Most games rely on online verification to authenticate your games’ license. While it’s useful for devs as it protects against piracy, it can become inconvenient for gamers if the license verification fails for whatever reason.
Similarly, PS5 users might get error messages like Can’t use this content. Can’t connect to the server to verify your license/To use this content, purchase it. when the console fails to verify a game’s license.
So read on if you want to know why license verification fails on PS5 & how to fix it.
Why is PS5 Showing Can’t Use This Content Error?
If you’re trying to play a game on your PlayStation 5 and get an error saying Can’t use this content, the game’s license might have issues with verification. This can happen due to poor internet connection, improper console settings, or a technical bug/glitch.
This error can be limited to a particular game, or sometimes it can manifest for multiple games. Recently, there have been many reports that both PS4 and PS5 players are facing can’t use this content error while playing Diablo IV.
But this issue can potentially occur on any game, especially the ones that require a constant internet connection and uses online-only DRM. The most probable cause for such cases is the license verification failure due to server connection.
How to Fix Can’t Use This Content Error on PS5
As we’ve discussed the most likely reasons for the said error message on PS5, let’s see how we can solve this issue. The most common fix for solving the Can’t use this content error on PS5 is to restore licenses by navigating to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses > Restore.
But before we begin, restart your console, network devices and make sure you have a stable internet connection. If the issue persists, here are the methods to fix can’t use this content error on PS5:
1. Restore Licences on PS5
As I’ve mentioned before, PS5 users experience Can’t use this content error while playing games like Diablo IV mostly due to license verification issues. So the first thing you need to do is to restore the games’ licenses on your PlayStation console.
Follow these steps to restore the license on PS5:
- Select the PS5’s Settings from the home menu.
- Go to Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses.
- Hit Restore.
After that, launch the game that was showing the said error message to see if the issue has been resolved. If not, move on to the next step.
2. Check PSN Server Status
A game’s license gets verified via PlayStation’s cloud servers. So if the servers are down, no amount of tweaking would solve this problem. This is why you need to see whether the PSN servers are down or not. Here’s how:
- Go to PS5’s Settings by clicking the gears icon from the home screen.
- Select Network > Connection Status.
- Click on View PlayStation Network Status.
- Check if all the services are up and running.
In case the servers are down, you need to wait until Sony brings the servers back online. But when the servers are all green but you still can’t get the game going, follow the next method.
3. Re-enable Console Sharing & Offline Play
The console sharing & offline play feature on PlayStation 5 allows users to purchase a game on a particular user account and let it be playable on any other account that is signed in on that console.
It also allows you to play games completely offline without having to verify them regularly via the internet, provided that the game itself doesn’t mandate a consistent internet connection.
But in case you have reset your password or signed out of the account where you purchased the game, the said feature will be disabled, and you won’t be able to play the game on other accounts.
So sign in with your account where you purchased the game & follow these steps to enable/re-enable console sharing & offline play:
- Press the PS button on your DualSense controller and select the gears icon to open Settings.
- Select Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play.
- Hit Disable.
- Restart PS5.
- Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play.
- Hit Enable > OK.
This is the most useful method if the error message reads like Can’t use this content, To use this content, purchase it.
4. Sign Out of Your PSN Account & Sign In Again
Although it might sound cheesy, sometimes turning off-turning on something can really fix a technical issue. Similarly, signing out of your PSN account and signing in again might re-authenticate all the games & get rid of the issue on hand. To do this:
- Go to PS5’s Settings.
- Navigate to Users and Accounts > Other.
- Select Sign Out.
- Restart the console.
- Sign In from the homepage.
- Enter the necessary credentials to sign in to your PSN account.
At this point, you should no longer see the error message.
5. Test the Internet Connection on PS5
When your PlayStation 5 console shows Can’t use this content. Can’t connect to the server to verify your license error message, here’s what you need to do:
- Head over to your PS5’s Settings and navigate to Network.
- Select Connection Status > Test Internet Connection.
- Hit Start Test.
- Check if the Internet connection and PlayStation Network sign-in status shows Succesful.
If the result shows otherwise, switch to another WiFi network or contact your ISP and let them know about the connection issues.
6. Use the Correct Version of the Game
As Linus Tech Tips said, Xbox has Smart Delivery while PlayStation has dumb delivery. Pretty much cross-gen games have both PS4 and PS5 versions available on the PlayStation Store. So you need to choose the PS5 version of the game manually, unlike Xbox, which automatically gives you the correct version based on which generation you’re using.
Here’s how to choose the PS5 version of any game:
- Go to your game library and select the game.
- Press the Options button on your DualSense controller.
- Select the Game Version option and choose the PS5 version of the game.
This method is applicable for both digital and disc version of the game.
7. Change the DNS on PS5
If the above-listed methods don’t work for you, you need to manually change the DNS server address from your console’s settings. Here’s how:
- Open your PS5’s Settings by clicking on the gears icon from the top-right corner of the screen.
- Select Network > Settings and toggle off the Connect to the Internet option.
- Wait for a few seconds, then toggle on the option.
- Click on Set Up Internet Connection.
- Select the connected network and choose Advanced Settings.
- Scroll down to DNS Settings and select Manual from its drop-down menu.
- Enter the following values: Primary DNS – 1.1.1.1, Secondary DNS – 1.0.0.1. This is the DNS address of Cloudflare’s public servers.
- Select OK.
In case you’re still stuck with the error message, the only viable solution you have left is to contact PlayStation support and seek their assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I use my content on PS5?
Certain games with online DRM require license verification via cloud before you can start playing them. If the network connection isn’t stable, the license verification process might fail, and you won’t be able to use your content on PS5.
How do I turn off age restrictions on PS5?
You can turn off age restrictions on your PlayStation console by heading over to Settings > Family & Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions and entering your passcode. Then select the age limit option & choose Don’t Restrict.
How do I access add-on content on PS5?
To access your purchased add-on content on your PS5, go to Library > Collection tab. Now select the game where the add-ons are available and scroll down to the Add-ons section. Some games offer access to add-on content directly from in-game options.
Wrapping Up
As the game library is becoming more and more digital-centric, many more technical issues are cropping up. Fortunately, as the meme suggests, modern problems have modern solutions.
This write-up should help you resolve the issue on hand and get back into gaming in no time. In case you have further questions on your mind about this topic, let us know in the comments below.
GGWP!
