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 programme, film 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 the family organiser or a parent/guardian, use your own device to turn on or turn off Ask to Buy.
On your iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app.
Tap Family.
Tap your family member's name, then tap Ask to Buy.
Turn Require Purchase Approval on or off.
On your Mac
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Family.
Click your child's name.
Click Ask to Buy in the sidebar.
Turn Require Purchase Approval on or off.
How to approve or decline a request
If you’re the family organiser or a parent/guardian, use your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac to approve or decline a request.
Open the message to see the item that your family member wants to get. Can't find your Ask to Buy notifications?
Approve or decline the request.
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 and your child is sharing their purchases, the item will be automatically 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
Open the Settings app.
Tap Family, then tap your family member's name.
Tap Parent/Guardian.
Tap Set as Parent/Guardian.
On your Mac
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Family.
Click a family member's name.
Click Parent/Guardian.
Select Set as Parent/Guardian, then click Done.
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.
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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.
