All Android and iOS applications offer in-app purchases to unlock and provide certain functionality. Google and Apple App Store allow users to purchase in-app content with their built-in payment features for which they need to connect their bank accounts. Sometimes users make accidental purchases, and to avoid such incidents, here is the guide to disable in-app purchases and require authentication before making purchases.
How to Control Your In-App Spending on iPhone and Android
Disabling the in-app purchases on iPhone and Google Play Store is quite straightforward. To get specific services and content through in-app purchases, users have to pay for features that unlock items for sale or remove ads from the app’s free version. To disable this option, follow the instructions mentioned below.
How to disable in-app purchases on Android
Google has multiple ways to ensure you remain secure against any unintended purchases.
- Open Google Play Store, and then tap on your profile in the device’s upper-right corner.
- After that, go to Settings, and from there, head over to Require Authentication for Purchases.
- From there, choose the Purchase Authentication from three options: “For all purchases through Google Play on this device.”
- Please enter your password or PIN to verify, and that’s it!
Additionally, you can add biometric authentication. For this, you can go to Google Play Store settings and, from there, toggle to enable Biometric Authentication. How to disable in-app purchases on iPhone
- Open Device Settings and then tap on Screen Time.
- Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions and then Enable Content & Privacy Restrictions by tapping the slider to enable it, turning it green.
- Tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases and then In-app Purchases.
- From there, select Don’t Allow.
How to disable in-app purchases on iPad
- Open device settings and then head over to Screen Time.
- Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions and then turn Content & Privacy Restrictions by tapping the slider, which will turn green when enabled.
- Go to iTunes & App Store Purchases and choose In-app Purchases.
- Select the Don’t Allow option to disable in-app purchases on iPad.
This is how you can disable the in-app purchases on Play Store and App Store, whereas Apple gives more control over in-app purchase settings.
Set Parental Control on Play Store on Child’s Phone
You can filter certain apps and restrict your kids from accessing the apps with adult content, including violent games with explicit scenes, jokes, and images.
- Open Google Play Store and tap Menu from the device’s upper-right corner.
- From there, go to Settings and then scroll to find Parental control.
- Toggle to enable the Parental control, create a 4-digit PIN, and click OK.
- Choose the type of content you want to filter. You will find Set Content Restriction with a few options you want to allow for each type of app.
- Now select the correct number and then tap the green column from the left side depending on your child’s age and your selection.
- Tap on Save and ensure you have disabled the in-app purchases in Google Play Store to avoid accidental purchases.
How to disable Parental Controls on App Store on Child’s Phone
- Open Device Settings and then head over to Screen Time.
- Select Content & Privacy Restrictions from there and tap “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
- Go to iTunes and App Store Purchases and then “Content & Privacy Restrictions” to enable.
- Tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases, and from there, you can either allow or disallow in-app purchases, delete apps, and install apps.
- Enter the password and then select the settings according to your preference.
But it also requires a password for purchases on iTunes and the App Store after 15 minutes. If you want to make more restrictions on your kid’s device, which gives you more control to prevent kids from downloading certain apps, follow these steps:
- Open Apple ID and then open Settings, and tap on Apple ID.
- From there, go to Family Sharing and then select Family Sharing.
- Now choose to Ask to Buy and then scroll down to find Ask to Buy.
- Next, enable Ask to Buy and confirm your action by selecting the kid’s device you want to approve by tapping on the child account that you want to control or manage the Ask to Buy feature.
- Turn on Ask to Buy for your child. That’s it!
Once you make these changes, you have restricted the possibility of accidental purchases, which will prevent any such unintentional purchases. Do ensure you don’t hand over your screen time password to someone, as after it, it will be able to use to live the in-app purchase restrictions.
