How to cancel subscriptions on iPhone: instructions

Some iPhone users are facing issues when they want to disable paid services. Trends explain how to proceed if you need to cancel an unnecessary subscription

How paid subscriptions work

If you have a paid subscription, even deleting the application from the device does not cancel the payment. Money will be withdrawn until the subscription itself is cancelled.

You also need to remember that many applications offer a free trial period, but at the same time they require card details. At the end of this period, money begins to be withdrawn from the user, although by that time the person could have forgotten that he connected this service. That is why a free trial or discounted subscription must be checked in at least 24 hours before the end of the trial period. Trial subscriptions stop working as soon as they are canceled, not at the end of the current billing cycle.

It is better and safer to have a separate card or wallet to pay for subscriptions. There is enough to keep a small amount to pay for their services. The card itself can be replenished only at the time of the next debit.

How to Check Paid Subscriptions on iPhone

There are several ways to manage your Apple subscriptions.

To check for paid subscriptions on iPhone and iPad, you need to:

• launch the App Store app;
• click on your profile icon in the upper right corner;
• Select the “Manage Subscriptions” option. A list will appear with all active and expired subscriptions.

Manage subscriptions on iPhone, iPad (Photo: Clean Email)

You can also:

• open the “Settings” application;
• click on Apple ID;
• select the iTunes and App Store option;
• click on the Apple ID icon at the top;
• In the Apple ID settings, select the “Subscriptions” options.

How to cancel your iPhone subscription

There are two ways to cancel unnecessary Apple subscriptions on iPhone and iPad – through the App Store and Settings.

How to cancel a subscription through the App Store:

• launch the App Store app;
• select your profile icon in the upper right corner;
• Select the “Manage Subscriptions” option. A list will appear with all active and expired subscriptions;
• select the subscription you want to cancel and click “Cancel Subscription” at the bottom.

Cancel a subscription through the App Store (Photo: Clean Email)

How to cancel a subscription from the Settings app:

• launch the “Settings” application;
• click on your Apple ID;
• select the iTunes and App Store option;
• click on your Apple ID at the very top;
• select the “View Apple ID” option;
• select “Subscriptions” options;
• click on the subscription you want to cancel;
• select the “Cancel subscription” option and confirm the request.

Cancellation of a subscription through “Settings” (Photo: Clean Email)

How to get a refund for an iPhone subscription

The user may request a refund for certain purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Books, and other Apple services. The option is available in a web browser on any device.

To request a refund, you need:

• log in to reportproblem.apple.com;
• click “I need” and select “Request a refund”;
• after selecting the “Request a refund” option, specify the reason for the refund from the list, click “Next”;
• select an app, subscription, or other item, and then click Submit.

Refund Request (Photo: Apple)

This method also works if the user was charged for a subscription that he no longer needs.

When sending a request, you need to make sure that the money has already been debited. If the payment is pending, then the refund request will not be available. It can be re-submitted when the payment has already passed.

How to unsubscribe for iPhone in other ways

If the user does not have an Apple device at hand, the subscriptions can be canceled on a Windows PC. To do this, you need to use iTunes.

To cancel subscriptions from Windows, you need to:

• open iTunes on the PC (if necessary, after downloading the application);
• In the menu bar at the top of the iTunes window, select “Account” and then “View…”. You may need to sign in with your Apple ID;
• select “View account”;
• scroll to the “Settings” section, and next to the “Subscriptions” item, click “Manage”;
• click “Edit” next to the desired subscription, select “Cancel subscription”.

Cancel a Windows PC Subscription via iTunes (Photo: Lumpics)

If there is no “Cancel Subscription” option, then the subscription has already been canceled and will not be renewed.

To cancel your iCloud subscription from Windows, you need to:

• on your computer, open iCloud for Windows (if required, download the app beforehand);
• select “Storage”;
• click “Change storage plan”;
• click “Choose a free plan”;
• enter your Apple ID password and click “Manage”;
• choose a free plan;
• click “Finish”.

It also happens that the user tries to cancel the subscription, but does not see it in the list.

When it comes to canceling your iCloud storage plan, you need to go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad, or System Preferences on a Mac.

You may also not see a subscription if it’s not paid through Apple. In this case, it is worth looking in the bank statement or the history of debits from the card for the payment of this subscription. If Apple, apple.com/bill, or something similar is not listed there, then the payment is made through a third-party company, and you need to contact it.

If the subscription is made by a family member, then you cannot cancel it yourself. In this case, ask the family member to unsubscribe on their own device, or sign in to the shared device with their Apple ID.