Problems with in-app purchases

With some apps, you can buy additional content or services within the app. We call these 'in-app purchases'. Examples include a powerful sword in a game, a key that unlocks more features of an app, or virtual currency used for purchases.

If your in-app purchase is not showing up, is not working or won’t download, you can:

Troubleshoot the issue on your own.
Contact the developer for support.
Request a refund.

If you're trying to make an in-app purchase but the transaction is declined or the payment won't go through, try to fix payment issues on Google Play.

Troubleshoot the issue on your own

If these steps don't fix your issue, contact the developer. It's the developers' responsibility to offer support for their apps and to make sure that they work well for you.

Check your connectivity

Check that you have a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection which is active and working. A simple way to do this is by searching the web. Click on this link to search Google for puppies. If you see information on puppies, your Internet connection is probably not the issue.

If that search doesn’t work, connectivity might be a problem. Try to fix your connectivity issues.

Force stop, then reopen the app or game

If you haven't received an in-app item that you bought, try closing and restarting the app or game that you’re using.

On your device, open the main Settings app .
Tap Apps or Manage applications (depending on your device, this may be different).
Tap the app you used to make your in-app purchase.
Tap Force stop.
Re-open the app you used to make your in-app purchase.
Check if your item has been delivered.

Check if your payment is complete

You receive your in-app purchase when your transaction is complete. You can check if the payment went through in the Play Store app or on the Google Play web page.

Check payment with the Play Store app

Open the Google Play Store app .
At the top right, tap your Profile picture.
Tap Payments and subscriptions Budget and history.

Check payment with a web browser

On your computer, go to your Google Play account.
At the top, click Order history.
Find your in-app purchase.

Restart the device

Sometimes restarting the device can help fix in-app purchase issues. To restart:

On your mobile device, hold down the power button.
Tap Power off or Restart (depending on your device this text may be different).
If needed, hold down the power button again to turn the device back on.
Wait for the device to start back up.
Re-open the app or game and check if the in-app purchase has been delivered.

Update the Play Store app

In-app purchases work best when you are running the latest version of the Play Store. To update the app:

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Play Store app .
At the top right, tap the profile picture.
Tap Settings About Update Play Store.
The app updates or notifies you that your version is up to date.

Learn more about how to update the Play Store and apps on Android.

Make sure that date and time are correct

If you have recently changed the date and time on your device, make sure that the date and time are correct:

On your Android phone or tablet, open your device's Settings app .
Tap System Date and time.
- Under 'Date and time', check if 'Set time automatically' is turned on or off.
- Under the 'Time zone' section, check if 'Set automatically' is turned on or off.
If 'Set time automatically' and 'Set automatically' are turned off, turn both of them on.
Wait a few minutes and check if your problem is fixed.
If it's not, restart your device and check again.

If both 'Set time automatically' and 'Set automatically' are turned on, your device's date and time setting probably isn't your issue. Check your connectivity and restart your device, or try the other troubleshooting steps.

Check your Google Play country

If the app developer hasn't made the app available in your Google Play country, you can't make in-app purchases. If you move to a new country, you can change your Google Play country.

Check age restrictions

If the app or game targets only users who are aged 18 and above or if the app developer has chosen to block their app or game from users who are aged under 18, you can't make in-app purchases.

Contact the app's developer for support

If you're still having issues with an in-app purchase and want to give feedback or get help, you can contact the app's developer.

The app developer is the best place to:

Get help to fix an issue with an app or game.
Learn more about using an app.
Get an in-app purchase added to your account.
Ask about an in-app purchase that wasn’t delivered.
Get help with username and password sign-in problems for specific apps.

Find app developer contact info.

Request a refund

Depending on the details of your purchase and issue, you may be able to get a refund. Find more information on returns and refunds on Google Play.