Ask to Buy Not Working? 8 Proven Ways to Fix It!

Ask to Buy in Apple’s Family Sharing helps you review and approve your kids’ downloads and purchases from the App Store, iTunes, or Apple Books. But when it stops working, those requests vanish, and so does your peace of mind.

This guide explains why Ask to Buy fails and walks you through 8 proven solutions to restore those approval prompts on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Common Reasons Why Ask to Buy Might Not Work

Before jumping into fixes, let’s explore the likely culprits:

• Setup Problems: If Family Sharing or Ask to Buy isn’t properly set up, such as the child’s account not being identified as underage, requests won’t prompt.
• Device or Software Bugs: Older iOS/macOS versions or occasional bugs may prevent notifications.
• Account Problems: Incorrect Apple ID, absence of payment details, or mismatched Family Sharing roles can stop the feature.
• Network Hiccups: A patchy internet connection could prevent approval requests from coming to you.
• Feature Restrictions: Certain purchases, such as redeeming gift codes or re-downloading family members’ previous purchases, are exempted from Ask to Buy altogether.

These gremlins are common, but don’t sweat it; most have easy fixes. Let’s start with some quick checks to set the stage. 

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Quick Checks Before Troubleshooting

Run these checks to rule out simple causes:

• Supported Devices: Ask to Buy works on iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, and Macs. Ensure all devices are running iOS 8+ or macOS Yosemite+. 
• Update Devices: Outdated software is a common culprit. Go to Settings/System Settings > General > Software Update. Install the latest updates for all family devices. 
• Verify Ask to Buy Setup: On the organizer’s device, go to Settings > Family > [Child’s Name] > Ask to Buy and ensure Require Purchase Approval is toggled on. 
• Ensure Internet Connection: Check Wi-Fi or cellular on both parent and child devices. Toggle Airplane mode to refresh the connection. 
• Confirm Apple ID: Make sure the child’s device is signed into the correct Apple ID for both iCloud (Settings > [Name]) and the App Store (Settings > [Name] > Media & Purchases > View Account). Mismatched IDs can block requests. 
  
• Disable Focus Mode: Focus modes like Do Not Disturb can hide Ask to Buy notifications. On the parent’s device, go to Settings > Focus and turn off any active modes.
• Enable Notifications: Allow Time Sensitive notifications from Apps > App Store > Notifications.
  
• Check Messages: Ask requests come via iMessage. Open Messages, look for alerts from Apple, and ensure iMessage is enabled (Settings > Apps > Messages).
  

If requests still don’t pop up, move on to the fixes.

When You Will Not Get the Ask to Buy Prompts 

Some purchases don’t send a request:

• iTunes Gifts and Donations: Buying gift cards or donating through iTunes skips the Ask to Buy process, as these are treated as direct transactions.
• Family Member’s Past Purchases: If your kid downloads something another family member already bought, like an app from your shared purchase history, it won’t prompt you.
• Redeemed Product Codes: If your child uses a gift card or promo code to grab an app or in-app purchase, Ask to Buy won’t activate since no payment is processed.
• Educational content: Books or other content provided by educational institutes are exempt from the feature.

If these aren’t the issue and Ask to Buy is genuinely not working on your device, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and try some fixes.

8 Proven Ways to Fix Ask to Buy Not Working

Here are eight tried-and-true ways to get Ask to Buy notifications back in action. Start at the top and work through the advanced ones. Let’s start!

1. Restart Devices

The oldest trick in the tech book, but it works! Restart both the parents and the child’s devices to clear any temporary glitches.

• On iPhone/iPad: Hold the Side + Volume Up/Down button, slide to power off, wait for a few seconds, then turn back on.
• On Mac: Click the Apple menu > Restart.

Test a purchase to see if prompts appear.

2. Verify Child’s Contact Info

Apple sometimes needs the child’s contact info to verify their age, even after Ask to Buy is set up. Also, this helps Apple to send the request successfully through Messages.

On the child’s device,

1. Go to Settings > [Child’s Name] > Personal Information. Ensure their full name and birthdate is correct.
   
2. Next, open the Contacts app and select My Card.
3. Tap Edit at the top right corner and fill in the information. Make sure to add the correct Apple Account email address or phone number.
4. Tap the checkmark at the top to save the details.
   

Note: The Ask to Buy feature is automatically enabled for kids under 13 years. However, the age may vary depending on your region. So, always check the settings to ensure it’s turned on. 

3. Assign Unique Device Names

If family devices have similar names (like “iPhone” for everyone), notifications can get lost. On each device,  

1. Open Settings and head to General > About > Name  
2. Tap the x icon on the right side and enter a unique name, like “Timmy’s iPad” or “Mom’s iPhone”.  
3. Tap the checkmark on the keyboard.
   

This helps Apple route requests correctly. 

4. Toggle Ask to Buy Off/On

Sometimes, a quick toggle resets the system. On the organizer’s device: 

1. Go to Settings > Family > [Child’s Name]. 
2. Tap Ask to Buy and toggle off Require Purchase Approval.  
3. Now, wait a minute and tap Ask to Buy again. 
4. Select Turn on Ask to Buy on the prompt.  

Try a test purchase to check if prompts return. 

Tip: While you are in the Family Sharing settings, ensure Purchase Sharing is also toggled on. 

5. Check Payment Method

Family Sharing needs a valid payment method, even for free downloads.  

On the organizer’s device, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Payment & Shipping, and add or update a credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Expired or declined cards can stop Ask to Buy from sending notifications.

6. Reassign Guardian Role

If the family organizer isn’t getting the app requests, try assigning another adult as the Ask to Buy approver.  

1. Go to Settings > Family > [Adult’s Name], 
2. Select Parent/Guardian. 
3. Toggle on Set as Parent/Guardian.  

They’ll start receiving requests on Message instead and take action accordingly. Therefore, give this role to a responsible family adult. 

7. Sign Out and Back Into Apple ID

Is your child getting a “Unable to Ask Permission” alert? Make sure you’re logged into the correct Apple Account. You may try signing out of the Apple ID on both parents and the kid’s devices.  

• On iPhone/iPad: Settings > [Name] > Sign Out, then ensure to keep a copy of your data.  
• On Mac: Go to System Settings > [Name] > Sign Out.  

Now, sign in to iCloud, App Store, Apple Books, Apple Music, and the Apple TV app. Verify Family Sharing and Ask to Buy settings afterward. 

8. Delete and Re-Add Child Account

A bit drastic, but effective. Deleting your child’s Apple Account lets you properly set it up in the Family Sharing group, removing the misconfigurations. That’s because you can’t simply remove the child member from the group. Apple only allows transferring a kid’s account to another Family group. 

On the child’s device, go to Apple’s Data & Privacy page and sign in with their Apple ID. Select Request to Delete Your Account and approve the request from your device. 

Once the deletion is completed, follow the steps below to re-add them to your Family group: 

1. Open Settings > Family and tap the Add icon at the top.  
2. Then select Create Child Account, enter his/her name and birthday. 
3. Follow the prompts to create an Apple Account email address and password. 
4. After the account is created, enable Ask to Buy and other parental controls. 

When to Contact Apple Support

If none of the above works, contact Apple Support with your Family Sharing details. Sometimes, server-side issues or restrictions require their help.

Prevent Unnecessary Kids’ Purchases! 

With these fixes, Ask to Buy should start working smoothly again, keeping surprise charges at bay. If you still face issues, Apple Support is your next step.

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