Set Up Google Play Purchase Approvals for Kids

This guide walks you through turning on purchase approvals for your child’s Google Play Store activity, so every app, game, or in-app item they try to buy needs your sign-off first. You’ll need a Google Family Group with your child added, and you must be the family manager (the adult who set up the group) to change these settings.

What You’ll Need

• A Google account for you (the parent or guardian)
• A Google account for your child (under 13, or the applicable age in your country)
• A Google Family Group created with both accounts linked
• The Google Play Store app on your own device, or access to play.google.com in a browser

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Google Play Store on your own phone or tablet. Make sure you are signed in to your own adult account, not your child’s.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner. This opens a menu with account options.
3. Select “Settings” from the menu. It’s usually near the bottom of the list.
4. Tap “Family” in the settings list. You may need to scroll down to find it. This section only appears if you are part of a Google Family Group.
5. Choose “Purchase approvals” from the Family settings. You’ll see a list of family members who have accounts eligible for this feature.
6. Select your child’s name from the list. If you have more than one child, you’ll need to repeat these steps for each one.
7. Turn on the toggle for “Require approval for all purchases.” The switch will turn blue or move to the “on” position.
8. Confirm your choice when prompted. Google may ask you to verify your own account password or use a fingerprint to confirm the change.
9. Test the setting: on your child’s device, open the Play Store and try to install a free app. You should receive a notification on your own device asking to approve or deny the request. Free apps also require approval when this setting is on.

Once enabled, every purchase attempt—free app installs, paid apps, in-app purchases, and even some downloads—will send a notification to your device. You can approve or deny from the notification itself, or by opening the Play Store and going to Settings > Family > Purchase approvals.

Common Mistakes

• Turning it on from the child’s device: You must use your own adult account. The child’s device won’t show the Family settings for approval.
• Forgetting to set up a Family Group first: If you haven’t created a family group and added your child, the “Family” section in settings won’t appear at all.
• Assuming free apps are exempt: With approvals on, even free apps need your OK. This is by design, but surprises parents who expected only paid items to be blocked.
• Not checking the child’s device after setup: Occasionally the child’s Play Store needs a refresh or a restart to pick up the new restriction. If the child still sees the install button working, restart their device.
• Using a different Google account on the child’s device: Make sure the child is signed into the Play Store with the child’s own Google account, not a spare adult account.

Tips

• Set a PIN or biometric lock on your own device so your child can’t grab your phone and approve their own purchase request.
• Talk to your child about why approvals exist before turning it on. Kids are less likely to fight the rule if they understand it’s about safety, not punishment.
• Review your child’s purchase history regularly. Go to play.google.com, sign in as your child, and check “Purchase history” to see what they’ve been downloading.
• Use the “Approve for 30 minutes” option when your child is playing a game that needs frequent small purchases. This lets them buy freely for a short window without pestering you each time.
• Keep your own payment method secure. Purchase approvals don’t stop your child from asking for something; they stop the transaction until you say yes. If you want to block certain types of content entirely, use the content rating filters in Family Link instead.

Troubleshooting

I don’t see “Family” in my Play Store settings. This usually means you’re not the family manager, or you haven’t created a Family Group. Open the Google Family Link app (or go to families.google.com) and set up the group first. Only the family manager can change purchase approval settings.

I turned it on, but my child can still buy things. First, check that you toggled the switch for the correct child. Then, on the child’s device, force-stop the Play Store app (Settings > Apps > Google Play Store > Force Stop) and reopen it. If that doesn’t work, restart the device. Finally, confirm the child is signed in with their own account—if they’re using yours, the restriction won’t apply.

I’m not getting approval notifications. Make sure notifications are enabled for the Google Play Store app on your own device. Go to your device settings, find Play Store, and check that notifications aren’t blocked. Also, check that your device isn’t in Do Not Disturb mode.

The approval request says “expired” when I open it. Approval requests have a time limit, usually around 30 minutes. If you miss it, the purchase is denied automatically. Ask your child to try again, and this time respond faster.

My child is over 13 (or the local age of digital consent). Purchase approvals only work for children in a Family Group. Once a child turns 13, Google automatically removes them from the family group, and you lose the ability to require approvals. You can still use third-party parental control apps, but not Google’s built-in feature.

I removed my child from the family group, but approvals still appear. This is a known lag. Sign out of the Play Store on your device and sign back in. If it persists, clear the Play Store cache (Settings > Apps > Google Play Store > Storage > Clear Cache).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does purchase approval also block free apps? Yes. When the setting is on, every install—free or paid—requires your approval. This is the default behavior and cannot be changed to only block paid items.

Can I approve a purchase from my computer? Yes. Go to play.google.com, sign in as the family manager, and you’ll see pending approval requests under the Family section. You can approve or deny from there.

What happens if I don’t respond to an approval request? The request expires after about 30 minutes, and the purchase is automatically denied. Your child will need to try again.

Will in-app purchases (like game gems or coins) also require approval? Yes, any transaction that goes through the Play Store billing system, including in-app purchases, will trigger an approval request. Some games use their own payment systems, which are not covered.

Can I set a spending limit instead of approving every purchase? No. Google’s family purchase approvals are all-or-nothing. If you want a spending cap, you’d need to use a prepaid gift card as the payment method and let the child spend until it runs out.

Does this work on all Android devices? Purchase approvals work on any Android device where the child is signed into the Play Store with their own account. It also works on Chromebooks and some other devices that support the Play Store.

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