Over the years, we’ve all heard the horror stories about children (and sometimes adults) inadvertently wasting a fortune on virtual coins in games and apps.
For this reason we advise all parents to make sure they know how to disable in-app-purchases, but that isn’t much help after the money has been spent. Sometimes people manage to get refunds, but it isn’t always easy.
But that should be about to change. Apple promises that, as of this autumn’s iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 operating system updates, it will be easier to get your money back for this type of purchase. Instead of having to go to a special site (and signing in with your Apple ID) to file your complaint, it will be possible to request a refund directly from the app in question.
All you have to do is specify the reason for the refund – for example, that the purchase has been made by a child, or that the promised content does not live up to its promise.
According to MacRumors, users will be able to get their money back within 48 hours, which will hopefully lead to fewer dissatisfied customers in the long run.
Until the change happens, you can request refunds the old-fashioned way. Read our guide to getting an App Store refund for detailed advice.
This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation and additional reporting by David Price.
