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How to block in-app purchases on iPhone

How to block purchases inside games on iPhone and iPad, set up Ask to Buy for your child and get your money back for unwanted purchases. With instructions for current iOS versions.

One tap on the wrong button and $19.99 is gone on a chest of gems. That doesn’t happen because children are careless. It happens because many games are built for exactly that moment. Fortunately, on iPhone and iPad you can switch it off reliably in a few minutes.

Which way suits your family?

SituationBest option
Your child has their own iPhone or iPad with their own Apple Account in your Family Sharing groupTurn on Ask to Buy (option 1). You control everything from your own iPhone.
Your child plays on your device or on a family iPad signed in with your Apple AccountBlock in-app purchases directly on the device (option 2).
You want to be completely sureBoth. Ask to Buy for downloads, the block for purchases inside games.

Option 1: Ask to Buy with Family Sharing

With Ask to Buy, your child has to ask you before every purchase and every download. You get a message and decide with one tap. You need Family Sharing set up, and your child needs their own Apple Account in your family group.

  1. On your iPhone, open Settings and tap Family.
  2. Tap your child’s name.
  3. Tap Ask to Buy (on newer iOS versions you’ll find it under Apps & Websites, then Restrictions).
  4. Turn on Require Purchase Approval.

When your child wants to download or buy something, the request lands in your Messages. You approve with Face ID or decline. If you don’t answer within 24 hours, the request expires and your child has to ask again. In some countries Apple turns Ask to Buy on automatically for children.

Option 2: Block in-app purchases on the device

This works on any iPhone and iPad, even without Family Sharing. Afterwards, no purchase is possible inside any game, however tempting the button looks.

  1. On the device your child plays on, open Settings and tap Screen Time.
  2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn them on.
  3. Tap App Store Purchases (on older versions “iTunes & App Store Purchases”).
  4. Tap In-app Purchases and choose Don’t Allow.
  5. In the same menu, set Require Password to Always Require.
  6. Under Screen Time, set a separate Screen Time passcode that’s different from the unlock code.

Apple renames these menus a little with almost every iOS update. If something is called differently on your device, swipe down in Settings and search for “In-app”. The iPhone takes you straight there.

The most common gaps

  1. Your child knows the passcode

    The Screen Time passcode should be different from the unlock code. Don’t type it in while your child is watching.

  2. A parent’s Face ID

    If your face is set up on your child’s device, one glance at the phone is enough to approve a purchase. Hold it up to you for a second and it’s done.

  3. Gift cards and account balance

    Credit on an Apple Account is spent without further questions if in-app purchases are allowed. The block from option 2 protects against that too.

  4. New device, old settings

    When switching to a new iPhone, it’s worth a quick check that the restrictions came along.

If something has already been bought

Sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com with the Apple Account that made the purchase. You’ll see all recent purchases there; pick the unwanted one and request a refund. Say briefly and honestly that your child bought it without your consent. Apple decides case by case, and the sooner you report it, the better your chances.

Even simpler: games with nothing to buy

The best block is a game that doesn’t sell anything in the first place. How to recognise such games in the App Store is in our checklist for ad-free kids’ games. Our own games are a one-time purchase with nothing to buy afterwards, for example Airtime: Ski Jump.

Frequently asked questions

Does the block cover subscriptions too?

Yes. Subscriptions are billed in the App Store as in-app purchases. If you don’t allow in-app purchases, no subscription can be started inside a game either.

Do I have to approve free apps too?

With Ask to Buy, yes. It applies to every download, including free apps. That’s deliberate: free apps in particular often pay for themselves with ads and in-game purchases, and this way you see what your child wants to install.

Is keeping the passcode secret enough?

Not quite. Use a separate Screen Time passcode your child doesn’t know, and don’t let your child confirm with your Face ID. Otherwise any restriction can be lifted with one tap.

How do I get money back for an unwanted purchase?

Sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com with your Apple Account, pick the purchase and request a refund. The sooner the better. There’s no guarantee; Apple decides case by case.

What about Android?

In the Google Play Store, go to Settings, Authentication and require authentication for all purchases. For children’s accounts, Google Family Link also lets you approve purchases.

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