Where to find and cancel your iTunes subscriptions

To stop paying for an iTunes subscription, you go to your account settings on the device where you signed in — iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. The subscription cancels on that device, and your access ends when the current billing period finishes. You will not get a refund for time already paid, but you will not be charged again.

The exact steps depend on what device you are using. Apple groups subscriptions in one place on each device type, so once you know where to look, you can see everything you are paying for at once. This is useful because many people forget about subscriptions they signed up for months ago.

Key Takeaways

  • iTunes subscriptions cancel through your account settings on the device where you signed in, not through the app itself.
  • Your access ends at the end of your current billing period — you do not lose it when ready when you cancel.
  • You cannot get a refund for time you have already paid, but you will not be charged on your next billing date.
  • If you subscribed on iPhone or iPad, you manage the subscription in Settings; on Mac, you use System Settings or the App Store app.

Canceling on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app and tap your name at the top of the screen. Then tap Subscriptions. You will see a list of every subscription tied to your Apple ID — music services, cloud storage, apps, and anything else you pay for monthly or yearly through iTunes.

Find the subscription you want to cancel and tap it. Tap Cancel Subscription at the bottom of the screen. A confirmation message will appear asking if you are sure; tap Confirm to finish. That is the entire process. You will see a message saying your subscription has been cancelled, and it will end on the date shown.

If you do not see Subscriptions in your account menu, you are on an older version of iOS. Instead, open the App Store app, tap the profile icon in the top right corner, tap Subscriptions, and follow the same steps from there.

Canceling on Mac

On a Mac running Monterey or newer, open System Settings and click your name in the sidebar. Click Subscriptions. Find the subscription you want to stop and click the Manage button next to it, then click Cancel Subscription.

If you are on an older Mac or prefer to use the App Store app, open the App Store, click your account icon in the top right corner, click Account Settings, and then click Manage Subscriptions. The rest of the process is the same.

What happens after you cancel

When you cancel, your subscription does not stop when ready. Instead, it runs until the end of your current billing period. If you paid for a month on the 15th, your subscription ends on the 15th of next month. If you paid for a year, it ends a year from when you paid.

During this time, you keep full access to whatever the subscription provides. You will not see a charge on your next billing date. After the period ends, the subscription disappears from your Subscriptions list.

If you cannot find a subscription to cancel

Sometimes a subscription does not appear in your Subscriptions list even though you are being charged. This usually happens if you signed up through a website rather than through iTunes, or if the subscription is tied to a different Apple ID.

Check your email for receipts from Apple. The receipt will show which Apple ID was charged. If it is a different ID than the one you use on your device, sign out and sign in with that ID instead, then look for the subscription again. If you signed up through a website, you may need to cancel directly on that website rather than through iTunes.

Refunds and billing disputes

Apple does not refund subscription charges for time you have already used. If you were charged after you cancelled, or if you were charged twice in one month, contact Apple Support directly. They can review your account and issue a refund if there was a billing error.

You can also request a refund through the App Store on your device. Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, tap Purchase History, find the charge you want to dispute, and tap the report button next to it. Describe the problem and submit. Apple reviews these reports and responds within a few days.

Subscriptions you may have forgotten about

Many people sign up for a free trial and forget to cancel before the trial ends. The subscription then starts charging automatically. Check your Subscriptions list regularly — at least once every few months — to catch charges you no longer want.

If you see a subscription you do not recognize, cancel it when ready. Then check your email for receipts from that company to see when the charges started. If you were charged more than a few days ago, request a refund through the App Store as described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose access to the app when ready after I cancel?

No. You keep full access until your current billing period ends. If you paid for a monthly subscription on March 15, you can use the app until April 15 even though you cancelled on March 20. After April 15, the app will no longer work unless you subscribe again.

Can I get a refund for a subscription I no longer use?

Apple does not refund subscription charges for time already used. However, if you were charged by mistake, charged twice, or charged after you cancelled, you can request a refund through the App Store. Open your Purchase History, find the charge, tap report, and describe the problem.

What if I subscribed through a website, not iTunes?

You will need to cancel on that website instead. Check your email receipt to find the company's website or customer support contact. Some subscriptions sold through websites cannot be managed through iTunes at all, even if they use your Apple ID to charge you.

Will I be charged again if I resubscribe later?

No. Cancelling a subscription does not prevent you from subscribing again in the future. You can resubscribe at any time after your current period ends, and you will start a new billing cycle from that date.

How do I see all my past charges?

Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and tap Purchase History. You will see every charge from the past year. Scroll down to see older charges. If you see something you do not recognize, you can tap it and request a refund.