How to Disable In-App Purchases on Android and iPhone
In-app purchases can become burdensome if not properly managed. To avoid this, it’s crucial to know how to disable in-app purchases on your iPhone or Android device. We will guide you through the process in this post.
The ability to turn off in-app purchases is especially useful when sharing your phone with children. By doing so, you can prevent them from making unauthorized purchases in games or elsewhere. The process is simple and varies slightly depending on whether you use an Android or iOS device. You can complete it within minutes, as demonstrated in this post. Let’s begin!
How to Stop Accidental In-App Purchases on Android
Restricting in-app purchases is possible by enabling biometric authentication on your Android phone. By doing this, no one can make in-app purchases without your permission or biometric authentication through the Play Store. To enable biometric authentication for all Play Store purchases, follow these steps:
1. Open the Google Play Store app on your phone. Use the search bar in the app drawer to find it.
Step 2: Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Step 3: Select the Settings option from the menu.
Step 4: Under Settings, tap Authentication.
Step 5: Enable the Biometric Authentication toggle. Enter your Google account password and save the changes.
Step 6: After enabling Biometric authentication, tap ‘Require authentication for purchases.’
Step 7: Choose ‘For all Google Play purchases on this device.’
Note: If you frequently make in-app purchases, you can select the Every 30 minutes option.
These steps will successfully turn off in-app purchases on your Android device. Now, when you try to make an in-app purchase, you must enter your biometrics, preventing others from doing so without your permission.
Unlike Android, Apple allows you to disable in-app purchases on iOS. You can achieve this by enabling Content & Privacy Restrictions and setting up a Screen Time Passcode in the Settings app. This will block any in-app purchases unless the correct Screen Time Passcode is entered. To enable Content & Privacy Restrictions and set up a Screen Time Passcode, follow these steps:
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Open the Settings app and tap on Screen Time.
Step 3: Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions under Screen Time.
Step 4: Enable the toggle for ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’. Then tap on ‘iTunes & App Store Purchases’.
Step 5: Tap on In-app Purchases.
Tap on Always Require to add an extra layer of protection that asks for your Apple ID password when purchasing from the App Store.
Step 6: On the In-app-Purchases page, tap Don’t Allow.
Disable In-app Purchases on your iPhone. We recommend setting up Screen Time Passcode.
Step 7: Tap ‘Use Screen Time Passcode’ on the Screen Time page.
Step 8: Follow the instructions to set a Screen Time Passcode.
Step 9: Enter the email and password for your Apple ID for Screen Time Passcode Recovery. Tap OK.
To disable in-app purchases on iPhone and iPad, follow these steps:
1. Select “Settings” on your device.
2. Tap on “Screen Time” and then on “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
3. Under “iTunes & App Store Purchases,” tap on “In-app Purchases.”
4. Select “Don’t Allow” to disable in-app purchases.
To make a purchase in the future, follow these steps and choose “Allow” for in-app purchases. If you have further questions, refer to the FAQ section below.
1. Can I still make in-app purchases after disabling them on Android and iOS?
On Android, you can make in-app purchases with authentication like a password or fingerprint. On iOS, you can completely block in-app purchases using a Screen Time Passcode.
2. Is there a way to prevent accidental in-app purchases without disabling them?
On both Android and iOS, you can authenticate in-app purchases with a password or Touch ID/Face ID to prevent accidental purchases.
3. What can I do if I forget the Screen Time Passcode?
If you’re using newer iOS versions, Apple asks for your Apple ID and password when you set up a Screen Time Passcode for recovery. However, if your iPhone is running iOS 13.4 or older, you must reinstall iOS with a DFU restore to remove the Screen Time Passcode.
Managing In-App Purchases Made Easy
After following these steps, you can quickly disable in-app purchases on Android and iPhone. This will help you prevent unnecessary expenses on your phone.
As Fred Humiston, the author behind Twothirds.us, I focus on providing practical and easy-to-follow guides and solutions for a variety of technical issues that people commonly face.
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