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To prevent purchases from completing without a check, turn on purchase authentication separately in Google Play and Galaxy Store. For a child’s account, use Samsung Family controls where available and set Google Play’s child-purchase controls separately. These settings require authentication or approval; they do not remove purchase offers from apps.
Choose the control that matches your goal
Samsung does not document one device-wide switch that disables every in-app purchase. The relevant controls are separate by store and account:
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- For your own account: require authentication for Google Play purchases and enable the purchase check in Galaxy Store if you use it.
- For a child: use Samsung Family controls for the child profile where supported, and manage Google Play through Google Family Link separately.
Samsung’s Ireland support guide describes the store authentication steps. Its menu labels may have changed since the guide was updated on 20 December 2021.
Require authentication in Google Play
- Open the Play Store.
- Tap your account icon, then open Settings.
- Tap Authentication, then Require authentication for purchases.
- Select For all purchases through Google Play on this device.
This setting covers purchases through Google Play on that device. It does not configure Galaxy Store or another app store. If your Play Store version uses different wording, look in its settings for purchase authentication.
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Require a password or biometric in Galaxy Store
- Open Galaxy Store and tap the menu.
- Open Settings.
- Turn on Require password/biometrics to buy.
This is a separate check from Google Play’s setting. Enable each one if you use both stores.
Set purchase controls for a child
Samsung Family controls
On supported devices, open Settings > Samsung account > Family, then select the child’s profile. Samsung documents controls for a child’s downloads and purchases. The documented One UI minimum differs between its regional pages: Samsung US says One UI 5.1 or higher, while Samsung UK’s Galaxy for Families guide says One UI 6.1 or higher. Availability also varies by region, so check whether the Family and child-purchase options appear on your device and account.
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Samsung’s UK parental-control guide describes Galaxy Store approval choices for all downloads and purchases, paid content only, or in-app purchases only. Choose the narrowest option that fits what you want to restrict.
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Samsung’s safety guidance directs parents to manage Google Play through Google Family Link. Samsung Family’s Galaxy Store choices do not govern Google Play purchases; configure the child’s Google Play purchase approvals separately in Family Link. The available controls and labels may depend on the account and region.
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What these settings do—and do not do
Authentication adds a check before a purchase is completed; a child approval setting routes eligible purchases through the applicable family controls. Neither removes purchase buttons or offers shown inside a game or app, and these settings should not be treated as a universal way to disable subscriptions or purchases across every store. Samsung explicitly notes that offers can remain visible even when a password is required to buy.
Menu names and availability can vary with Galaxy model, One UI version, region, and store updates. Samsung says its Family Group parental controls are available only in select regions; if the options above are missing, confirm support for your device and location with Samsung US child-profile guidance, Samsung UK Galaxy for Families, and Samsung UK parental-control guidance.
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- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
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