You're looking at your bank statement. There it is. Another charge from Sony Interactive Entertainment. It’s not that the Service is bad—PlayStation Plus is actually pretty decent if you’re grinding Call of Duty or want that massive catalog of "free" games—but sometimes you just need to save the cash. Or maybe you've moved to PC. Either way, figuring out how to cancel my PS Plus shouldn't feel like a boss fight in Elden Ring. It’s actually tucked away in a few different places depending on whether you’re sitting on your couch or at your desk.
Sony doesn't exactly put a "Quit Now" button on the home screen. That would be bad for business. Instead, they’ve layered it behind account management menus that feel a bit like a maze if you aren't looking closely. Honestly, the biggest mistake people make is thinking that deleting a payment method is the same as canceling the subscription. It isn't. Sony will just keep trying to bill you, and if it fails, you might actually end up with a temporarily locked account or just a bunch of annoying emails.
Let's just get into the brass tacks of stopping the auto-renewal before your next billing cycle hits.
The fastest way to cancel from your PS5 or PS4
If you're already logged into your console, this is the most direct route. No need to go find a laptop. On a PS5, you’re going to head straight for that little gear icon in the top right corner. That’s Settings. From there, you go into Users and Accounts, then Account, then Payment and Subscriptions. It’s a lot of clicks. Once you find Subscriptions, you’ll see PlayStation Plus listed. Click it.
At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see "Turn Off Auto-Renew." Select that.
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Sony is going to try and keep you. They'll ask if you're sure. They might even show you a bunch of games you’re "about to lose access to" as a guilt trip. Just keep clicking through the prompts until you get a confirmation. If you're on a PS4, the path is slightly different: Settings > Account Management > Account Information > PlayStation Subscriptions. Same logic applies. You are looking to kill the auto-renew, not necessarily "delete" the service, since you keep your benefits until the actual expiration date you already paid for.
Using a web browser when you aren't near your console
Sometimes you realize you're being charged while you're at work or out to lunch. In that case, use the PlayStation website. It's often less laggy than the console store anyway.
- Go to the official PlayStation site and sign in.
- Click your avatar at the top of the screen.
- Select Subscriptions Management.
- Find the PS Plus entry and hit Turn Off Auto-Renew.
It is worth noting that if you have multiple accounts—maybe a US account and a UK account—you have to do this for each one individually. I’ve seen people cancel their main and then get hit with a charge for a secondary account they forgot they set up three years ago for a specific DLC.
What actually happens to your games?
This is the part that stresses people out. "If I cancel, do I lose everything immediately?"
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No.
Think of it like a lease. If you paid for a year in January and you cancel in March, you still have the service until next January. You just won't be billed again when that year is up. However, the second that expiration date hits, your "Monthly Games" (the ones you added to your library for free every month) will lock. They'll have a little padlock icon next to them. You don't lose them forever, though. If you ever resubscribe—even years later—those games unlock again.
Cloud saves are a different story. Sony generally keeps your cloud saves for about six months after your subscription lapses. After that? They reserve the right to wipe them. If you have a 200-hour Final Fantasy save sitting in the cloud and you haven't backed it up to a physical USB drive (which you can't really do easily on PS5 for PS5 native games, by the way), that’s a risk.
The "Essential vs Extra vs Premium" confusion
Since Sony revamped the tiers, people get confused about whether the cancellation process is different for the higher levels. It’s not. Whether you’re on the basic Essential tier or the top-tier Premium with the PS2 classics, the "Turn Off Auto-Renew" button is the same.
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If you're just looking to spend less money rather than quitting entirely, you might want to look at "Change Plan" instead of "Cancel." You can drop from Premium back down to Essential. The catch is that the change usually doesn't take effect until your current period ends, or if you're upgrading, they'll charge you the pro-rated difference immediately.
Dealing with the "Restore Licenses" glitch
Every once in a while, after someone cancels or changes their subscription, their digital games start acting weird. They might show as locked even if you should still have access. If this happens to you, don't panic and think Sony is punishing you for leaving.
Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses. This effectively pings Sony’s servers to double-check what you actually own. It fixes about 90% of the "I can't play my games" issues that pop up during a subscription transition.
Canceling through the PlayStation App
If you have the PS App on your phone, it’s arguably the easiest way.
- Open the app.
- Hit the PS Store icon (the bag).
- Tap the "hamburger" menu (three lines) or your profile icon.
- Tap Subscription Management.
- Turn off that auto-renew.
It takes maybe thirty seconds. Honestly, the app is much more reliable than trying to navigate the web store on a mobile browser, which tends to be clunky and prone to login loops.
The refund "Secret"
Most people don't realize you can actually get a refund for PS Plus if you act fast. According to Sony's official policy, you generally have 14 days from the date of purchase to request a refund. This applies even if you’ve already started using the service, though they might deduct a pro-rated amount based on how much you played or how many "free" games you downloaded.
The trick is that you can't do this through the console menu. You must contact PlayStation Support via their live chat or phone lines. It’s a bit of a hassle, and the wait times can be brutal, but if you accidentally bought a yearly sub you didn't want, it’s worth the 20 minutes on hold to get your $80 or $160 back.
Final checklist for a clean break
Before you walk away, make sure you've done these three things:
- Check for other subs: Did you also sign up for GTA+ or EA Play through the PlayStation Store? Those are separate. Canceling PS Plus won't stop those charges.
- Sync your trophies: If you care about your level, hit "Sync with PlayStation Network" one last time while you still have the active sub, just to be safe.
- Download your saves: If you're on PS4, move your vital saves to a USB stick. If you're on PS5, you're stuck with the cloud, so just be aware of that six-month window before Sony might delete your progress.
Once you’ve turned off auto-renew, check your email. Sony always sends a confirmation. If you don’t see that email, go back in and check again. Sometimes the "Confirm" button requires one last click that people miss because they think the survey is the final step. It’s not over until you get the receipt of cancellation.
Immediate Next Steps
Go to the Subscription Management section on your console or the PS App right now to verify your "Expiry Date." If it says "Turns off on [Date]," you are safe. If it says "Next Renewal Date," the cancellation didn't stick and you need to go through the prompts again. After that, manually upload your most important game saves to the cloud one last time to ensure the version Sony keeps on ice is your most recent progress.