Restore In-App Purchases: iPhone & iPad Guide

Restoring In-App Purchases on iOS Devices

Occasionally, in-app purchases may not automatically transfer when you reinstall an application, restore your iPhone or iPad, or transition to a new device.

However, certain in-app purchases are designated as “permanent” and can be successfully restored with the correct procedure.

Understanding the Difference

It’s important to differentiate between purchases made within apps and purchases of standalone, paid applications.

Reinstalling a paid app directly from the App Store is straightforward. As long as you are logged in with the Apple ID used for the original purchase, the app can be downloaded and installed on any of your devices.

Restoring Permanent In-App Purchases

The process of restoring in-app purchases differs. Not all in-app items are designed to be transferable.

For those that are, the restoration process typically involves navigating to the app’s settings or support section.

Many apps have a dedicated “Restore Purchases” option within their settings.
This option prompts the App Store to verify your purchase history.
Upon verification, the permanent in-app purchases will be re-enabled within the application.

If you encounter difficulties, contacting the app developer directly is recommended. They can provide specific instructions or assistance tailored to their application.

Consumable and Non-Consumable In-App Purchases

Related: Strategies for Limiting Children’s Spending on In-App Transactions

In-app purchases fall into two primary categories: consumable and non-consumable items.

Consumable purchases represent items that are depleted with use. A typical example is in-game currency, such as gems or coins acquired within a game. These are considered consumable. Other instances include extra lives, health refills, damage enhancements, experience multipliers, and construction speed-ups.

The majority of consumable in-app purchases are found within gaming applications. However, any purchasable credit package used for a specific action – like sending a defined number of faxes from an iPad – also qualifies as a consumable in-app purchase.

These consumable purchases are not recoverable. Once the purchased items are utilized, or if the application is uninstalled or transferred to a new device, they are lost.

Non-consumable purchases, conversely, grant permanent access to content or features that do not diminish with use. Examples include a one-time payment to eliminate advertisements within an application, or an upgrade to a premium version offering expanded functionality.

Paying to unlock additional levels in a game, or gaining access to specialized features and tools, also falls under non-consumable purchases. A game character or accessory bought once for indefinite use is similarly categorized.

Non-consumable purchases are restorable across devices. While purchased currency cannot be recovered, a level unlocked through payment can be reinstated on a new device.

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Restoring Consumable In-App Purchases: A Developer-Dependent Feature

While a technical pathway exists for developers to resynchronize consumable in-app purchases – such as in-game currency – across devices using iCloud or proprietary servers, restoration isn't guaranteed.

The decision to implement this functionality rests entirely with the app creator. Users have no direct control over whether or not their purchases can be recovered.

How to Attempt Restoration

To potentially restore purchases, ensure you are logged in with the identical Apple ID on your new device, or the same account within the application itself as you used previously.

In some instances, this action will automatically reinstate your consumable items. However, success is not assured.

Understanding the Limitations

It’s important to recognize that Apple’s App Store does not natively offer a restoration mechanism for consumable purchases.

The ability to recover these items hinges on whether the app developer has chosen to track and manage them on their end.

Essentially, developers retain the power to enable restoration, but it is not a standard feature provided by Apple.

Recovering Non-Consumable In-App Purchases

Restoring non-consumable in-app purchases requires action within the application itself, rather than through the App Store interface. Begin by ensuring the application for which you wish to restore purchases is installed on your device.

Locate a "Restore Purchases" button, or a similarly named option, within the app. This functionality is typically found in the main menu, settings, or the in-app store section of the application.

Apple’s guidelines require developers to integrate a restoration feature into their apps for user convenience.

The Restoration Process

Upon initiating the restore process, you will be prompted to authenticate with your Apple ID. This involves providing your password to verify your account.

The application will subsequently verify your purchase history with the App Store. It will then reinstate any eligible purchases on your current device.

It is crucial to utilize the identical Apple ID that was originally employed for the purchase. Attempting to restore purchases with a different Apple ID will be unsuccessful.

A new device configured with a new Apple ID will not allow you to recover previously made purchases associated with a different account.

Addressing the Absence of a Restore Purchases Option

While Apple mandates that developers integrate a Restore Purchases button within their applications, certain apps may lack this functionality. Despite this omission, alternative solutions remain available to users.

A straightforward approach involves attempting to repurchase the identical in-app purchase directly through the application. According to Apple’s developer guidelines, a user who tries to acquire a previously purchased product will not incur additional charges. However, exercising caution is crucial during this process.

Accidental repurchase of a slightly varied in-app purchase will result in a new charge. This method isn't always the most advisable course of action.

Apple’s recommended procedure is to directly contact the application’s developer if the Restore Purchases button is unavailable or proves ineffective.

To initiate contact, navigate to the App Store and locate the app in question. You can find the app by searching for it or by going to the "Updates" section, selecting "Purchases," and then tapping on the desired app within the list.

Within the app’s App Store page, select the "Reviews" tab and then click the "App Support" link. This will provide you with the necessary contact information for reaching the developer.

It’s important to remember that consumable purchases cannot be restored. Even substantial spending on in-game items or currency may not be transferable to a new device.

Therefore, prudent purchasing decisions are highly recommended.

Image Credit: Karlis Dambrans on Flickr