How to Get a Refund for an App Store or iTunes Purchase
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Whether it’s a movie inadvertently downloaded after a night out, or the app you bought is broken in some way, there may come the time that you need to “return” an app downloaded from the App Store.
Luckily, Apple lets you request a refund on apps or in-app purchases. Now, you’ll need to have a valid reason for the request — the process isn’t necessarily meant to be used if you just decide that you don’t like the app, movie, TV show or in-app purchase. With that in mind, the process is a bit hidden, but it’s pretty simple.
How to Get an App Store Refund Using your iPhone or iPad
- Open whatever email client you use, and go to the email that’s linked to your Apple ID.
- Search for an email titled “Your receipt from Apple.” There may be quite a few of these if you frequently make purchases, so find the one associated with the purchase in question.
- Tap on the Report a Problem button next to the purchase you want to return.
- Enter your Apple ID and password.
- Tap the Choose Problem drop-down menu, and select an issue.
- Enter some details to backup your claim, and hit Submit.
How to Get an App Store Refund Using iTunes (on Mac or Windows)
- Launch iTunes.
- Click on the Account button.
- Input your Apple ID and password.
- Click on the “See All” option under Purchase History.
- Click the small right-arrow next to the purchase date.
- Click on Report a Problem next to the purchased item you want to return.
- From here, iTunes redirects you to Apple’s Report a Problem page — so just follow the steps below.
How to Get an App Store Refund Using a Web Browser
- Open a browser, and go to Apple’s Report a Problem webpage.
- Login with your Apple ID and password.
- Select the tab associated with your purchase — apps, movies, music, TV shows, or books.
- Click on the Report a Problem button to the right of the purchase in question. From here, it’s basically the same as on an iOS device.
- Click the Choose Problem drop-down menu, and select a problem. Enter details, and hit submit.
Apple may contact you to verify the request reason. It typically takes a couple days to process the refund request — but in some cases, it can take up to a week to know if your refund has been approved or not.
