How to cancel subscriptions on iPhone (and find hidden ones)

Subscriptions are easy to start and easy to forget. A free trial turns into a monthly charge, an app you deleted keeps billing, and small amounts add up. The good news is that everything you pay for through Apple is on one screen, and canceling takes seconds. This guide shows every way to cancel, how to find subscriptions that are not on that screen, and how to ask for your money back.

How to cancel subscriptions on iPhone

Cancel on a Mac, PC, the web or Android

• Mac: open the App Store, click your name at the bottom of the sidebar, click your name again, then Subscriptions, and choose Cancel Subscription.
• Windows PC: in the Apple Music or Apple TV app, click your name, choose View My Account, then Settings, and click Manage next to Subscriptions.
• Web: sign in at account.apple.com and open Subscriptions. This works from any browser, which helps if your iPhone is lost or broken.
• Android: Apple Music or Apple TV bought through Google Play is canceled in the Google Play app. If it was billed by Apple, use account.apple.com.

What happens after you cancel

The subscription moves to the Inactive list once the paid period ends, and you are not charged again. Your account with the app usually stays, along with things like saved playlists or workout history, depending on the app. If you change your mind, tap the subscription in the Inactive list and choose a plan to start it again. Apple sends a confirmation email when you cancel, so keep it in case you need to show the date later.

Canceling a free trial

Apple’s advice is to cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, or it may renew and charge you. Be aware that for many apps, canceling a free trial ends your access straight away rather than at the end of the trial. If you want to use the whole trial, set a reminder for two days before it ends and cancel then.

Watch for trials that turn into weekly subscriptions. Some photo editors, VPNs and wallpaper apps offer a three-day trial that then charges every week, which can cost far more over a year than a monthly plan. The price and billing period are shown on the Subscriptions screen, so check it right after starting any trial.

Subscription not listed?

If you are being charged but the subscription is not on the list, one of these is usually why:

• Billed by the company, not Apple: if you signed up on a website, services like Netflix, Spotify or Amazon Prime bill you directly. Sign in on their website and cancel in the account settings.
• Billed by your carrier: plans from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile often include or add streaming services. Check your carrier’s app or bill, and cancel there.
• A different Apple Account: search your email for “receipt from Apple” or “invoice from Apple” and look at which email address it was sent to. Sign in with that account to cancel.
• A family member’s subscription: with Family Sharing, a child’s or partner’s purchase can appear on the organizer’s bill. Only the person who subscribed can cancel it, on their own device.

Why you cannot cancel

• There is no Cancel button and a red line shows an expiration date: it is already canceled and will stop on that date.
• It belongs to someone else in your family, who must cancel it from their Apple Account.
• It is an AppleCare plan that has not been fully set up and linked to your account yet.
• It is billed by another company or your carrier, as above.

Before canceling iCloud+ or Apple One

Canceling iCloud+ moves you back to the free 5 GB. Nothing is deleted straight away, but if you use more than 5 GB, new photos stop uploading, iCloud Backup stops, and iCloud Mail may stop receiving messages until you free up space. Download anything important first, or move photos to a computer.

Apple One bundles Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+ and more. Canceling it cancels all of them together. If you only use one or two, it can be cheaper to cancel Apple One and subscribe to those services separately. Choose the individual plan on the same Subscriptions screen so there is no gap.

Is it cheaper to switch plans instead?

Before you cancel something you still use, tap it on the Subscriptions screen and look at the other options. Many apps offer a yearly plan that costs much less than twelve monthly payments, and Apple Music, iCloud+ and Apple One offer family plans that up to six people can share. Switching from monthly to yearly, or from two individual plans to one family plan, often saves more than canceling one service. The change takes effect at your next renewal date, so you never pay twice.

Add up what you spend

Multiply each monthly price on the Subscriptions screen by 12. A $4.99 app becomes about $60 a year, and five of them cost about $300. Seeing the yearly figure makes it much easier to decide what is worth keeping.

How to ask for a refund

Refunds are not guaranteed, but asking soon after an accidental renewal, and canceling the subscription at the same time, gives you the best chance. Explain clearly what happened, for example that a child subscribed without permission or that you canceled but were still charged. For a subscription billed by another company, ask that company directly through its website or support chat.

Stop surprise subscriptions in the future

• Check Settings › your name › Subscriptions every few months. It takes one minute, and a calendar reminder makes it a habit.
• Turn on Renewal Receipts in the same screen, where available, so Apple emails you each time something renews.
• For children, turn on Ask to Buy in Family Sharing so they cannot start a subscription without your approval.
• Before starting a trial, read the price screen carefully. It shows what you will pay after the trial and how often, weekly, monthly or yearly.

If you need to change the card Apple charges instead of canceling, see our guide to updating your payment method on iPhone.