How to Cancel Pending Apple Payments & Get Refunds?

Have you ever accidentally tapped the “Purchase” button in the App Store, only to regret it seconds later? Or maybe you changed your mind on an Apple Pay transaction sent to a friend. It happens to all of us. But can you actually cancel pending payments on your iPhone or iPad?

The short answer is: not directly through Apple, but you do have options to get refunds or stop recurring charges.

In this detailed guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about canceling pending purchases, reversing Apple Pay payments, getting refunds, and stopping unwanted subscription renewals on your Apple devices.

Can You Cancel Pending Transactions Made Through Apple?

Let’s start by understanding what it means when an Apple payment is “pending.”

When you make any purchase through iTunes, the App Store, Apple Pay, or using your Apple Card, it will initially show as “pending” in your purchase history.

This means that while the transaction is complete on Apple’s end, it has not yet finalized with your bank or card issuer. The pending period is usually 1-7 days.

So unfortunately, there is no way to outright cancel a pending Apple payment. The purchase must fully complete before you can take any actions on it.

However, you do have options to get refunds or stop automatic subscription renewals after the pending period ends. Apple provides ways to get your money back in many cases if you act quickly and contact the right departments.

In this guide, we’ll go through all the steps to:

• Request refunds on completed App Store, iTunes, and other Apple purchases
• Cancel pending Apple Pay payments that recipients haven’t accepted
• Stop automatic subscription renewals you don’t want
• Enable purchase password requirements and parental controls
• Get additional help from Apple Support

How to Request Refunds on Accidental or Unwanted Apple Purchases

As soon as you see that a pending charge has dropped from your Apple account, that means it has fully completed. At this point, you can request a refund directly through Apple if it was an accidental, improper, or unwanted purchase.

Here is the process to get refunds on iTunes, App Store, or other direct Apple purchases:

1. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com
2. Sign in using the Apple ID associated with the transaction
3. Click “Report a Problem” and select the content you want to refund
4. Choose a reason for requesting the refund
5. Hit submit and wait for Apple to review your request

Some key things to keep in mind when seeking refunds for Apple purchases:

• Refunds can only be requested within 90 days of the original transaction date
• Content refunds are more likely to be approved than in-app purchases
• Subscription refunds are generally only given within 24-48 hours of renewal
• Refunds are not guaranteed to be approved in all cases

If you run into any problems getting a refund from Apple, you can contact them directly for additional assistance. We’ll cover that later in this guide.

How to Cancel a Pending Apple Pay Transaction

Apple Pay allows you to easily send money to friends and family right from your iPhone. But what if you change your mind?

You may be able to cancel an Apple Pay transaction as long as the recipient has not yet accepted the payment. Here’s how:

1. Open the Wallet app and select your Apple Cash card
2. Under Latest Transactions, find the payment you want to cancel
3. Tap on the payment, then tap “Cancel Payment” at the bottom
4. The money will be refunded back to your Apple Cash balance within 1-3 business days

If you don’t see the Cancel Payment option, unfortunately that means the recipient has already accepted the funds and you won’t be able to reverse it through Apple.

In this case, you’ll need to reach out to the recipient directly and request that they send the money back. Or dispute the transaction with your bank if you believe it was fraudulent.

How to Stop Unwanted Apple Subscription Renewals

Does Apple keep charging you for a subscription you don’t want anymore? You can stop automatic renewals by following these steps:

1. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions on your iPhone
2. Select the Apple subscription you want to cancel
3. Tap “Cancel Subscription”

This will prevent future charges while still allowing you to use the subscription until it expires. You can also request a refund for the most recent renewal period if it just occurred.

Some common Apple subscriptions that you may want to cancel automatic renewals for include:

• Apple Music
• Apple TV+
• Apple Arcade
• iCloud Storage
• Apple One bundles

Just remember to turn off auto-renewal for each one individually, as required. Tap into those Settings!

Use Parental Controls to Avoid Accidental Apple Purchases

To help prevent unwanted or accidental purchases from happening in the future, make sure to set up the proper parental controls on your iPhone or iPad.

Apple offers two helpful features to add a layer of security:

• Ask to Buy – Through Family Sharing, require kids to get approval for purchases and downloads
• Purchase Password – Require a password to be entered for all purchases

Here’s how to enable a password for purchases:

1. Open Settings and tap your Apple ID banner
2. Tap Media & Purchases
3. Under Password Settings, toggle on “Require Password”

With that extra confirmation step, you’ll avoid any surprises from unapproved purchases on your account. For families, Ask to Buy is also invaluable for keeping tabs on what your kids are downloading.

Get Additional Help from Apple Support

If you run into any issues canceling payments or getting refunds from Apple, you can contact their support teams directly for help:

• Call Apple Support at 1-800-275-2273
• Use Apple’s Contact Options to get in touch by chat or email
• Message them directly from your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device

Some reasons to contact Apple Support include:

• If you need help requesting a refund on a purchase
• To report any fraudulent charges made on your account
• If you’re having trouble cancelling a subscription
• For help cancelling a pending Apple Pay transaction
• If you have an Apple Card payment you need to dispute

Their support representatives have additional tools and resources for investigating issues and can potentially help get your money back when normal refund requests are unsuccessful.

Apple Payment Cancelation FAQs

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about canceling pending payments and requesting refunds for Apple purchases:

How long does an Apple payment stay pending?

Most pending transactions will finalize within 3-7 days, depending on your bank/card’s processing times.

Can I get a refund on iTunes or App Store subscriptions?

Yes, within the first 24-48 hours. Refunds may still be possible up to 30 days but are not guaranteed.

What happens if I cancel an Apple subscription?

It will stop future renewals but allow you to keep the subscription until it expires.

Why can’t I cancel a pending purchase?

The transaction is complete on Apple’s side and now needs to be processed by your bank, so it cannot be directly canceled anymore.

How do I require a password for purchases?

On your iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > Password Settings.

Recap of Key Steps:

• Wait for pending purchases to complete, then request a refund
• Go to reportaproblem.apple.com to get refunds on purchases
• In Wallet, cancel pending Apple Pay payments before recipient accepts
• Manage subscriptions in Settings on your iPhone or iPad
• Turn on parental controls like Ask to Buy and purchase passwords
• Contact Apple Support if you need additional assistance

With the right approach, you can get your money back and prevent unwanted Apple payments or surprises. Follow these steps to take control.

The Bottom Line

While pending Apple transactions cannot be directly canceled, you do have options like requesting refunds, stopping subscription renewals, and using parental controls. If you act quickly and persistently, you can often get your money back for accidental, improper, or unwanted purchases made through iTunes, the App Store, Apple Pay, or Apple Card. Don’t hesitate to enlist the help of Apple Support if you encounter any roadblocks or issues.

We hope this guide gave you clarity on how to cancel pending payments and reverse unwanted transactions on your Apple devices. Use these steps to protect your payments.