Google Play: How to Get a Refund (2024)

If you’ve mistakenly bought something from Google Play or are dissatisfied with your in-app purchase, getting a refund doesn’t require any heavy lifting. Google makes it easy to request a refund for your purchases. This guide explains the nitty-gritty of getting refunds for purchases in the Google Play Store. Continue reading to learn how.

What to Know About Getting Refunds on Google Play

Several factors govern placing a refund request on Google Play, such as adherence to the Google Play return policy, the duration since the purchase, and the item you’ve bought. While the refund policy remains the same for most apps, games, and services, it differs slightly for e-books, audiobooks, movies, and TV shows.

You can request a refund for apps and games within 48 hours of purchase. If you haven’t started watching digital content such as e-books, audiobooks, movies, and TV shows, you can request a refund within seven days. For purchases outside the 48-hour slot, you must manually contact the developer for a refund. Also, if you’re requesting a refund for a subscription, it will be immediately canceled, and you will lose access to the subscription content upon approval.

As for in-app purchases, you may be able to get a refund depending on the details of your purchase such as the duration since the transaction. If Google rejects it, you can contact the developer directly to help with the issue and initiate a refund. We recommend you check the Google Play Refund policy before requesting a refund to get your money back successfully.

Once approved, Google Play refunds the amount to the original payment method within 1-4 business days. However, Google Play will not issue a refund if you breach its refund policies. Additionally, you cannot get a refund on re-purchased apps.

Google Play: How to Request Refunds for Purchases

1. Through Google Play’s Website

If you bought something from Google Play in the last 48 hours, you can submit a refund request. For newly purchased apps, you might see a refund button next to them on the Google Play Store itself. This window is typically open for up to 30 minutes after the transaction.

Once this window expires, you can follow the below steps to request a refund using the Google Play website:

1. Access the Google Play Store in a new tab on your preferred desktop browser and click your account icon in the top-right.
2. Click Payments & Subscriptions.
   
3. Expand the Budget & Order History tab and click Report a Problem next to the item for placing a return request.
   
4. Pick an appropriate reason from the list.
   
5. Next, specify in the description that you need a refund for the purchased app and click Submit.
   

2. Via Google Assistant

There is more to Google Assistant than just completing your routine tasks. For instance, you can ask it to help you get a refund for a purchased item on Google Play. This can come in handy when you don’t have a desktop or don’t feel like doing it manually. Remember to change your device language to US English before you trigger the voice assistant.

1. Open Google Assistant by saying its trigger phrase, e.g., “OK Google” or “Hey Google.”
2. Tell the Assistant that you need a refund on Google Play.
   
3. Tap Request Refund.
   
4. Press Continue.
5. Next, confirm your Google account to place a refund.
   
6. Pick the past purchase order.
   
7. Select an appropriate reason for the refund.
   
8. Finally, describe the details, such as why you are not happy with the app and hit the Request Refund button.
   

3. Contact the App Developer

When the 48-hour refund window expires, you cannot request a refund through Google Play or Assistant. In such cases, you must contact the app developer or Google support directly to explain and get a refund. The developer’s contact details are listed on their app’s listing on the Play Store.

4. Contact Google Play Help

Contacting the Google Support team is another promising technique to get your money back if the refund period has lapsed. Ensure you provide all the details and relevant information to approve your refund.

1. Access the Google Play help page on a browser. Scroll down to the bottom to locate the Need More Help section.
2. Click Contact Us.
   
3. Next, state that you need a refund.
   
4. Pick the appropriate reason and select the product category.
   
5. Click Request Your Google Play Refund.
   
6. Finally, follow the on-screen process to submit your refund request.
   

5. Use the Google Play AI Help Guide

Google Play’s AI help guide is a new experimental feature that uses artificial intelligence to solve your account issues. You can use it to request refunds for a purchased item on the platform. Here’s how it works:

1. Open your desktop’s Google Play Help page and click Let’s chat in the bottom right.
   
2. Type I need a Refund and select your Google account.
   
3. Pick the purchase for which you want to be refunded.
   
4. Next, select the reason for requesting a refund.
   
5. Finally, click Yes, Request Refund to submit it.
   

Once you’ve successfully placed a request, you can check its progress from the Google Play Refund Status page.

From Regrets to Refunds

There’s no need to panic or regret if your Google Play purchase isn’t worth your money. With the above instructions, you can quickly request a refund and return your money. But remember to do it on time, as the process gets trickier once the refund limit expires.

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