Parents who want to stop Pokémon GO in-app purchases will find it’s easy to turn off in-app purchases not just for Pokémon but for all apps and games. The problem many parents are facing is that while Pokémon GO is a fun, free game that gets the kids out of the house for once, the kids can buy their way up through levels by purchasing Poké Coins, which cost real money. Some parents are reporting Pokémon bills of anywhere from $0.99 to over $400. There’s a quick fix for any iOS, Mac or Android device and we give the simple steps in the tables below. For iOS there’s a choice between turning off Pokémon GO in-app purchases altogether or just requiring a password. For Android there’s no way to turn off the in-app purchases but the password option still exists.
iOS: How to Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases
Looking to turn off Pokémon GO in-app purchases on an iPhone or iPad? We list the steps in the table below. It’s actually quite easy to turn off in-app purchases with iOS and it works not just for Pokémon GO but for all apps and games. Just open the settings screen, tap general > restrictions > enable restrictions and come up with a restrictions passcode. Then slide the little “In-App Purchases” toggle from green to white. Now you’ve successfully turned off Pokémon GO in-app purchases.
Even if your kid is pretty device-savvy and goes into your settings screen to disable restrictions, she or he will be asked for that passcode you just created. There’s not really a way out of it. One annoying downside is that the device is now blocked from legitimate in-app purchases. To avoid this problem, instead of blocking those purchases entirely, consider just protecting them with a passcode. The way to do that is covered in the next section.
iOS: Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases | |
|---|---|
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Open the "settings" screen. |
| 2 | Tap "General" |
| 3 | Tap "Restrictions" |
| 4 | Tap "Enable Restrictions" |
| 5 | Enter a restrictions passcode. |
| 6 | Slide the "In-App Purchases" switch to "off" |
| 7 | Process is complete. Pokémon GO in-app purchases are now blocked. |
Related: Pokemon GO Money: A Game Worth $29 Billion
iOS: Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases by Password Protection
The table below shows how to turn off Pokémon GO in-app purchases (and all in-app purchases) via password protection. It’s pretty easy. Just follow steps 1-5 in the table above, but don’t proceed to step 6. In other words, enable restrictions, but leave the “In-App Purchases” slider set to “on” or green. Next, follow the steps in the table below. From the “Restrictions” screen, tap “Password Settings” and then enter the passcode you just created. Next, under “Purchases and In-App Purchases” tap “Always Require.” Now Pokémon GO in-app purchases aren’t blocked, but they’re protected by passcode. When your kid tries to buy $99 of Poké Coins, he or she will be asked for the code. Pretty slick. That enables parents to make in-app purchases for themselves and/or their children without the fear that junior will rack up hundreds of dollars in game spending. People who want to disable Pokémon GO in-app purchases on a Mac or an Android device should see the sections below.
iOS: Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases by Password Protection | |
|---|---|
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Follow steps 1-5 in the table above, but not step 6. |
| 2 | In the "Restrictions" screen, tap "Password Settings" |
| 3 | Enter your passcode |
| 4 | Under "Purchases and In-App Purchases" tap "Always Require" |
| 5 | Process is complete. Pokémon GO in-app purchases now require a password. |
Mac: Turn off Pokémon GO In-App Purchases
The table below shows how to block Pokémon in-app purchases on a Mac. Like the methods above, this doesn’t just work for Pokémon but for all apps and games. Just open iTunes, then from the menu bar choose iTunes>Preferences. Click “Store” and then use the drop down menu under where it says “Purchases,” then choose “Always Require.” That will stop Pokémon GO purchases to anyone who doesn’t know the passcode.
Mac: Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases by Password Protection | |
|---|---|
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Open iTunes (if you don't have the latest version, update it) |
| 2 | From the menu bar, select iTunes>Preferences. |
| 3 | Click the "Store" tab |
| 4 | Choose the menu under "Purchases" and select "Always Require" |
| 5 | Make sure "Apps" is checked |
| 6 | Process is complete. Pokémon GO in-app purchases now require a password. |
Related: How to Get Pokemon GO Coins: 2 Ways
Android: Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases
This section is for people looking to block Pokémon GO in-app purchases for Android. Unfortunately there’s no way to stop the purchases entirely, but that’s not really an issue since there is a way to require a PIN/password. Just open the Google Play app, then tap the device’s Menu button, then choose Settings > User Controls > Set or Change PIN. Enter a 4-digit PIN, then go back to “User Controls” and check either “Use PIN for purchases” or else “Password – Use password to restrict purchases” depending on what version of the Android operating system you have. That’s it. That will stop Pokémon GO in-app purchases for anyone who doesn’t have the password.
Android: Stop Pokémon GO In-App Purchases | |
|---|---|
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Open "Google Play" |
| 2 | Tap the phone's Menu button |
| 3 | Select "Settings" |
| 4 | Scroll to "User Controls" |
| 5 | Tap "Set or Change PIN" |
| 6 | Enter a 4-digit PIN |
| 7 | Return to "User Controls" |
| 8 | Check "Use PIN for purchases" or "Password - Use password to restrict purchases" |
| 9 | Process is complete. Pokémon GO in-app purchases now require a password. |
In some Android devices look for “Parental Controls.”
When Your Kid Finds a Way
Kids are like love and water in a basement: They’ll find a way. There are a couple of ways for them to get around the ways to stop Pokémon GO in-app purchases listed above. One is to restore the iPhone or iPad to its factory settings. That gets rid of the restrictions passcode. Another is to restore the phone to a recent backup made before the passcode was created. There are instructions online for each of these methods and we won’t go into them here, but the fact is that a kid with access to google can get around the blocks. In that case parents still have options. The best is to keep a sharp eye on the bill and then contact Apple immediately to request a refund. The Store may or may not honor the request. If that doesn’t work, consumers have a right to contact a credit card company and dispute any charge within 60 days of the purchase. While the App Store considers all sales final, there’s pretty strong precedent for not being held liable for purchases made by a minor.
If you liked reading about how to disable in-app purchases in Pokemon GO, try this post on how much money Pokemon GO has made so far.