To stop a child from buying items in mobile games, use the controls for the device’s app store: on iPhone or iPad, block Apple in-app purchases with Screen Time or approve requests with Ask to Buy; on Android, require approval for Google Play in-app purchases through Family Link. These controls have different billing scopes, so choose the one that matches how the game takes payment.
Choose between blocking purchases and approving them
If you want a hard stop on Apple in-app purchases, Screen Time can block them. If you want the child to ask before buying, Apple’s Ask to Buy and Google Play’s purchase approvals let a parent review requests. Purchase approvals are not a universal payment block: Apple’s setting covers Apple In-App Purchases, while Google says its approvals apply only to purchases made through Google Play billing.
Start with the child’s device and the account used for purchases. Apple and Google menus are not interchangeable, and availability can vary by age, region, operating-system version, and account setup.
Block in-app purchases on iPhone or iPad
Use Screen Time for a hard block
- Enable Screen Time on the child’s iPhone or iPad if it is not already on.
- Open Settings > Screen Time > Apps & Websites > App Store > In-app Purchases.
- Choose Blocked.
Apple also documents requiring a password for future purchases. For the current steps and availability notes, see Apple’s guide to turning off Apple In-App Purchases from Screen Time.
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Use Ask to Buy to review requests
For a child in a Family Sharing group, Ask to Buy is an alternative to blocking purchases outright. The child requests approval, and the parent decides whether to approve. Apple’s current guide places the setting at Settings > Family > child’s name > Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Ask to Buy > Require Purchase Approval. See Apple’s parental-controls guide for requirements and availability, which can vary with age, region, and OS version. Apple says its enhanced Screen Time experience requires supported current OS versions across the Family Sharing devices.
Require approval for Android game purchases
Set approvals in Family Link
- Open the Family Link app and select the child’s profile.
- Go to Controls > Google Play > Purchases & download approvals > Require approval for.
- Choose In-app purchases only.
Google also lets a family manager configure approvals in Google Play: tap the profile picture, then open Settings > Family > Manage family members, select a family member, and choose Purchase approvals. Depending on the setup, options include approval for all content, purchases using the family payment method, in-app purchases only, or no approval. See Google Play’s purchase-approval instructions.
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Google says approval requests can be handled in Family Link or in the Play Store’s approval-request area. Keep Family Link and Play Store notifications enabled if you rely on alerts. The approval setting applies only to purchases made through Google Play’s billing system.
Restrict games by age, access, or time
Apple: ratings, app access, Game Center, and schedules
Screen Time’s Content & Privacy Restrictions can limit app age ratings and other content. Apple also documents blocking specific apps, restricting game-related Game Center interactions, scheduling access, and setting daily Time Allowances for categories such as Games. The available controls and defaults can depend on the child’s age, location, and supported OS versions; see Apple’s parental-controls guide.
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Android: Google Play content maturity limits
Google Play content restrictions can limit downloads or purchases according to maturity level. They apply only to the Android device where they are configured, and they do not necessarily prevent restricted material from appearing in search results or through a direct link. See Google’s instructions for setting up Play content restrictions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What these controls do—and do not—cover
- Apple: Screen Time blocks Apple In-App Purchases. Do not assume this covers every payment route a game might offer outside Apple’s in-app purchase system.
- Google Play: purchase approvals cover only payments made through Google Play billing, not every possible way a game might collect money.
- Content controls: age or maturity restrictions are separate from purchase approval. Google Play’s are device-specific and may not hide restricted content from search or direct links.
If you need to confirm whether a charge went through, review the relevant account’s purchase history and check the payment flow in the specific game. Platform settings describe their own billing systems; they do not establish what every game or external payment route supports.
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