How to Turn off In-App Purchases in iOS (iPad/iPhone) GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Apple 81 81 people found this article helpful

How to Turn off In-App Purchases on the iPad or iPhone

Avoid being charged for app purchases that you didn't approve

By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 17, 2022 Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple iPad Macs

What to Know

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.Move the toggle next to Content & Privacy Restrictions to On. Select iTunes & App Store Purchases.Choose In-app Purchases and tap to show Don't Allow. This article explains how to turn off in-app purchases on iOS devices to prevent unauthorized spending. This information applies to iPads and iPhones with iOS 12 and later.

How to Turn Off In-App Purchases

In-app purchases on the iPad and iPhone have been a boon to developers and consumers, with the sharp increase in freemium games arising from the ease of in-app purchases. When a family shares an iPad, especially with young kids, these purchases can lead to surprises. To avoid these surprises, turn off in-app purchases on your iPad or iPhone if one of your kids uses it to play games. Here's how. Open the Settings app. Tap Screen Time. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. Move the Content & Privacy Restrictions toggle switch to On/green. Select iTunes & App Store Purchases. Select In-App Purchases and change the setting to Don't Allow. This screen also has options to prevent your kids from downloading and installing apps and has iTunes ask for a password for purchases if you want more control.

Which Other Restrictions Should You Turn On

While you're in this section, you'll see other settings you can adjust to help protect your child. Apple provides a lot of control over what an iPad or iPhone user can and cannot do. Screen Time: This setting first appeared in iOS 11 and provides powerful tools that monitor and control how much time kids spend on the iPad. The main screen includes a daily readout of how long the tablet has been awake and which apps have been active.Downtime: This feature controls when people can use the iPad. If you don't want your kids playing games during dinner, for example, disable the tablet during those hours.App Limits: You can limit how long your kids play or use particular apps with this setting, which lets you set a maximum amount of time per day that they can use those apps.Content Restrictions: Like the parental controls on a TV, this setting uses content ratings to show appropriate content. For example, if you don't want your kids watching R-rated movies on the iPad, this is where you prevent that.Web Content: You don't need to turn off Safari to keep your kid safe. The Web Content setting blocks and allows specific websites and restricts adult content with a single tap. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Block YouTube on iPad How to Set up and Use Restrictions on an iPhone How to Block Websites on the iPhone How to Fix It When Snapchat Is Not Working on an iPhone How to Turn off Incognito Mode How to Protect Your iPad With Parental Controls How to Turn Off Parental Controls on iPhone How to Turn Off Family Sharing for iTunes How to Lock Apps on Any iPhone How to Turn Off an iPhone 13 How to Block a Website How to Turn Off an iPhone XR The 10 Best Parental Control Apps and Services of 2022 How to Use Safari Parental Controls How to Hide iTunes and App Store Purchases in Family Sharing How to Lock Apps on an iPad Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies