In this guide
Do you qualify?
- Apple says some purchases might be eligible for a refund. Each request is reviewed, so a refund is not guaranteed, and Apple's refund page states no deadline for asking.
- Ask from the Apple Account that was charged. A family organizer can also request a refund for purchases charged to the shared payment method.
- A pending charge cannot be refunded yet, and an unpaid order has to be paid before you can request a refund.
- In Germany, Israel, South Africa and Türkiye you have the right to cancel a subscription with immediate effect and receive a prorated refund at any time, by contacting Apple Support.
- A purchase made outside Apple's In-App Purchase system, such as on the app's own website, is not an Apple charge. Apple says it cannot help with refunds for those; ask the developer.
- Eligibility can vary by country or region, and consumer law protections where you live still apply.
ASK WHOEVER TOOK THE MONEY
How to request an App Store refund.
Ask Apple for a refund
Apple's own refund route. It covers apps, subscriptions and other items bought from the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Books and other Apple services.
- Go to reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in with the Apple Account that was charged.
- Tap or click "I'd like to", then choose "Request a refund".
- Choose the reason you want a refund, then choose Next.
- Choose the app, subscription or other item, then choose Submit.
- Allow 24 to 48 hours for an update from Apple.
A pending charge cannot be refunded yet: wait for the email receipt, then try again. If the purchase is not listed, you are probably signed in to a different Apple Account.
Ask for a family member's purchase
With Family Sharing, the family organizer can request a refund for a family member's purchase that was charged to the shared payment method.
- Sign in to reportaproblem.apple.com as the family organizer.
- Tap or click the Apple Account button, then choose All. Purchases charged to your shared payment method appear.
- Request the refund for the item as in the steps above.
Check a request you already sent
A submitted request shows as pending until Apple resolves it. Apple says contacting it by phone or chat will not speed up a request already sent.
- Go to reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in to your Apple Account.
- Choose Check Status of Claims. If you don't see it, you have no pending refund requests.
- Tap or click Pending to see the status.
Stop the next charge as well
Apple's refund page tells you to cancel the subscription too if you no longer want it. A refund returns a charge; cancelling stops the renewal.
- Open Settings on iPhone or iPad, tap your name, then tap Subscriptions.
- Tap the subscription, then tap Cancel Subscription.
- Check that the entry shows an expiration date rather than a renewal date.
What happens next?
- Apple says to allow 24 to 48 hours for an update, and the request shows as pending in the meantime.
- An approved refund goes back to the payment method you used. An Apple Account balance can take up to 48 hours. Credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Apple Cash and other methods can take up to 30 days to show on the statement; after 30 days, contact your financial institution. Mobile phone billing can take 30 to 60 days.
- You may lose access to refunded items.
- Do not count on a refund to stop the subscription. Cancel it separately if you do not want the next charge.
WHEN THE ANSWER IS NO
If you are refused.
The purchase is not listed at reportaproblem.apple.com
Usually the wrong Apple Account. Search your email for "receipt from Apple" or "invoice from Apple", find the one that matches the amount, and sign in with the account on it. A pending charge cannot be refunded until the receipt arrives. If no Apple receipt exists, Apple did not bill the charge, and the request belongs to whoever did.
The app says purchases are non-refundable
For anything Apple billed, the refund request still goes to Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com, and the decision is Apple's. You can submit it whatever the app's own terms say; whether it is approved is up to Apple.
Apple declined the request
Apple does not publish an appeal process for a declined refund. For refunds you cannot request on reportaproblem.apple.com, Apple says to contact Apple Support. If the charge was not authorised by you, also talk to your bank or card issuer.
It was approved but the money has not arrived
Check the payment method before assuming it failed. A card statement can take up to 30 days and mobile phone billing 30 to 60 days, much longer than the 48 hours an Apple Account balance takes. Past 30 days on a card, Apple says to contact your financial institution.
GOOD TO KNOW
Questions, answered.
How long does Apple take to decide on a subscription refund?
Apple says to allow 24 to 48 hours for an update. The request shows as pending at reportaproblem.apple.com until Apple resolves it.
Is there a deadline for requesting an Apple subscription refund?
Apple's refund page does not state one. Requests are reviewed individually, so asking promptly helps, but an older charge is not automatically excluded.
Can I cancel an App Store purchase, or only a subscription?
Only a subscription can be cancelled. Apple's definition: a subscription renews automatically until you cancel it, while items like Remove ads or a full game unlock are bought once, and coins or gems are bought each time. A one-time purchase has nothing to cancel, so the only way to undo it is a refund request at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Can I get a refund if the app says no refunds?
You can ask. If Apple billed the charge, the request goes to Apple, not to the developer, and Apple decides on it.
Does a refund cancel my subscription?
Do not count on it. Apple's refund page tells you to cancel the subscription as well if you no longer want it. Cancel it in Settings under your name and Subscriptions, or the next renewal still goes through.
Provider resources
- Apple: request a refund for apps or content
- Apple: check the status of a refund
- Apple: cancel a subscription from Apple
- Apple: in-app purchases and subscriptions
- Apple: cancelling in Germany, Israel, South Africa or Türkiye
- Apple: purchases not billed through the App Store
Instructions reviewed .
Subex is independent of App Store and does not request refunds on your behalf. Refund eligibility is decided by the company that billed you, or by the app's developer where an app store passes the request on, and terms vary by plan, billing provider and country.