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How to Set Parental Controls for Mobile Games and In-App Purchases

Use Screen Time to block Apple in-app purchases or Ask to Buy for eligible requests; on Android, set Google Play approval for in-app purchases through Family Link.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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To stop a child from buying things in mobile games, start with the device: use Screen Time on an iPhone or iPad, or Family Link and Google Play purchase approvals on Android. Apple lets you block Apple in-app purchases or approve eligible child requests individually; Google lets a family manager require approval for purchases made through Google Play billing. Game-age ratings and play-time limits are separate controls.

Choose between blocking purchases and approving them

  • Block purchases: On an iPhone or iPad, Screen Time can block Apple In-App Purchases. This is the direct option for a hard stop on purchases processed as Apple In-App Purchases.
  • Approve requests: With Apple Ask to Buy, an eligible child can request a purchase and a parent or guardian can decide. On Android, Google Play purchase approvals can require approval for in-app purchases made through Google Play billing.

These controls cover different store-billing systems. Apple describes its control as blocking Apple In-App Purchases; Google says its approvals apply only to purchases made through Google Play’s billing system. Check how the particular game processes payments, and review the account’s purchase history if you need to verify whether a charge went through. Apple’s Screen Time purchase-block guide and Google Play’s approval guide explain their respective scopes.

Block in-app purchases on an iPhone or iPad

  1. Turn on Screen Time for the device if it is not already enabled.
  2. Open Settings > Screen Time > Apps & Websites > App Store > In-app Purchases.
  3. Choose Blocked.

Apple also documents requiring a password for future purchases. For a child in a Family Sharing group, Ask to Buy is an alternative to blocking: open Settings > Family > child’s name > Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Ask to Buy, then choose Require Purchase Approval. The child requests an eligible purchase and the parent decides whether to approve it. See Apple’s purchase-block instructions and Apple’s parental-control guide.

Menu labels and feature availability can vary with the operating-system version, the child’s age, and location. Apple says its enhanced Screen Time experience requires supported current operating-system versions across the devices in the Family Sharing group.

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Require approval for Android game purchases

  1. Open the Family Link app and select the child’s profile.
  2. Go to Controls > Google Play > Purchases & download approvals > Require approval for.
  3. Choose In-app purchases only.

A family manager can also manage approval settings in Google Play: tap the profile picture, then open Settings > Family > Manage family members, select a family member, and open Purchase approvals. Google lists choices for all content, purchases using the family payment method, in-app purchases only, or no approval. The available choices can depend on the family account setup.

Approval requests can be reviewed in Family Link or in the Play Store’s approval-request area. Keep notifications enabled for Family Link and Play Store if you rely on alerts for requests. Google’s approval settings cover purchases made through Google Play billing, not every possible payment route in a game. See Google Play’s purchase-approval instructions.

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Restrict games by age, access, or play time

iPhone and iPad: ratings, apps, Game Center, and time

Apple’s Screen Time Content & Privacy Restrictions can set age ratings for apps and other content. The parental-control tools also include blocking specific apps, limiting game-related Game Center interactions, scheduling access, and setting daily Time Allowances for app categories such as Games. These are distinct from purchase blocking: use the setting that matches whether your concern is a game’s age suitability, when it can be opened, or how long it can be used. Details and feature prerequisites are in Apple’s parental-control guide.

Android: Google Play maturity restrictions

Google Play content restrictions can limit downloads or purchases according to maturity level. They apply only to the Android device on which they are set. Google cautions that restricted material may still appear in search results or through a direct link, so these restrictions should not be treated as a guarantee that a child cannot encounter every restricted title. See Google’s instructions for setting Google Play content restrictions.

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Check the control’s scope if a charge or game still gets through

  • Confirm the billing route: Store-level purchase controls are not a blanket block on all ways a game might collect money. Apple’s documented block covers Apple In-App Purchases; Google Play approvals cover Google Play billing.
  • Check the account’s purchase history: If you need to establish whether a charge occurred, verify it in the relevant account rather than relying only on a setting or a notification.
  • Check the right device and account: Google Play maturity restrictions are device-specific. Family controls also depend on the child’s account, platform, age, operating-system version, and region.
  • Review the game’s own payment flow: If a game offers a payment option outside the store billing system, the store approval setting may not govern it.

For Apple’s current family controls, confirm that all Family Sharing devices meet the supported operating-system requirements described by Apple. For Google Play content restrictions, remember the search-result and direct-link limitation stated in Google’s guide.

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