Purchase approvals on Google Play

If you're a parent in a family group, you can require family members to get your permission to purchase or download content on Google Play. Purchase approval settings only apply to purchases made through Google Play's billing system.

Change purchase approval settings

If you’re the family manager in the family group, you can choose purchase approval settings for any member of your family. If you're a parent in the family group, you can choose the purchase approval settings for family members whose accounts are managed with Family Link.

1. On your iPhone or iPad, access the Playstore on the web at play.google.com.
2. At the top right, tap your Profile picture or initial.
3. Tap Family Family Group.
4. In the "Family Group" section, tap a family member's name.
5. Choose the type of purchase approval that you want to give:
   • All content
   • Only paid content
   • Only in-app purchases
   • No approval required

Family Link app

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Family Link app .
2. Tap your child Content restrictions Google Play.
3. Under "Purchases & download approvals," tap Require approval for.
4. Select the type of purchase approval that you want to give:
   • All content
   • Only paid content
   • Only in-app purchases
   • No approval required

Approve or deny requests

Important: If you use an iPhone, you can only approve pending requests for paid content made through Google Play’s billing system from your child’s device.

If you're a parent in a family group, you can approve or deny requests for content from Google Play.

When a purchase is completed through Google Play's billing system, the family manager gets an email receipt.

You can manage approvals for recommended apps you download in Google Kids Space separately in the Google Kids Space settings.

Paid content

1. When a family member makes a purchase using Google Play's billing system, they'll find a screen that asks for your password.
2. Review the request.
3. To approve, enter your Google Account password on their device.
4. Tap Approve.

Content at no charge

If parental approval for Play content is required for a child whose Google Account is managed with Family Link, they'll see a screen with two options when they try to download or access content:

Ask in a message

1. You'll get a notification on your phone.
2. Review the request. To see more details, tap the request or the name of the app.
3. Tap Approve or Deny.

Ask now

1. You'll review the request on your child's device.
2. To approve it, enter your Google Account password on their device.
3. Tap Approve.

Find pending requests for content at no charge

Family Link app

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open Family Link .
2. At the top right, tap Notifications .

Learn about purchase approval settings

All content

Family members under 18 whose accounts are managed with Family Link need your approval to download any content, even if it's available at no charge. If a family member is over 18 and has a supervised Google Account, they can use the family payment method to buy movies and TV shows without your approval.

Tip: Previous downloads, updates, and content shared through Family Library won't require your approval, even if that content was acquired before supervised members are added to your family.

All purchases using the family payment method

Family members need your approval for all purchases made through Google Play's billing system using the family payment method, including paid apps or items sold inside apps. If a family member is over 18 and has a supervised Google Account, they can still use the family payment method to buy movies and TV shows without your approval.

This setting is unavailable for family members 18 or over whose accounts aren’t managed with Family Link.

Tip: If the option to turn on the "All paid content" is grayed out for a family member under 18, have your family member check that their account information, including their birth date, is correct.

Only in-app purchases using the family payment method

Family members only need your approval to use the family payment method to buy in-app purchases through Google Play's billing system, like coins in games.

No approval required

Family members don’t need any approval to make purchases using the family payment method.

Purchase approvals without family payment method

If you’re the family manager in the family group and haven’t added a family payment method, your child may request your approval to make a purchase on their behalf. 

You can complete the purchase with any payment method added to your Google Play account, including Google Play gift cards. You’ll receive a purchase confirmation email to the Google Account you use when completing the purchase. Your child will also receive a purchase confirmation email to the Google Account they used when making the purchase approval request. Purchase approval settings, including purchase confirmation emails, apply to purchases made through Google Play’s billing system.

Important: 

• Children can request approval to purchase paid apps or items sold inside apps. This doesn’t include Play Books, Google TV, or subscription purchases.
• Purchase approvals without a family payment method will not be available for family groups who have a family payment method added.
• Children will not have the ability to view or use the family manager’s payment method without permission from the family manager.
• Purchase approvals without a family payment method will be available for family groups where the family manager has an Android phone.