Approve what kids buy with Ask to Buy

With Ask to Buy, you can give children the freedom to make their own choices while still controlling their spending.

How Ask to Buy works

With Ask to Buy, when kids want to make an eligible purchase – such as buying an app from the App Store or a TV show, movie or book from Apple Media Services – they send a request to the family organiser. The family organiser can use their own device to approve or decline the request. For example, if a child wants to buy an app, the family organiser can see the app and decide whether to allow it.

If the family organiser approves the request and completes the purchase, the item downloads automatically to the child's device. If the family organiser declines the request, no purchase or download will take place. If a child re-downloads a purchase, downloads a shared purchase, installs an update or uses a redemption code, the family organiser won't receive a request.

Who can use Ask to Buy?

Families can use Ask to Buy after they’ve set up Family Sharing. The family organiser can turn on Ask to Buy for any family member who isn't an adult. It's on by default for any children under the age of 13. You'll be asked to set up Ask to Buy when you invite anyone under 18 to your family group.1

If a family member turns 18 and the family organiser turns off Ask to Buy, the family organiser can't turn it on again.

How to turn on or turn off Ask to Buy

If you're a parent or guardian, use your own device to turn Ask to Buy on or off.

On your iPhone or iPad

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap Family.

  3. Tap your family member's name, then tap Ask to Buy. In iOS 15 or earlier, tap Ask to Buy, then tap your family member's name.

    After you tap a family member’s name, Ask to Buy is listed in the second section on the screen.

  4. Turn Require Purchase Approval on or off.

On your Mac

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Family.

  2. Click your child's name.

  3. Click Ask to Buy in the sidebar.

  4. Turn Require Purchase Approval on or off.

    After you click a family member’s name, Ask to Buy is listed in the sidebar.

In macOS Monterey or earlier:

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Family Sharing.

  2. Click Ask to Buy in the sidebar.

  3. Tick or untick the box next to the child's name.

How to approve or decline a request

If you're the family organiser, use your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac to approve or decline a request.

  1. Open the message to see the item that your family member wants to get. Can't find your Ask to Buy notifications?

    You can find Ask to Buy notifications in Messages.

  2. Approve or decline the request.

    After you tap to open the notification, you can choose Approve or Decline.

  3. If you approve, sign in to your Apple Account to make the purchase.

What happens next?

After the item has been purchased, it's added to your child’s account.2 If you’ve turned on purchase sharing, the item will also be shared with the rest of the family group.

If you decline a request, your child will receive a notification stating that you declined the request. If you dismiss the request or don't make the purchase, the child will need to make the request again. In iOS 16.1 or iPadOS 16.1 or earlier, requests that you decline or dismiss are deleted after 24 hours.

Find out how to find content that a family member has purchased

Where to find your Ask to Buy requests

If you miss an Ask to Buy notification, you can find the request in Messages on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac.

Find out what to do if you can't find your Ask to Buy requests

How to choose another approver

The family organiser can give another parent or guardian in the group over the age of 18 permission to manage Ask to Buy requests. Only one adult needs to manage each purchase, and after the purchase has been approved, it's final.

On your iPhone or iPad

  1. Go to Settings.

  2. Tap Family, then tap your family member's name.

  3. Tap Parent/Guardian.

  4. Tap Set as Parent/Guardian.

In iOS 15 or earlier:

  1. Go to Settings, then tap your name.

  2. Tap Family Sharing, then tap your family member's name.

  3. Tap Role.

  4. Tap Parent/Guardian.

On your Mac

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Family.

  2. Click a family member's name.

  3. Click Parent/Guardian.

  4. Select Set as Parent/Guardian, then click Done.

In macOS Monterey or earlier:

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Family Sharing.

  2. Click Family Sharing in the sidebar.

  3. Click Details next to the family member's name.

  4. Click Edit, then select Parent/Guardian.

How children or teenagers can make a request with Ask to Buy

  1. To buy or download an item, tap the price or Get button. Or, if you're using an Apple Watch, double-click the side button, then enter your passcode.

  2. If asked, enter your Apple Account email address or phone number and password, or your device passcode.

  3. Tap Ask. If your parent or guardian is nearby, you can tap "approve it in person" and they can approve the purchase directly from your device.

    After you tap Ask, tap Ask again to confirm.

  4. After your parent or guardian has bought the item, it downloads to your device automatically.2

Ask to Buy doesn't apply to apps or content from school

If a child's account was created using Apple Account for Students, the child can use Ask to Buy for personal purchases outside of the educational institution. It won't apply to any apps or other content distributed by the school.

1. Age varies by country or region.

2. In South Korea, a child may be asked to verify their age after an Ask to Buy request has been approved. Find out about age verification in South Korea.

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