Find and remove subscriptions you no longer use

An inactive subscription is one you are paying for but no longer using — a streaming service you stopped watching, a fitness app you abandoned, a cloud storage plan you forgot about. On iPhone, these live in Settings under your Apple ID, and you can cancel them in about two minutes without contacting the company.

The process is the same whether you subscribed through the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, or any app that charges monthly or yearly. Apple shows you every active and inactive subscription tied to your account, and you can turn off any of them when ready. The charge stops on your next billing date.

Key Takeaways

  • Inactive subscriptions appear in Settings under your Apple ID, not in the app itself, so you may have forgotten they exist.
  • You can cancel a subscription in Settings without opening the app or contacting customer support.
  • The cancellation takes effect on your next billing date, not when ready, so you keep access until then.
  • Some subscriptions offer a free trial period that converts to paid automatically — cancelling during the trial stops the charge before it starts.
  • Refunds for charges you already paid are handled by Apple Support, not through the cancellation screen.

Open Settings and find your subscriptions

On your iPhone home screen, open Settings. Tap your name at the very top — this is your Apple ID profile. Then tap Subscriptions. You will see a list of every subscription tied to your Apple account, organized by status.

The list shows active subscriptions first (ones you are currently paying for), followed by expired ones (ones that ended or were cancelled). Inactive subscriptions appear in the active list but with a note that you have not used them recently. Scroll through the entire list to find the one you want to cancel.

Cancel the subscription you no longer need

Tap the subscription you want to remove. A details screen opens showing the app name, your renewal date, the price, and a button that says Cancel Subscription or Edit. Tap that button.

A confirmation screen appears asking why you want to cancel. You can choose a reason from the list (such as "I don't use this app" or "It's too expensive") or skip this step. Your reason does not affect whether the cancellation goes through — it only helps the company understand why people leave. Tap Confirm Cancellation at the bottom.

The subscription is now cancelled. You will see a message saying your access ends on your next billing date. You keep using the app or service until that date arrives, then the charge stops.

Check your cancellation was processed

After you cancel, go back to your Subscriptions list. The subscription you just cancelled should now appear under Expired instead of active. If it still shows as active after a few minutes, try closing Settings completely and opening it again — sometimes the list takes a moment to refresh.

If the subscription still shows as active after refreshing, tap it again and check whether a Reactivate button appears instead of Cancel. If you see Reactivate, the cancellation went through and you can close Settings. If you still see Cancel, the first attempt may not have registered — try the cancellation process again.

What happens after you cancel

You keep access to the service until your next billing date. If you subscribed to a monthly plan and cancelled on the 15th of the month, you can still use it until the 15th of next month. If you subscribed to a yearly plan, you have access for the rest of that year.

After your access ends, the app remains on your phone but you cannot use paid features. Some apps show a message asking you to resubscribe; others straightforward stop working. You can delete the app from your home screen if you no longer want it there.

Reactivate a cancelled subscription if you change your mind

If you cancelled a subscription but want it back before your access expires, go to Settings > your name > Subscriptions and find the subscription in the Expired section. Tap it and select Reactivate Subscription. Your access continues without interruption and you are charged again on your next billing date.

If you cancelled and your access has already ended, you can resubscribe the same way — tap the expired subscription and choose Reactivate. You will be charged when ready and access restarts right away.

Request a refund for charges you want back

Cancelling a subscription stops future charges but does not refund money you already paid. If you were charged for a month or year you did not use, you can request a refund from Apple Support, but Apple does not refund automatically.

Go to Settings > your name > Media & Purchases > View Account. Scroll down to Purchase History and find the charge you want refunded. Tap it and select Report a Problem. Explain why you want the refund — for example, "I cancelled this subscription but was still charged" — and submit. Apple Support reviews your request and usually responds within a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel a free trial without being charged?

Yes. If you started a free trial and have not been charged yet, cancelling during the trial stops the charge from starting. After you cancel, the trial ends when ready and you lose access to the service. Check your next billing date in the subscription details — if it shows a future date, you have not been charged yet.

Will the app delete itself after I cancel?

No. Cancelling a subscription removes the charge but leaves the app on your phone. You can open it and see that you no longer have access to paid features. Delete the app manually from your home screen if you want it gone, or leave it there in case you resubscribe later.

What if I cannot find a subscription in Settings?

Some subscriptions do not appear in the Subscriptions list — for example, subscriptions you manage directly through a company's website rather than through Apple. If you subscribed on the company's website, you need to cancel there, not in Settings. Check your email for a receipt that shows where you subscribed.

Does cancelling a subscription affect my Apple ID or other apps?

No. Cancelling one subscription does not touch your Apple ID, your other subscriptions, or any apps you own outright. Only the subscription you cancelled stops charging you. Everything else continues as normal.

How long does it take for the charge to stop after I cancel?

The charge stops on your next billing date. If you cancel on the 10th and your billing date is the 20th, you are charged one more time on the 20th, then the charges stop. After that date, you are no longer billed for that subscription.