStation support for additional assistance.

FAQs

Q1: Can I remove a child from Family Manager if they are signed in on another device?

A1: No, the child’s account must be signed in on the PlayStation 4 console for you to remove them from the Family Manager.

Q2: Why can’t I remove a child from Family Manager if they have pending transactions?

A2: Any pending transactions must be cleared before a child can be removed from Family Manager to ensure all purchases are accounted for.

Q3: What if I want to remove myself from Family Manager?

A3: If you are the Family Manager, you will not be able to remove yourself from the account. Instead, you will need to ask another adult account to remove you as a family member.

Q4: Can I still play my child’s games if I remove them from Family Manager?

A4: Yes, you will still have access to any games that were previously purchased or downloaded on your child’s account. However, any future purchases will need to be made through your own account.

Q5: What happens to the child’s progress in games if they are removed from the family account?

A5: The child’s progress in games is stored on the PlayStation 4 console, so it will not be lost if they are removed from the Family Manager account.