How to request a refund on the Google Play Store

Unlike an ugly sweater which can’t be returned lest your aunt take notice and knit you a new one (is that trope real?) Google Play Store apps and content can be refunded if you accidentally purchase the wrong thing or just don’t like it for any reason. You may also want a refund if a friend or family member made a purchase on your account without your permission. Mistakes happen, but there are specific requirements that you must meet before Google can approve your refund. Today, I’m going to show you how to get your cash back so that you can spend it on something more enticing.

There are many details regarding Play Store refunds that vary based on what type of content you’ve purchased, so you’ll want to check out Google’s official support page to get all of the details before continuing. For a basic app or game refund, you can just visit its Play Store listing within 48 hours of purchasing it and click the ‘Refund’ button. You can also just click the blue button below and follow the steps – easy, right? Your refund will be processed within 15 minutes, but could take up to 4 hours.

Request a Refund on the Google Play Store

If you want a refund because you’re experiencing an issue with a piece of content, it’s always ideal to try to resolve it first. On Google Play Movies and TV, for example, you can try to fix playback issues before considering a refund. If you’re dealing with a problem app or game, you can follow our step-by-step guide for fixing that too. A brief rundown of the core refund stipulations can be found below though there may be some exceptions based on your region and individual situation.

• Cancel a Play Store subscription including Google Play Pass
• Refund an app, game, or in-app purchase within 2 days
• Refunding an app, game, or in-app purchase after 2 days requires you to contact the developer – sorry
• You can refund an item you bought with Google Play Points, but not if you used them to support a cause.
• Movies and TV shows can be refunded within 7 days if you haven’t clicked ‘Play’ yet.
• You can troubleshoot Google Play Books before deciding to return them. Books and Audiobooks can be returned within 7 days of purchase (but not rentals).
• If Play Books, Movies, TV shows, etc. are defective and won’t play at all, you can return them within 65 days. Book bundles can be returned within 180 days if they don’t work.
• Google Play gift cards and Play Store balances are not refundable unless required by law. Neither is promotional Play balance. For example, U.S. residents can request a refund if the balance is below $10, but not if it’s over that amount and this amount may vary based on your region.
• If someone else bought you a digital gift from the Play Store and you return it, the gift-giver gets their money back, not you – sorry. Also, it can only be refunded if you haven’t claimed it yet. Kinda like how Best Buy only lets you return movies if they’re still in their cellophane wrap. Oh, and you have only three months to do this from the date of purchase.
• Last but not least, Stadia games can be refunded quite easily. You’ve got 2 weeks if you’ve played less than 2 hours of a game and you just need to go to Stadia and click on your avatar at the top right of the screen, then click on Purchases & subscriptions. Once you’re there, just find the game you want to refund under ‘Transaction history’ and click ‘Refund Request’. Done! If there is no button for this, then you can’t get a refund for that game.

I’ll say this again – there are varying circumstances where the rules outlined above may change based on your region or situation, so be sure to consult the official support page, but this is just meant to extract some of the core information for you so that you can go about getting your refund more quickly. Regardless, following these instructions sure beats standing in the Best Buy return line the days following Christmas! Okay, so to see a list of all of your Play Store purchases, just click the blue button below.

View your Google Play Store Order History