Teerasak Ladnongkhun/Shutterstock.com
To avoid accidentally purchasing in-app items on your Android, iPhone, or iPad, disable the in-app purchase option so that you must verify each purchase before it is confirmed. Here’s how to do that on your phone.
Disabling in-app purchases is a great way to ensure that you, or especially your kids, don’t buy expensive items from your installed apps or games. When you disable the option, your phone will ask for your confirmation every time you try to purchase an item from an app or game on your device.
RELATED: How to Enable, Disable, and Protect Voice Purchases on Your Amazon Echo with a PIN
Prevent accidental in-app purchases on Android
On Android, you can have the Google Play Store ask for authorization every time someone tries to purchase an in-app item on your phone.
To enable that option, first launch the Google Play Store app on your phone.
In the top right corner of the Store, tap your profile icon.
In the profile menu, tap ‘Settings’.
On the ‘Settings’ page, select the ‘Authentication’ option.
In the expanded ‘Authentication’ menu, tap ‘Require authentication for purchases’.
In the “Purchase verification” box that opens, check “For all purchases made through Google Play on this device.” This way, your phone will ask for your authentication when you purchase an in-app item.
If you think you’ll be making multiple in-app purchases in a short period of time, you can enable the “Every 30 minutes” option so that you aren’t prompted for authentication with every purchase.
If prompted, enter your Google account password to continue. And that’s it.
From now on, you will need to confirm any in-app purchase before it is made on your phone through your apps or games. Say goodbye to those accidental expensive purchases!
If there’s a purchase you’ve already made and you want to undo it, remember that you may be able to get a refund on the Google Play Store.
RELATED: How to Get a Refund from the Google Play Store
Disable in-app purchases on iPhone or iPad
On iPhone or iPad, use an option in Screen Time to restrict your in-app purchases.
To do that, first launch Settings on your iPhone. In Settings, scroll down a bit and tap “Screen Time.”
Make sure you have configured the Screen Time feature. Next, on the “Screen Time” page, tap on the “Content & Privacy Restrictions” option.
Choose the “iTunes & App Store Purchases” option.
Select ‘In-app purchases’.
Disable your phone’s in-app purchases by selecting “Don’t Allow.”
And you’re all set. Don’t forget to get an App Store refund for purchases you regret.
Make sure you don’t hand over your Screen Time passcode to anyone or they could use it to lift the restrictions on in-app purchases.
RELATED: How to Disable iPhone Passcode
This post Disable in-app purchases on Android or iPhone
was original published at “https://www.howtogeek.com/791336/turn-off-in-app-purchases-android-iphone/”
