Players who want to change their online status on PlayStation 5 will find it a fairly straightforward process. A player's online status is used to indicate to friends what their current availability is for things like online gaming or chatting, and by default, you will appear online once they boot up your console (assuming your console is connected to the internet). However, there a few other options you can choose if you're not feeling particularly sociable for any reason.

There are three online statuses PS5 players can select from: Online, Busy, and Appear Offline. The first two are simple indicators of your availability — online and active, or online but prefer to be left alone. Choosing to appear offline will hide your availability altogether, making it appear as if you don't have your console on at all. Whatever status you want, you can change it from the PS5 home menu.

How To Change Your Status On PSN

Access The Option Through Your Profile Settings

While on the PS5's home screen, navigate up to the top bar of icons and over to the far where your avatar can be seen. Select this icon to open your profile settings, and from the dropdown menu choose "Online Status." Then, simply choose your desired option from Online, Busy, or Appear Offline. You can also access your profile settings by pressing the PS button to bring up the Control Center, or by pressing the Options button while on the select screen if you have multiple s on your PS5.

You can also change your online status on a PlayStation 4 console in a similar way, but you will be unable to choose to appear Busy.

Online status can also be changed through the official PlayStation App on iOS and Android. Once you have the app installed and signed into your , tap on your profile icon while on the app's Play tab. Tap on "Online Status," then select your desired status and tap "Done." Be aware that whether you change your status on the console or the app, it will set that as your online status on every PS5 and PS4 console that your profile is currently signed into.

How To Appear Offline On PS5

You May Still Appear Online In-Game

As one of the three options for your PS5 online status, you simply need to choose "Appear Offline" while in the online status settings for your profile. Doing so will set your profile to appear identically to when you're signed out of your console entirely, essentially rendering you invisible to other players. This can be a good option for anyone who just wants to kick back and play their favorite PS5 games without their activity being seen by anyone else.

There are a few caveats to keep in mind, however: firstly, even if you're set to appear offline, you can still be invited to voice chats and online gaming sessions by other players if they know you're online. Additionally, you will also still appear as online within some games regardless of your PSN online status. Also keep in mind that whichever status you have set will remain the next time you sign in; so if you boot up your PlayStation 5 and feel like you're being ignored, be sure to check your profile settings to make sure you're appearing online.