How to request an iOS app refund through the App Store
You can request a refund for an iOS app directly through your Apple account on any device or through the web. Apple processes refund requests through the App Store, not through the app developer. You have up to 90 days from purchase to request a refund, though Apple often approves requests made within 14 days more readily than those made later.
The fastest way is through the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad. Open the App Store, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, select "Purchases," find the app you want to refund, tap the three dots next to it, and choose "Report a Problem." Select the reason for your refund request from the menu — common reasons include "I didn't mean to purchase this," "The app doesn't work as described," or "I no longer need this app." Describe the issue briefly in the text box and submit.
If you prefer to use a computer or web browser, sign into reportaproblem.apple.com, find the app purchase in your history, click "Report a Problem," choose your reason, and submit. You can also go to support.apple.com, select "Purchases & Billing," and follow the "Request a refund for apps, games, and in-app purchases" link.
Key Takeaways
- Request refunds through the App Store app, reportaproblem.apple.com, or support.apple.com — never contact the developer directly for an App Store purchase.
- You have up to 90 days from purchase to request a refund, but requests within 14 days are approved more often.
- Apple reviews your reason and decides whether to refund; you will receive an email confirming approval or denial within a few days.
- If your first request is denied, you can submit an appeal through the same channels, though a second denial is usually final.
- Refunds for approved requests appear back to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days.
What happens after you submit a refund request
Apple does not automatically refund every request. After you submit, Apple reviews the reason you provided and your purchase history. They look at whether you have a pattern of requesting refunds, how long ago you purchased the app, and whether your stated reason matches common refund scenarios.
You will receive an email at your Apple ID address within a few days — usually within 48 hours. The email will say either "Your refund has been approved" or "We are unable to process your refund request." If approved, the money goes back to the payment method you used at purchase: a credit card, debit card, Apple Gift Card balance, or carrier billing, depending on what you chose when you bought the app.
Refunds to credit and debit cards take 5 to 10 business days to appear. Refunds to an Apple Gift Card balance show up immediately in your account. If you paid through carrier billing (your phone bill), the refund may take longer and will appear as a credit on your next bill.
Reasons Apple approves and denies refund requests
Apple is more likely to approve your request if the app genuinely does not work, crashes repeatedly, or does not match its description in the App Store. Saying "the app doesn't work as described" or "the app keeps crashing" gives Apple a concrete reason to refund you. Requests made within 14 days of purchase are also approved at higher rates than older requests.
Apple often denies requests that say only "I changed my mind" or "I don't want this anymore," especially if the purchase was weeks or months ago. They also deny requests from accounts with a history of frequent refund requests, as this pattern suggests you may be testing apps and returning them rather than genuinely having problems. If you have requested more than a few refunds in the past few months, your next request is less likely to be approved.
Requests for refunds on in-app purchases follow the same rules. If you spent money inside an app on virtual currency, a subscription, or a one-time purchase and want it back, submit a refund request the same way. Apple treats these the same as app refunds and will deny them if you simply changed your mind, but will often approve them if the feature did not work or the purchase was accidental.
What to do if your refund request is denied
If Apple denies your request, you can appeal. Go back to reportaproblem.apple.com or the App Store app, find the same purchase, and select "Report a Problem" again. This time, provide more detail about why you believe you deserve a refund. If the app crashes, describe exactly when and how it crashes. If it does not match its description, quote the specific claim from the App Store listing that turned out to be false. If you purchased by accident, explain what happened.
Apple will review your appeal and send another email within a few days. A second denial is usually final, and Apple will not refund the purchase after that. At that point, your only other option is to contact Apple Support directly through support.apple.com and request to speak with a specialist, though they rarely overturn two denials.
If the app is genuinely broken or fraudulent, you can also report it to Apple through the App Store listing itself. Open the app's page in the App Store, scroll to the bottom, tap "Report an Issue," and describe the problem. This does not may provide a refund for your purchase, but it alerts Apple to a problem that may affect other users and may lead to the app being removed from the store.
Refunds for subscriptions and recurring charges
If you subscribed to an app or service through the App Store and want to cancel, the process is different from a one-time app refund. You must cancel the subscription itself to stop future charges. Open the App Store app, tap your profile icon, select "Subscriptions," find the subscription you want to cancel, and tap "Cancel Subscription." This stops the next charge but does not refund money you already paid for the current billing period.
To get a refund for a subscription period you already paid for, submit a refund request for that specific charge through reportaproblem.apple.com or the App Store app, just as you would for an app. Apple will review whether the subscription was used and whether your reason for requesting a refund is valid. Subscriptions cancelled within 14 days of purchase are often refunded in full. Subscriptions cancelled after that are less likely to be refunded unless the service genuinely did not work.
Refunds for apps purchased as gifts
If someone gave you an app as a gift through the App Store, you can still request a refund. The refund goes back to the original purchaser's payment method, not to you. Submit the refund request the same way — through the App Store app or reportaproblem.apple.com — and Apple will process it to whoever bought it. You will receive a confirmation email, but the money will not appear in your account.
If the person who gave you the gift wants to know the status of the refund, they can check their own purchase history and refund status through their Apple ID account. They will receive their own email confirming whether the refund was approved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I downloaded the app and used it for a while?
Yes, you can request a refund at any time up to 90 days after purchase, regardless of how much you used the app. Apple does not have a rule against refunding apps you have used. However, if you used the app extensively and then requested a refund, Apple may deny it because you had a chance to test whether it worked. Requests are more likely to be approved if you used the app briefly before discovering a problem.
What if the app charged me twice by mistake?
Submit a refund request for the duplicate charge through reportaproblem.apple.com or the App Store app. Explain in the description that you were charged twice for the same purchase. Apple usually approves these requests quickly because the error is clear. If the duplicate charge was from a subscription renewing unexpectedly, cancel the subscription first to prevent future charges, then request a refund for the unwanted renewal.
How do I know if my refund was approved?
Apple sends an email to your Apple ID address within a few days of your request. Check your email inbox and spam folder for a message from Apple that says either "Your refund has been approved" or "We are unable to process your refund request." If you do not receive an email after five business days, sign into your Apple ID account and check your purchase history to see if the status has changed there.
Can I request a refund for an app I bought years ago?
You can submit a refund request up to 90 days after purchase, so apps bought more than 90 days ago cannot be refunded through the standard process. If the app is genuinely broken or fraudulent, contact Apple Support directly through support.apple.com and explain the situation. They may make an exception for older purchases if the problem is severe, but this is not may provide.
What if I want a refund but the app developer offers one instead?
Refunds for App Store purchases must come through Apple, not the developer. If a developer offers you a refund code or tells you to contact them for money back, that is not how App Store refunds work. Always request your refund through the App Store app or reportaproblem.apple.com. The developer cannot process refunds for their own app if it was purchased through Apple.