PSN Backup Codes: How to Refresh Them and What If Lost

PSN backup codes are one-time keys that let you sign in when your phone or authenticator app is out of reach. You refresh them in Sony's account management under security: the system issues a new list, and every old code stops working the moment it does. Below: exactly where they live, when you must refresh them, and what to do if they are already lost.

What backup codes are for

With two-factor authentication switched on, PSN asks for a second factor every time you sign in on a new device. Usually that is a code by SMS or from an app. Backup codes are the fallback for when the usual route fails:

• your phone number changed and the old SIM is no longer active;
• the phone is lost, reset or broken;
• the authenticator app was reinstalled without transferring its keys;
• the SMS with the code simply does not arrive.

That last point is more common than it looks. SMS delivery to some countries and some carriers is unreliable, and the result is that you are locked out of your own account — you remember the password but cannot obtain the second factor. A backup code is the only way in, which is why the list is worth creating before you need it.

Each code is single-use: once used, it will not work again. That is exactly why the list should be refreshed rather than kept forever.

From experience. A distinct group of people reaching this page are not searching for "what are backup codes" but for "how to get new ones when they have run out" — meaning they are already locked out. Hence the practical point: backup codes are needed before access to the phone is lost, not once you remember they exist. Save them somewhere other than the notes app on the phone you might lose along with your access.

How to refresh backup codes

You can do it from the console or through account management in a browser — the result is the same.

On a PS4:

1. "Settings" → "Account Management".
2. "Account Information" → "Security".
3. "2-Step Verification" → "Backup Codes".
4. Generate a new list and save it.

On a PS5:

1. "Settings" → "Users and Accounts".
2. "Account" → "Security".
3. "2-Step Verification" — backup codes and the choice of verification method live here too.

In a browser:

1. Open Sony's account management and sign in with your PSN ID.
2. Go to the "Security" section.
3. Find 2-step verification — the same thing as two-factor authentication.
4. In the backup codes block, generate a new list and save it.

Sony renames these menu items from time to time with system updates, so look for the words "Security" and "2-Step Verification" rather than an exact sequence of buttons.

Do this in advance, not when sign-in has already stopped working: a new list can only be generated from an account you are already signed in to.

What happens to the old codes

The main rule: a new list cancels the previous one entirely. That includes codes you never used.

From which follows the mistake people make most often: someone generates new codes "just in case", does not save them, and keeps relying on an old screenshot. That screenshot is already useless.

Where to keep the codes

Codes grant entry to the account, so treat them like a password:

• Do not keep them in a chat with yourself in a messenger — that is the first place an attacker looks after breaking into your email.
• Do not leave a screenshot in your phone's gallery — galleries often sync to the cloud.
• A password manager, or a paper note kept where you keep your documents, is best.
• Refresh the list if you have used more than half the codes, or if you ever showed them to anyone.

If the codes are lost and sign-in fails

This is a normal situation, and it is resolved through account recovery rather than by bypassing two-factor authentication — there is no bypass, that is the point of it.

What to do:

1. Check whether sign-in still works on a device you are already authorised on: from there you can open security settings and generate a new list of codes without passing verification again.
2. If there are no active devices, recover access through PlayStation support. You will need to prove the account is yours: email address, date of birth, purchase history, linked devices.
3. Gather what you can in advance: receipts and purchase confirmation emails speed the process up considerably.

Timelines depend on how busy support is, and nothing can influence them from outside — no service restores access to someone's account around Sony.

How to avoid ending up here again

• Keep two verification methods: an authenticator app and a current phone number.
• Before changing your number, link the new one first and only then remove the old.
• When reinstalling your phone, transfer the authenticator rather than setting it up from scratch.
• Check the security section at least twice a year: it also shows which devices are signed in.

If you take out a subscription through us, we need account access for a few minutes and two-factor authentication does not have to be switched off — one verification code while we set it up is enough. Afterwards you change the password and the subscription stays in place.

Frequently asked questions

How many backup codes does PSN issue?

Sony issues the list of one-time codes as a single set. The exact number depends on the interface version, so save the whole list rather than the first few lines.

Can one code be used more than once?

No. A code is spent after the first successful sign-in. If few codes remain, generate a new list.

Will the codes refresh automatically if I change my password?

No. Password changes and backup codes are unrelated: after a password change the old list keeps working.

What if the SMS with the code does not arrive?

First check that the linked number is the right one and that roaming is available. If the number is unreachable, use a backup code and then switch your verification method to an authenticator app — it works without a mobile network.

Do I need to switch two-factor authentication off for you to set up a subscription?

No, and we do not ask you to. One verification code while we set it up is enough, exactly as when signing in on a new device. More on how delivery works on the guarantees page.

Do backup codes affect the account region?

No, these are separate things. The region is set when the account is created and has no bearing on sign-in. How regional accounts work is covered in the article on changing the PS Plus region.