Many of us have purchased something from the Google Play Store, be it games, useful apps, movies or books. The purchase is not always worth it if, for example, the app description is misleading or the app ultimately turns out to be less useful. Or maybe a family member, like your child, purchased something by mistake. It happens.
But not all of us know that you can get a refund for your (bad) purchases on the Google Play Store. We’ll explain your options for getting a refund below.
The following conditions apply to requesting a refund on Google Play or to be eligible for a refund if you are located in the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area:
- Proof of purchase must have been made on Google Play.
- Purchase must have been made on or after March 28, 2018 (since then refund guidelines apply)
- The purchase period must fall within the time frame for a possible refund. This period may vary depending on the type of purchase (for example 7 days for books, films and series or 14 days for digital services).
- For apps and in-app purchases, the purchase must have been made within the last two hours, unless the app is faulty, misleading, or no longer available.
- If unauthorized third parties have purchased content with your account or credit through Google Play, the transaction must be reported to Google within 120 days.
For users located outside the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you can request a refund for unauthorized transactions within 120 days, for apps and in-app purchases made within the last 48 hours, as well as for certain other types of content such as books and films. within 7 days of purchase. Full details are available here.
How do I request a refund through Google Play?
There are different reimbursement methods depending on the case:
- Option 1: Reimbursement via the Google Play site
- Option 2: Reimbursement via the Google Play Store
- Option 3: Contact the application developer
- Option 4: Request a refund via Google Assistant (only available for devices set to US English)
If a purchase was made accidentally by a friend or family member using your account, Google recommends requesting a refund on the Google Play website. You will need to complete the appropriate form there.
If someone used your credit card or another payment method to make a purchase on Google Play, that purchase must also be reported to the website within the time frame mentioned above.
If an app or app content does not work properly or does not match the description on Google Play, it is best to contact the app developer first. You can then request a refund via the website or in store.
To request a refund for in-app purchases, you must go to the “Google Play Store” application. There, go to your profile, then to Payments and subscriptions and then Budget and history
How long does it take to refund via Google Play?
Processing the file generally only takes a few days. The refund itself through Google Play can take between a day and a month after completion, depending on the payment method. If you used Google Play credit for the purchase, the refund is usually the fastest. Purchases made by credit card or mobile carrier may take significantly longer.
Once you have requested a refund, you can check the status of your request.
Note: Google refunds many purchases as a gesture of goodwill. If you have not taken reasonable precautions to protect your account from unwanted purchases, for example if you have shared your password or failed to protect your account by authentication, no refund can be guaranteed.
In the case of subscriptions, only a partial refund can be made if the subscription has already been used. The remaining amount will then be refunded pro rata.
This article was originally published on our sister publication PC-WELT and has been translated and adapted from German.
