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How do I cancel a pending payment on the App Store?

I did an in-app purchase which is still pending another payment method which i don’t have..so i can’t use the app store..why was the purchase honored if my card was declined


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 13 Pro, iOS 16

Posted on Oct 4, 2023 1:37 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 15, 2024 10:07 AM

The thing is that i didnt consent to that. I wanted to make an ingame purchase and the purchase i made went over the limit, i didnt have enough money for it. Instead of apple declining that purchase for insufficient funds, they signed me for a debt and i didnt consent for that, they didnt even notify me, the owed purchase is still hanging there and i found out only recently. What is that? Youre telling me thats completely legal to do that? Im still a minor and i dont even have that amount of money that apple signed me for. This never happened before, if i didnt have enough money the purchase just wouldnt process, but now i just randomly owe apple almost $40 for what??? I never agreed to that, i dont care if i lose my stuff ingame but i need to cancel this, i cant even use app store or anything related to it anymore. And the worst part is that i cant even contact a real apple employee to report this, they simply dont have a chat or support email to report this problem.

31 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 15, 2024 10:07 AM in response to Phil0124

The thing is that i didnt consent to that. I wanted to make an ingame purchase and the purchase i made went over the limit, i didnt have enough money for it. Instead of apple declining that purchase for insufficient funds, they signed me for a debt and i didnt consent for that, they didnt even notify me, the owed purchase is still hanging there and i found out only recently. What is that? Youre telling me thats completely legal to do that? Im still a minor and i dont even have that amount of money that apple signed me for. This never happened before, if i didnt have enough money the purchase just wouldnt process, but now i just randomly owe apple almost $40 for what??? I never agreed to that, i dont care if i lose my stuff ingame but i need to cancel this, i cant even use app store or anything related to it anymore. And the worst part is that i cant even contact a real apple employee to report this, they simply dont have a chat or support email to report this problem.

Jan 28, 2024 5:18 PM in response to yoshi2364

I don’t get it. They’ll leave a pending payment for 6 months or a year continually trying over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over against even though you’ve cancelled all subscriptions.


”Make a new apple ID.” Yeah, make me a new computer and team of people who aren’t in the slave category.


~ Enna Riddle

Jun 18, 2024 4:47 PM in response to Phil0124

Bro y’all are some wack **s people why can’t y’all just decline it when someone purchases something that’s too expensive. I bought multiple stuff and it let me buy it so I obviously thought I had enough money. Why y’all putting us in debt so goofy this why so many people are switching to android. Plus why don’t you run my fade? Meet me in the parking lot lil homie let’s see who’s gonna be in debt

Nov 21, 2023 5:02 PM in response to Phil0124

Not if you sign out of your iPhone or iPad and App store. Then create a new Apple ID with a new email address, then use that new Apple ID as if you were signing in to your phone for the first time. When asked for a payment method out of the 3 options listed (Credit/Debit, PayPal, None) select “None”. After going to App Store it’ll ask you to sign in then will redirect you to iTunes to also sign in there with new Apple ID. So practically you’re starting from 0 and existing apps stay the same. Make sure to cancel ongoing subscriptions from existing apps so the problem does not occur again. You’ll be able to download new apps and use your App Store again.

Oct 4, 2023 1:52 PM in response to yoshi2364

You cannot cancel a pending payment. You must allow it to successfully complete.

Add a verifiable payment method to your account to allow the pending payment to complete. Once that happens you can request a refund for it.

click here ➜ Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

then here ➜ Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple - Apple Support


You will not be allowed to use the App Store until the pending payment completes successfully.



Jun 30, 2024 8:25 AM in response to yoshi2364

Same issue. Why did Apple let it go through if I didn’t have the funds? It’s never done that before and now I can’t download **** I actually need because I no longer have the $8 in my account that should’ve been either declined or taken. Such a scummy, scammy decision. I haven’t even used the app because it ended up being absolute ****, so why can’t they just…cancel it? They’re literally not losing anything.

Apr 17, 2024 1:07 PM in response to Phil0124

Yeah, no, that's stupid. I bought a game as well and then went to make a different purchase another day only to find out both are now pending because Apple still hasn't completed the purchase for the first initial game, nor did it notify me that the purchase was going to be held for an extended period of time (at least 3 days), before officially charging it on my card. That's their fault, period.


And going 'into debt' over something like this that could easily be remedied by simply canceling the charge, especially since i've never actually received the item i bought that put me 'in debt' in the first place. This whole process makes no sense, nor have I ever encountered a process this ***-backwards before.

Mar 16, 2024 2:25 AM in response to Phil0124

I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT!!! I want the payment to go through. This is RIDICULOUS!!! It's on a credit card and idiot Apple has a pending on and refuses to send it to my card. How do you get it to PAY OUT AS IT SHOULD!!!! I have spent $70 talking to an Apple agent and all she could come up with is "I CAN'T HELP YOU" I've talked to my credit card holder "I CAN'T HELP YOU" And the subscription? "I CAN'T HELP YOU"

How in the h**** do I get this payment to go through??? I'm not trying to avoid paying but APPLE WON'T LET ME!!

Feb 15, 2024 12:01 PM in response to StephenmMcCall

StephenmMcCall wrote:

Im like 15 years old and I got a gift card for christmas and I bought stuff till it said I was out of money, I accidentally click a deal on a game and now I have that purchase pending. So your telling me im in dept on a gift card?

You are in dept. Period. Whether you used a gift card or not, is not relevant to the incurred debt. Yes, you can redeem another gift card and cover the debt you have currently. But the reality is you have to cover it in some way. You legally owe that money to Apple now. Whether it was a mistake or not.


Until you cover the amount owed, you will not be allowed to make use of the iTunes & App Store services which includes updating apps.


Once its correctly paid for, you can request a refund for it. But you need to complete the payment first.


Sorry, but the real world does not condone debt because you made a mistake.

Jul 8, 2024 7:17 AM in response to PollyIsWolly

My suggestions and your suggestions have equal weight. You can use Apple's feedback website to suggest the change just like I can. Being part of the Community+ program does not give any special access to suggest things like that.


If enough people suggest a change or addition Apple has been known to add it or modify it.


With that said, requiring a password to download and App or make a purchase is a way that unintended purchases by younger siblings can be prevented.


click here ➜ Feedback - iTunes and App Stores - Apple






Mar 15, 2024 2:50 PM in response to InterFy

InterFy wrote:

The thing is that i didnt consent to that.

You did. By trying to purchase the item you entered into a legal agreement with Apple where you consented to have them charge you the full amount. If you did not have enough money to cover it then you should not have attempted the purchase. You owe the entire amount whether you had enough for it or not.


I wanted to make an ingame purchase and the purchase i made went over the limit, i didnt have enough money for it. Instead of apple declining that purchase for insufficient funds, they signed me for a debt and i didnt consent for that, they didnt even notify me, the owed purchase is still hanging there and i found out only recently.

Notify you of what? You made a purchase it was unable to be completed entirely, you owe the amount that was not covered. Are you saying you need to be to told you owe money on a purchase you accept you made and that you accept you did not have enough funds for?


What is that? Youre telling me thats completely legal to do that?

Yes. As per the terms and conditions of the iTunes and App Stores you agree to by using them, you are responsible for the entirety of the purchase amount when you initiate a purchase.


Im still a minor and i dont even have that amount of money that apple signed me for. This never happened before, if i didnt have enough money the purchase just wouldnt process, but now i just randomly owe apple almost $40 for what??? I never agreed to that, i dont care if i lose my stuff ingame but i need to cancel this, i cant even use app store or anything related to it anymore. And the worst part is that i cant even contact a real apple employee to report this, they simply dont have a chat or support email to report this problem.

If you are a minor, then tell your parents or legal guardian to give you the funds to cover the debt. You owe that money now and it cannot be cancelled.


To contact an Apple Support person directly use the methods described in the support document linked below.

click here ➜ Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

or use the Message or call options in the support website by clicking here ➜ Contact Apple Support

Jul 1, 2024 7:33 AM in response to mavis254

Apple did not let anything go through. If you initiate a charge, Apple attempts to charge it. If it cannot be charged correctly it stays pending. The fact it is pending, means it "did not actually go through".

Also, Apple is not in the business of managing your finances, the automated system does not know whether you have the money for something or not. It just attempts to charge whatever you tried to buy, or any subscription that tries to renew.


You should know if you can't pay for something and not try to buy it, or let it renew.


You still owe that money now though, because you started the transaction.


If you did not want the app, the only one that can cancel its associated subscription is you. Nobody else has the right to cancel anything you start but you. People would be up in arms if Apple cancelled subscriptions unilaterally because they could not be charged. Apple has no way of knowing you want something cancelled unless you cancel it.


When you download an App you agree that apple will charge you until you cancel it. You agree to this and are bound by the legal agreement. If you want something cancelled, you need to do so yourself. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you.


Now you need to let it complete, then cancel whatever caused the charge and request a refund as has been mentioned many times in the very thread you replied to.


click here ➜ If you want to cancel a subscription from Apple - Apple Support

click here ➜ Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple - Apple Support




How do I cancel a pending payment on the App Store?

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