Restore In-App Purchases on Android - A Simple Guide
Understanding In-App Purchases and Restoration
In-app purchases refer to any transaction completed directly within a mobile application, as opposed to being processed through the Google Play Store itself. Google Play diligently monitors and records these types of purchases.
The recoverability of these purchases varies. Certain in-app items are designed to be permanent and can be reinstated on a different device. However, other purchases are consumable and are depleted upon use.
Restoring Purchases
It’s important to note that this information specifically concerns purchases made within applications. The process for restoring a full app purchase is distinct.
To regain access to an app you’ve previously bought, simply revisit the Google Play Store and reinstall it. If the app was originally acquired using your current Google account, redownloading will be possible across all your devices.
Key Differences Summarized
- In-app purchases are tracked by Google Play, with varying recovery options.
- Consumable items are used once, while permanent items can be restored.
- Restoring a full app is achieved through reinstallation from Google Play.
Therefore, understanding the nature of your purchase – whether it’s an in-app item or the app itself – is crucial for successful restoration.
Consumable and Non-Consumable Purchases Explained
Related: Strategies for Limiting Children's Spending on In-App Transactions
Google Play monitors all in-app purchases made on the Android platform. Upon completing an in-app purchase through Google Play, the system registers your ownership of that item.
However, certain managed purchases are designated as "consumable." When an application utilizes a consumable in-app purchase, Google Play updates its records to indicate that the purchase is no longer "owned" by the user.
Consumable in-app purchases typically represent items that can be depleted with use, such as in-game currency, additional lives, or any form of credit that is eventually exhausted.
Conversely, a non-consumable in-app purchase provides lasting access and isn't diminished through usage. This category includes full version unlocks, ad removal options, or levels within a game that can be played repeatedly.
Essentially, non-consumable purchases grant permanent access to a specific feature or content.
Previously, the system differentiated between "managed" and "unmanaged" purchases. Managed purchases were handled by Google Play and were considered permanent, while unmanaged purchases were not tracked by the platform.
Currently, all purchases are managed through Google Play, though some are categorized as consumable. For instance, a purchase of 100 coins in a game is initially recorded as owned by the user.
The game then verifies ownership, awards the player 100 coins, and subsequently marks the original 100-coin in-app purchase as "unowned." This allows the user to repurchase the same amount of coins if desired.
Recovering Non-Consumable In-App Purchases
In-app purchases categorized as non-consumable can typically be recovered. Should you reinstall an application, perform a factory reset on your Android device, or acquire a new Android device, regaining access to these purchases is possible.
A crucial first step is verifying that you are logged into Google Play using the identical Google account that was utilized for the original purchase. Your in-app purchase history is directly linked to your Google account credentials.
Following this, proceed with installing the application where the in-app purchase was made and then launch it. The majority of Android applications will automatically communicate with Google Play to identify and reinstate any previously completed in-app purchases.
This process differs significantly from the restoration method on Apple’s iOS platform. iOS requires manual restoration of in-app purchases, often involving a button tap and Apple ID password entry. Android apps, conversely, can automatically reinstate purchases in the background without prompting for a password.
Occasionally, some applications may not immediately reinstate your purchases upon launch. A brief waiting period of several minutes might be necessary to allow the application to complete its verification process.
Certain apps may provide a dedicated "Restore Purchases" button, or a similarly labeled option, within their main interface, settings menu, or in-app store. Selecting this button can initiate a manual check with Google Play for any purchased content. However, the inclusion of such a button is not standard, as automatic restoration is generally expected.
Recovering Consumable In-App Purchases
Restoring non-consumable in-app purchases is generally straightforward. However, recovering consumable in-app purchases can present challenges.
Google Play now manages consumable in-app purchases, tracking each transaction for you. Typically, an application will immediately inform Google Play that a purchase has been "consumed" upon granting you the associated benefit, such as in-game currency. If you’ve made a purchase but haven’t yet received the item, it should automatically be restored across your devices.
Once an application has provided the purchased item – whether it’s currency, boosters, or extra lives – this information isn’t retained by Google Play. Instead, the application itself maintains this data. Consequently, restoring this data to a new device, or after a device reset, isn’t always guaranteed.
Certain applications leverage Android’s built-in synchronization capabilities to back up save files, potentially including details of your consumable purchases. However, many apps do not utilize this feature, and determining whether an app does so is often difficult.
Alternatively, some applications incorporate their own account systems. Accessing your purchases may then require logging into the application using the same account on all devices.
It's important to note that some apps do not synchronize data at all. They may store your game progress and purchase history locally on your Android device. In such instances, Android offers no inherent assistance unless you proactively back up and restore the application’s data.
If your Android device is rooted, a utility like Titanium Backup can be employed to back up and restore specific application data. This process requires root access on both the source and destination devices. Restoring the app’s state in this manner includes all currency, lives, and other acquired items.
For unrooted devices, Android includes a hidden backup and restore function accessible via a desktop computer. This feature may allow you to back up an application’s consumable in-app purchase data, alongside other device information, for restoration after a device wipe or reset.
Consider the type of in-app purchase before completing a transaction. Even substantial spending on in-app currency may be lost when switching devices if the application doesn’t implement any synchronization mechanisms. Recovering this data may necessitate advanced measures, such as backing up the application’s data with Titanium Backup, which most users won’t undertake.
Image Credit: Karlis Dambrans on Flickr