How to Turn Off Auto Renewal on iPhone

Control how often you pay for an app subscription

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on December 6, 2021
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
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Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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What to Know

  • iOS 11-13: Go to Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID: [email] > View Apple ID > Subscriptions.
  • iOS 14: Go to Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions.
  • Cancel auto-renew if available, or tap Cancel Subscription to cancel.

There are plenty of excellent subscription-based services available through your iPhone, but sometimes you need to cancel a subscription, lest you incur an unwanted charge. Here's how to prevent auto-renewals on iPhones running iOS 14, iOS 13, iOS 12, or iOS 11.

How to Turn Off Automatic Renewal

Here's how to run off the auto renewal feature on your iPhone:

Complete the cancellation process at least 24 hours before the renewal date. Otherwise, the subscription might still renew, and you'll be charged.

  1. On your iPhone, tap Settings. Then, tap your name at the top of the screen that opens.

    • iOS 11-13: Tap iTunes & App Store.
    • iOS 14: Tap Subscriptions, then skip to Step 6.

  3. Tap the field at the top of the screen that reads Apple ID: [your email address].

    iTunes & App Store settings on iPhone

  4. Tap View Apple ID.

  5. Tap Subscriptions.

    iPhone settings for Apple acount

  6. Locate the subscription you want to cancel in the Active section of the Subscriptions screen and tap it.

    If you have a lot of subscriptions, you might need to scroll down the list. 

  7. You can edit your subscription if it contains options or cancel auto-renew. Tap Cancel Subscription to cancel the subscription.

    Apple subscriptions screen on iPhone

    If you pay in advance, you can still use the service up until the date listed. It's worth doing this if you plan on only having the subscription for a brief time.

You've successfully turned off auto-renew on your iPhone for that subscription.

How to Turn Automatic Renewal Back On

If you realize you didn't mean to turn off auto-renewal for a subscription or change your mind later, you can switch it back on from the same Subscriptions screen. 

  1. Tap the subscription you want to resubscribe to in the Expired section of the Subscriptions screen. A payment screen appears with information about the renewal.

  2. Tap the option you want. There may be more than one available.

    The subscription automatically renews on the date that's listed on the payment screen.

  3. Complete the process by entering your password or via FaceID or TouchID.

    iPhone subscriptions screens

Your subscription is set up again until you choose to cancel it.

I Don't See My Subscription Listed

There are a few key things to consider. 

  • Some subscriptions are conducted directly with the provider rather than Apple. Check the provider's website for more details. 
  • Check that you've signed in with the correct Apple ID. If you have more than one Apple ID, you may have signed in on a different one than you used for the subscription.
  • Family Sharing organizers can't manage subscriptions for other family members. They need to do it themselves.
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