PS5 Serial Number: Everything You Need to Know

Steven CarrLast Updated: April 12, 2023

6 minutes read

Every PlayStation 5 comes with a unique serial number, just as the previous PlayStation consoles had. This serial number is usually not necessary for the owner to know, though in the event that you need to know it, it’s good to have it on hand.

The serial number can be located on the underside of the PS5, though if the serial number is missing, you can also find it on the box that your PS5 came in. But let’s dive in deeper to what the serial number can be used for and why it can be important to know in a few cases.

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PS5 Serial Number – Everything You Need to Know

How to Find Your PS5 Serial Number

The serial number found on the bottom of a PS5 is 11 characters long, and can be easily seen by positioning the console horizontally. In order to see it, you need to remove the base, which otherwise obscures the serial number. You can also find the serial number on the box it came with.

What is the purpose of a serial number?

A serial number is found on a number of different electronics, and is used to distinguish one PS5 from another. This serial number may also be required if you intend to have your PS5 sent in to be repaired or replaced. Particularly, it can be used to verify whether a device – in this case, the PS5 – came out less than a year ago, in which case it would be eligible for a free repair or replacement depending on what is wrong with the console. However, if the repair or replacement request occurs outside of the warranty period, or if it is over something not caused by a defect, you will likely not be able to get either done for free.

Can a serial number be used to track a PS5?

If your PS5 has been lost or stolen, there are many things that will end up going through your head. However, one of the first things you will think about is finding a way to get it back. One way you may think to track your missing PS5 down is to use the serial number that was on the bottom of the PS5. Unfortunately, the serial number is not actually capable of doing such a thing, not outside of an extreme fringe scenario.

In this scenario, you would have to inform Sony that your PS5 was stolen, and provide the serial number. This in and of itself is relatively unlikely unless you wrote down the serial number or have another way to access that information. If you are able to provide that information, the circumstances would require the customer service rep to take note of it, and, at some point, the thief sends the PS5 in for a repair or replacement. It requires so many unlikely scenarios to occur that it should be written off as a potential way to track your PS5 if it was stolen.

There are actually other ways to track your PS5, at least somewhat. At the very least, they are much more realistic methods than using your serial number to track the PS5. This would involve either using an external GPS tracker, or letting Sony know that the PS5 was stolen. You may also be able to use certain apps’ location data to get an idea of where your PS5 may be (like Netflix), though it is advised that you unlink these apps and any other information from the stolen PS5.

Another thing Sony can do is find out the IP address that is connected to the PS5 when it connects to the Internet. This will both give them access to the PS5 in order to modify it wirelessly, but it can also be used to track the location of the device. However, because of the popularity of virtual private networks (VPNs), the IP address may not actually reflect where the PS5 is located.

When your PS5 is stolen, one of the first things you should do is file a police report, with the serial number included. On top of that, having the serial number out in a publicly available report will help people who cross reference their PS5’s serial number with PS5s that were reported stolen.

Can Sony brick a PS5 if it is stolen?

While retrieving the PS5 might not be the easiest thing in the world after it has been stolen, there are actually things Sony can do to deal with a stolen PS5. One of these things is to brick the PS5, making it no more valuable than the parts it is made of. The process of bricking is basically to cause a device to become corrupted, rendering it useless. This can be done directly or remotely, but common occurrences of bricking are either intentional by the manufacturer or accidental because of user error.

If you have reported the PS5 with this serial number as stolen, Sony can then use that information to brick the PS5 in the event that it connects to the Internet. To actually brick it, however, Sony needs to track it, rather than it being an automatic process of detecting when they log in.

How to tell if your PS5 was previously stolen

One of the first things a thief will do with their stolen wares, especially if they steal a lot of the same thing, is to sell it off to someone else. This is as true with the PS5 as it is with other hot devices. It may be hard to tell whether your PS5 has been stolen, but there are ways to check it out. For example, if the price feels too good to be true, it may mean that the seller was trying to offload the PS5.

When you first buy a used PS5, check the serial number on the bottom of the console and cross-reference it with reports of stolen PS5s online. Additionally, be very careful of websites that resell consoles that are selling PS5 consoles for dubiously low prices. There are very good odds that PS5s on these websites will turn out to be stolen. Not only does this reward thieves, but it also puts you at risk of eventually having your new PS5 bricked by Sony.

Does the PS5 controller have its own serial number?

Your PS5 comes with a controller, but does that PS5 controller have its own serial number? And if so, where is it located? Unlike the PS5, which has a serial number added on the underside with a sticker, the PS5 controller has it printed on the back of the controller itself.

This serial number is also unique, and not the same as the serial number of the PS5 it came with. Thus, if you want to record the serial number of both your PS5 and PS5 controller, make sure to write down both of them.

Another important distinction between the PS5 and PS5 controller’s serial numbers is the number of characters. The PS5, as mentioned, consists of 11 letters and numbers, while the PS5 controller consists of 17 letters and numbers.

Is the serial number the same as the model number?

You may have seen someone use these terms interchangeably to refer to the serial number, but in fact, the serial number and model number are different things.

The model number of the PS5 is also located on the underside of the console, and is distinguished by the fact that it has fewer characters than the serial number does.

The purpose of a serial number is to distinguish one PS5 from another, while the model number is meant to distinguish one specific mode of the PS5. For instance, the Digital Edition PS5 and the Standard Edition PS5 each have their own model number that is shared by other consoles like them.

What do I do if the serial number is missing from the PS5?

The serial number of the PS5 is found underneath the base on the bottom of the PS5 when in vertical mode, added as a sticker. The only way to actually see it is to remove the base first. If this sticker becomes damaged or obscured, or completely comes off, you will have to find an alternative method of figuring out what your PS5’s serial number is. This is not likely to be a problem, however, as the PS5’s serial number will rarely, if ever, be exposed to circumstances that may cause the sticker to come off or become otherwise damaged.

If it is missing, however, the next thing you should try doing is looking at the PS5’s box. If you save it, you can find various details on the box, including the PS5’s serial number.

Steven CarrLast Updated: April 12, 2023

6 minutes read

PS5 Serial Number: Everything You Need to Know