Approve what kids buy with Ask to Buy
With Ask to Buy, you can give kids the freedom to make their own choices while still managing their downloads and spending. This can help keep their device usage safe and age appropriate.
How Ask to Buy works
When Family Sharing is set up, the family organizer can turn on Ask to Buy. So when your child wants to make an eligible purchase or download — such as downloading an app from the App Store, buying an in-app purchase, or redownloading a shared app — they send you a request. You can use your own device to view information about the app and decide to approve or decline the request.
If you approve the request, the item automatically downloads to the child's device. If you decline the request, no purchase or download will take place. If a child redownloads their own purchase, installs an update, or uses a redemption code, you won’t receive a request to approve or decline.
The family organizer can turn on Ask to Buy for any family member who isn't an adult. It's on by default for children under 13. When you invite anyone under 18 to your family group, you'll be asked to turn on Ask to Buy. If a family member turns 18 and you turn off Ask to Buy, you can't turn it back on again.1
How to turn on Ask to Buy
If you're the Family Sharing organizer, use your own device to turn on Ask to Buy.
On your iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app, then tap Family.
Tap your child's name, then tap Ask to Buy.
Turn on Require Purchase Approval.
On your Mac
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Family.
Click your child's name.
Click Ask to Buy in the sidebar.
Turn on Require Purchase Approval.
How to approve or decline an Ask to Buy request
If you're the Family Sharing organizer, you can use your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch to approve or decline a request.
Open the message to see the item that your child wants to purchase or download.
Approve or decline the request.
If you approve, sign in to your Apple Account to make the purchase.
After the item is approved, it's added to your child’s account.2 If you turned on purchase sharing and your child is sharing their purchases, the item is automatically shared with the rest of the Family Sharing group.
If you decline a request, your child receives a notification 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.
If you miss an Ask to Buy notification, you can find the request in Messages on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. Learn what to do if you can't find your Ask to Buy requests.
How to approve or decline an exception request
Your child can request an exception for an app that exceeds the app restrictions you set for them in Screen Time. With app exceptions, you can view the apps you granted permission for and remove access at any time using Screen Time in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, if you set app restrictions for a specific age rating, a child may request an app that exceeds that rating.
Learn how to respond to a child's request for an exception in Screen Time.
How to choose another Ask to Buy approver
The Family Sharing organizer can give another adult in the family group permission to manage Ask to Buy requests. Only one adult needs to manage purchases and requests. Keep in mind, when the purchase or request is approved, it can't be undone.
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 Apple 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 might be asked to verify their age after an Ask to Buy request is approved. Learn about age verification in South Korea.
