If you are in a similar situation, that is, if you have purchased some of the products available in the Google Play Store, and it has not been to your liking, do not worry: you can get a refund by following the appropriate steps.
You should know that Google Play has a fairly extensive refund policy, so obviously the steps to follow will depend on the type of product (apps, games, movies, music, TV shows and e-books) that you have purchased. In any case, time is paramount; that is, the earlier you request a refund, the easier it will be for you to obtain them.
So, if you are interested in learning how to get a refund on the Google Play Store, then this article is for you. Here’s how to request a refund for an app, game, movie, music, TV show, or e-Book previously purchased from the Google Play Store.
How to get a refund on Google Play Store for apps or games
If it has been more than 48 hours since you made your purchase, and therefore your purchase doesn’t appear in the list of recent purchases, you can request a refund from the Google Play website. Next, we explain how to do it.
How to get a refund on Google Play Store for apps or games past 48 hours of purchase
- Open your Google Chrome browser.
- Type “google.com/store/account” in the address bar or click directly on the link.
- Click on the Order History tab located just below the search bar.
- Find and select the product you want to request a refund for.
- Select the option Request a refund (or Report a problem) and choose the option that best describes your situation regarding the product.
- Follow the instructions and complete the form.
- If you have followed the steps correctly, you will see the following message Thank you for sharing your concerns.
Generally, you will receive a response from the Google Play team within 15 minutes. However, this response may take up to 4 business days. In any case, patience is the key.
Remember: you are much more likely to receive a refund if 48 hours have not passed since the time of your purchase. However, you can try contacting the app developer (by clicking on the link) and see if their internal policies and applicable laws allow them to give you a refund.
How to get refunds on Google Play Store for movies, music, TV shows and eBooks
The refund request process for movies, TV shows, music (albums and singles) and books (physical or e-Books) is the same as described in the previous section. In any case, these will be differentiated by a different reimbursement availability policy. Here’s how and when you can request a refund based on your case.
Google Play Movies & TV or Google TV refunds
- If you haven’t started watching the content yet and it hasn’t been more than a week from the time you made the purchase, then you can request a refund.
- If the movie or TV show has any defects or unsolvable problems, you can request a refund for a period of 65 days from the date of purchase.
Remember: if you request a refund, and it is approved, the returned content will be removed from your library.
Google Play Music (including subscriptions) refunds
- If you have subscribed to any Google Play Music streaming services, you will not be able to get a refund for payments you have already made. In any case, the only thing you can do is cancel the subscription. Remember that you will continue to have access to the service until the end of the period of time for which you contracted it.
- If you have purchased a song or album, and have not yet downloaded or played its content, (only under such conditions) you can request a refund within a period of 7 days from the date of purchase.
Google Play Books refunds
In case the e-Book or audiobook that you purchased from Google Play Books doesn’t play, click on the following link and follow the instructions to solve the problem. If, despite this, the problem persists, you can request a refund if your case falls within the following refund policies:
Google Play Books refunds (eBooks)
- If 7 days have not passed since the moment of your purchase, you can request a refund. However, this condition doesn’t apply to the rental of electronic books; in these cases, sales are final.
- If your eBook doesn’t work (and the troubleshooting instructions don’t work), you can request a refund for a period of up to 65 days from the date of purchase.
- In the event that you have purchased a bundle of eBooks, then you can only request a refund for the entire bundle.
- You can only request a refund within one week of purchase. However, you will only be able to request a refund if you have not yet downloaded or exported several free packages.
- In the event that one of the books in the bundle doesn’t work, you can request a refund for that specific book within 180 days of purchase.
Google Play Books refunds (audiobooks)
Generally speaking, sales of audiobooks on Google Play Books are final. However, refunds may apply in some cases:
- If you are a Google Play Books customer from South Korea, you can request a refund within one week from the date of purchase. However, this condition applies only if the audiobook for which the refund is requested has not been reproduced.
- If the audiobook doesn’t work, and your playback problem is unsolvable, then you can request a refund at any time.
How to get a refund on Google Play gift card
Unlike the refund policies related to Google Play Movies, Google Play TV, Google Play Music, and Google Play Books, refund policies related to Google Play gift cards and prepaid balance are non-refundable. However, there are some exceptions:
- U.S. citizens who have redeemed gift cards or gift codes (non-promotional) can request a refund of their Google Play balance, as long as the amount is less than $10.
- Brazil citizens who have redeemed gift cards or gift codes (non-promotional) can request a refund of their Google Play balance.
- South Korean citizens who have redeemed gift cards or gift codes (non-promotional) can request a refund of the corresponding card amount for Google Play balance residual values up to 40% of the face value of the gift card.
- Malaysian citizens who have redeemed gift card or gift codes (non-promotional) can request a one-time refund of their Google Play Balance.
How long does a Google Play Store refund take?
It usually only takes about fifteen minutes for the Google Play Store team to contact you via email. However, the processing of your refund request may take up to 4 business days.