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How to Fix "Cannot Connect to the Server to Verify the License" Error on PS4

Encountering the infamous "Cannot connect to the server to verify the license" error message when trying to play your digital PS4 games? As an avid PlayStation gamer myself, I know how frustrating this can be – essentially locking you out from games you own.

But don‘t abandon hope just yet. In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, I‘ll share various methods to resolve the PS4 license verification error based on my extensive experience dealing with this issue.

Whether it‘s restoring licenses, changing DNS settings, using a mobile hotspot, or deactivating devices, one of these solutions is bound to get your game licenses verified so you can get back to enjoying your digital library.

What Causes the “Cannot Connect to the Server to Verify the License” Error on PS4?

Before diving into the fixes, it helps to understand what causes the "Cannot verify license" error in the first place.

From my research and troubleshooting experience, these are the most common culprits:

  • Unreliable Internet Connection: A spotty Wi-Fi connection or laggy broadband can disrupt the license verification process which requires a stable online connection.

  • PSN Server Issues: Temporary outages or downtime on PlayStation‘s Network servers can prevent your PS4 from verifying licenses.

  • Incorrect DNS Settings: If your PS4‘s DNS settings are misconfigured, it may fail to reach the PSN servers responsible for verification.

  • Multiple Activated PS4s: You can only have one PS4 set as the "primary" system on your PSN account. Multiple systems creates conflicts.

  • System Clock Inaccuracies: If your PS4‘s internal clock is set improperly, it can definitely cause issues with license verification.

  • Corrupted Data: Damaged data from game crashes, power outages, or hard resets could negatively impact licenses.

Now that you know what‘s causing the problem, let‘s get into the nitty gritty of how to fix it.

Method 1: Restore Your PS4 Licenses

The simplest first step is restoring your game licenses. This forces your PS4 to reconnect to PSN and re-verify your licenses. Essentially a refresh of your license cache.

Here is how to restore licenses:

  1. From your PS4‘s home screen, go to Settings > Account Management > Restore Licenses.

  2. Select Restore and let the process run. May take a few minutes.

  3. Once completed, restart your PS4 fully.

  4. Attempt to launch your games.

Restoring licenses fixes the verification issue for most gamers. It‘s quick and usually does the trick. If you still get the error after restoring, don‘t fret – move on to the next methods.

Method 2: Change Your PS4‘s DNS Server Settings

The DNS servers your PS4 uses to translate web addresses can directly impact connectivity to PSN‘s licensing servers. Switching to more reliable third-party DNS resolvers is a proven way to fix many "Can‘t verify license" errors.

Here are step-by-step instructions to change your PS4‘s DNS settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection

  2. Select your connection type – Wi-Fi or LAN.

  3. Choose Custom instead of Automatic settings.

  4. Select Manual instead of Automatic for DNS.

  5. For Primary DNS, enter: 1.1.1.1

  6. For Secondary DNS, enter: 1.0.0.1

  7. Save settings and reconnect online.

  8. Try restoring licenses again after changing DNS.

Public DNS servers like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 & 1.0.0.1) or Google DNS (8.8.8.8 & 8.8.4.4) often resolve connectivity problems.

Method 3: Connect Your PS4 to a Mobile Hotspot

If you suspect the problem lies with your home network connection, try switching your PlayStation to your smartphone‘s mobile hotspot. This essentially gives your PS4 an entirely different pathway to reach PSN‘s licensing servers which verifies your games.

Here are the steps:

  1. Turn on mobile hotspot on your phone and note the hotspot name.

  2. On your PS4 go to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection

  3. Select Use Wi-Fi

  4. Choose your phone‘s hotspot name and enter password if needed.

  5. Once connected, attempt to restore licenses and access games.

Using your mobile connection can help determine if the issue is with your home network. If games work fine over hotspot, your home Wi-Fi or ethernet may need troubleshooting.

Method 4: Deactivate All PS4 Systems Linked to Your PSN Account

If you have multiple PS4 consoles activated on the same PSN account, it can definitely cause conflicts during license verification resulting in errors.

The solution is to deactivate all systems on your account:

  1. Login to account settings on the PlayStation website.

  2. Go to Devices > PlayStation Systems

  3. Select Deactivate All

  4. On your main PS4, activate it as your Primary PS4 in the settings.

  5. Restore licenses once again.

This will set your main console as the single primary system on your account with no conflicts. Reactivate your other systems afterwards.

Preventing Future “Cannot Verify License” Errors

To avoid this headache again, here are some tips:

  • Keep your PS4 firmware updated (Settings > System Software Update)

  • Ensure your home network connection is fast and reliable. Upgrade if needed.

  • Forward key PSN ports on your router like TCP ports 80, 443 and UDP ports 3074, 3478-3479.

  • Use the "Test Internet Connection" option to identify problems.

  • Utilize a UPS battery backup to avoid power interruptions during gameplay.

  • Reinitialize your PS4 database if data corruption is suspected.

What To Do If Nothing Works

I know it‘s frustrating, but don‘t rip your hair out just yet! If you still see the error after exhausting all troubleshooting – contact PlayStation Support.

Reach out to them via live chat or phone support. Clearly explain the problem and steps you‘ve tried. The agents can further investigate and may be able to reinstate your licenses remotely.

As an absolute last resort, you may need to perform a factory reset on your PS4 initializing the system fully. This will erase all data so make sure to backup your game saves, screenshots, etc. But initialization can fix even the most stubborn license issues when all else fails.

Don‘t Let "Cannot Verify License" Errors Ruin Your Fun

While license verification errors can certainly be annoying, they are almost always fixable. Just work through these solutions – restore licenses, tweak DNS, use mobile hotspot, deactivate devices – and you should be back gaming in no time.

Hopefully this guide provides some much needed answers and gets you back to enjoying your favorite digital PS4 games. Game on!

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