Here's how to get a refund from the App Store: sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com, choose "I'd like to," then "Request a refund," pick a reason, select the app or subscription and submit. Apple says to allow 24 to 48 hours for an update. Not every purchase qualifies, and eligibility varies by country or region.
Below are the exact steps, what to do if you can't find the charge, how subscriptions differ from one-time purchases, and how long the money takes to come back.
Open reportaproblem.apple.com in any browser, including Safari on your iPhone, and sign in with the Apple Account that made the purchase.
Tap or click "I'd like to," then choose "Request a refund."
Choose the reason you want a refund, then choose Next.
Choose the app, subscription or other item, then choose Submit.
A few habits help: ask soon after you spot the problem, pick the reason that honestly fits, and make one request per item. Note the date you asked so you know when to check back.
Search your email for "receipt from Apple" or "invoice from Apple" and find the one that matches the amount. It shows what was bought and which Apple Account paid.
Try your other Apple Accounts. If the receipt shows a different account, sign in to reportaproblem.apple.com with that one.
Family Sharing. If you're the family organizer, tap or click the Apple Account button, then choose All to see purchases charged to your shared payment method.
Grouped bills. Apple might group several purchases and subscriptions into one bill, so a single bank charge may cover more than one item.
Pending charges. You can't request a refund until the charge goes through. Wait for the email receipt, then try again.
Unpaid orders. Apple says you need to pay an unpaid order before you can request a refund.
You can also check on your iPhone. In the App Store, tap your photo or initials, tap Apps & Purchase History, then Purchase History, and search for the amount.
Be wary of emails about purchases you don't recognize. Apple notes that a suspicious email might not be from Apple or reflect a real charge, so go to reportaproblem.apple.com yourself instead of tapping a link.
Apple says some purchases "might be eligible" for a refund, so approval isn't automatic.
Eligibility might vary by country or region, and Apple points to its Media Services Terms and Conditions for details.
Where consumer protection laws apply, you keep those rights. Apple names Australia and New Zealand specifically.
For refunds you can't request on reportaproblem.apple.com, Apple says to contact Apple Support.
If you paid outside Apple, for example on the developer's website or through a purchase option in the app that doesn't use Apple In-App Purchase, Apple can't help with a refund. Contact the developer instead.
One-time purchases, such as a paid app or a single in-app item billed by Apple, are simple: the request covers that item. Apple warns that you may lose access to refunded items.
Subscriptions take two separate steps. A refund request deals with a charge you've already paid. Canceling stops the next renewal. Apple's refund page reminds you that you can also cancel a subscription you no longer want. On iPhone:
Open Settings and tap your name.
Tap Subscriptions, then tap the subscription.
Tap Cancel Subscription. If there's no Cancel button, or you see an expiration message in red, it's already canceled.
On a free trial you don't want to keep, Apple says to cancel at least 24 hours before it ends. Our guide to canceling a free trial on iPhone covers that in detail.
Can't find the subscription? Check the receipt. A family member has to cancel their own subscription, and if there's no Apple receipt at all, another company may be billing you, so check your bank or card statement and contact that company. Apple also notes special cancellation circumstances in Germany, Israel, South Africa and Türkiye.
Go to reportaproblem.apple.com and sign in.
Choose Check Status of Claims. If you don't see it, you have no pending refund requests.
Tap or click Pending to see the status.
Apple says contacting it by phone or chat won't speed up a request or the processing of your funds. If your refund is approved, the money goes back to the payment method you used. Apple's timing by payment method:
Apple Account balance (store credit): up to 48 hours.
Credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Apple Cash and other methods: up to 30 days. If it hasn't appeared after 30 days, contact your bank or card issuer.
Mobile phone billing: 30 to 60 days, and your carrier can affect the timing.
Because a refund can take weeks to show up, write down the date, the amount, the item, which Apple Account was charged, the reason you gave and the date you asked. Add the outcome and the date the money arrives. If a subscription was involved, note the date you canceled and screenshot the confirmation.
Apple says to allow 24 to 48 hours for an update on your request. If it's approved, the money can take up to 48 hours as store credit, up to 30 days on cards and most other methods, and 30 to 60 days on mobile phone billing.
Apple treats them as separate steps. You cancel in your subscription settings to stop future charges, and you request a refund for a past charge at reportaproblem.apple.com.
If Apple billed it, use the same steps at reportaproblem.apple.com. If you paid outside Apple In-App Purchase, Apple says to contact the developer.
No. Apple says contacting it by phone or chat won't speed up a request you've already made. Check the status on reportaproblem.apple.com or with your bank.
MoneyShield doesn't request refunds, guarantee them or cancel anything for you, so you'll still use Apple's own steps above. What it can do is keep a private record of each cancellation on your iPhone, with the confirmation number, paid-through date, a screenshot, notes and the refund outcome, plus reminders for renewals, trial ends and follow-up checks. It works with no account, no login and no bank connection.
Get MoneyShield free on the App Store
Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple (Apple Support)
Check the status of a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple (Apple Support)
View your purchase history for the App Store and other Apple media services (Apple Support)
About purchases not billed through the App Store or Apple In-App Purchase (Apple Support)