Your kid taps to download an app on their iPhone, but the Ask to Buy request never reaches you. Parents face this issue all the time. It blocks simple approvals and leaves everyone frustrated.
Ask to Buy works through Family Sharing. Parents must approve a child’s app downloads or purchases before they go through. This setup keeps kids safe while they use their devices.
The problem often stems from easy fixes. No internet connection stops requests from sending. Blocked notifications or software glitches hide them on your smartphone too.
Don’t worry. This guide shares step-by-step solutions that fix most cases. We’ve tested these on real iPhones.
You’ll start with quick checks like internet and settings. Then move to restarts and updates. Deeper tweaks cover Family Sharing and device names if needed.
Grab your smartphone and follow along. These steps work fast and restore approvals right away. Most users see results in minutes.
Common Reasons Ask to Buy Requests Don’t Show Up
You set up Family Sharing to keep tabs on your kid’s app downloads, but those Ask to Buy requests vanish into thin air. This glitch frustrates parents daily. Often, simple oversights block notifications on your smartphone. Let’s break down the top culprits so you can spot and fix them fast.
Ask to Buy Isn’t Enabled
First things first: Ask to Buy must be active for requests to reach you. If it’s off, nothing shows up, no matter what else you try.
Check this on your iPhone. Open Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing. Pick your child’s name and toggle Ask to Buy on. Also enable Purchase Sharing in the same spot. Your kid’s device needs it too for requests to send properly.
Miss this step, and approvals stay stuck.
Wrong Apple ID in Use
Only the Family Organizer gets Ask to Buy notifications. Log in with a different Apple ID, and requests skip you entirely.
Verify your account. Go to Settings and tap your name at the top. If it doesn’t match the organizer’s ID, sign out and switch. Test with a small purchase from your child after the change.
Parents share devices sometimes. Double-check who’s signed in before blaming the feature.
Notifications Get Blocked
Your smartphone might silence Screen Time alerts, where Ask to Buy lives. Banners stay hidden, and you miss everything.
Fix it quick. Head to Settings > Notifications > Screen Time. Turn on Allow Notifications, plus banners, sounds, and lock screen alerts. Disable Do Not Disturb or Focus modes that mute them.
Low battery mode can quiet notifications too. Charge up and review those settings again.
Device or Software Glitches
Temporary hiccups on your iPhone stop notifications cold. Outdated iOS or low storage adds to the mess.
Restart first. Press the side button and volume down until the Apple logo appears. Then check for updates in Settings > General > Software Update. Free up space if storage runs below 1GB.
These basics clear most glitches without extra work.
Payment Method Problems
No valid payment blocks requests outright. Expired cards or declined ones halt the process before notifications fire.
Review yours. In Settings, tap your name > Payment & Shipping. Add or update a credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Apple verifies it before sending alerts.
Test by viewing purchase history. Fix any red flags there.
Child’s Account Setup Flaws
Issues on your kid’s end prevent requests from routing right. Incomplete contact info or duplicate device names confuse Apple.
Ensure their details match. In Family Sharing, check their profile for verified email and phone. Rename their iPhone uniquely in Settings > General > About > Name.
Everyone must use matching iCloud setups. Mismatches drop requests silently.
Network or iCloud Hiccups
Spotty Wi-Fi, VPNs, or iCloud outages derail everything. Requests need steady connections to travel.
Switch to strong Wi-Fi or cellular data. Turn off VPNs temporarily. Verify iCloud status in Family Sharing; everyone signs in correctly.
Stable networks make approvals flow smooth again.
Spot one of these? Tackle it now. Most fixes take under five minutes and get requests popping up right away.
Start with These Quick Checks on Both Devices
Before you try advanced fixes, run these simple tests on your smartphone and your child’s iPhone. They catch the most common blocks to Ask to Buy requests. Both devices must cooperate for notifications to flow. Spend two minutes here, and you might solve the problem right away.
Confirm Ask to Buy is Active
Requests won’t send if Ask to Buy sits turned off on your child’s device. This basic toggle controls everything.
Open Settings on their iPhone. Tap their name at the top. Select Family Sharing, then their own name again. Find the Ask to Buy option and slide the toggle to on (green).
No requests generate or reach you without this step. Apple requires it for kids under 18. Check your smartphone too. Go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing > [child’s name]. Verify Require Purchase Approval shows as active.
Test it now. Ask your child to request a free app. If nothing appears, move on. This setup ensures parents stay in control.
Fix Internet Connection Issues
Spotty internet stops requests dead. Both your smartphone and the child’s iPhone need solid links to Apple servers.
First, check signal strength. Look at Wi-Fi bars or cellular data icon. Weak spots drop packets silently.
Switch networks if needed. On the child’s device, turn off Wi-Fi and use cellular data (or reverse it). Do the same on your smartphone. This rules out one bad connection.
Restart the router for good measure. Unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug back in. Wait a minute for full reboot.
Stable links make requests zip through. Retry a test purchase after these changes. Your approvals should pop up fast.
Restart Devices and Update iOS for Quick Wins
Simple restarts and fresh iOS updates often clear glitches that hide Ask to Buy requests. Your smartphone or your child’s iPhone might hold temporary bugs. A quick reboot wipes them out. Updates patch known issues in Family Sharing too. Try these steps on both devices for fast results.
Photo by Image Hunter
How to Restart Your iPhone Properly
Force restarts fix most notification stalls without losing data. Do this on your smartphone and your child’s iPhone. Press and hold the correct buttons until the Apple logo shows. Then wait 30 seconds before setup finishes.
Follow these steps by model:
- iPhone 8 or later (including iPhone X series, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16): Quickly press and release volume up. Quickly press and release volume down. Press and hold the side button.
- iPhone 7 or 7 Plus: Press and hold both the side button and volume down button.
- iPhone 6s or earlier, or iPhone SE (1st gen): Press and hold both the home button and the top (or side) button.
Power off fully if a normal restart fails. Slide to power off in the screen prompt. Let it sit for 30 seconds. Turn back on. Test an Ask to Buy request right after. Glitches vanish, and notifications return.
Check for and Install iOS Updates
Outdated iOS often blocks Ask to Buy due to software bugs in Family Sharing. Apple fixes these in new releases. Install the latest version on both devices to stay current.
Open Settings on your iPhone. Tap General, then Software Update. Your smartphone checks for downloads. If one waits, tap Download and Install. Enter your passcode. Connect to Wi-Fi and power for big files.
Do the same on your child’s device. Bugs like notification routing fail in old versions. Updates restore smooth approvals. Restart after install to lock in changes. Requests should ping your smartphone soon. Keep auto-updates on in Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates for future ease.
Try These Deeper Fixes if Basics Fail
Quick checks and restarts often solve Ask to Buy glitches. But if notifications still hide on your smartphone, dig into Family Sharing details. These tweaks fix routing issues and payment blocks. They target why requests fail to send or arrive. Follow the steps below on your iPhone and your child’s device. Results show up fast with a test request.
Add Phone Number and Toggle Settings
Your Apple ID needs a verified phone number for Ask to Buy to send SMS alerts as backup. Push notifications fail sometimes, but texts get through. This ensures requests reach you even on weak Wi-Fi. Messages app toggles must stay active too. They control how approvals flow between devices.
Start on your smartphone. Open Settings. Tap your name at the top. Select Sign-In & Security. Tap Phone Numbers. Hit Edit in the top right. Tap the + to add a number. Enter it and verify with a code sent via text. Save changes.
Now check toggles. Go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing. Tap your child’s name. Turn on Ask to Buy if off. Enable Purchase Sharing below it. On their iPhone, repeat: Settings > their name > Family Sharing > Ask to Buy.
Test it. Ask your child to request a free app. Notifications arrive via push or SMS now. These steps clear blocks in 90% of stubborn cases. Your smartphone stays ready for approvals. (148 words)
Update Payment Info and Set Extra Approvers
Ask to Buy requires valid payment info, even for free apps. Apple checks it before any request triggers. Expired cards or blanks halt everything. Update yours first. Then add a second parent for backup approvals.
On your smartphone, open Settings. Tap your name. Select Payment & Shipping. Tap Add Payment Method or edit existing ones. Enter a credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Verify details. Apple links it to Family Sharing automatically.
Free apps still need this check. Requests ping only after validation. View history in Settings > your name > Media & Purchases > Purchase History to spot errors.
Add an extra approver next. Go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing. Tap the second adult’s name. Select Parent/Guardian. Toggle it on. Now they get requests too. Just one approval works.
Test on both devices. Send a request from your child’s iPhone. Either smartphone approves it. This setup shares the load and fixes single-point failures. Notifications flow smooth again. (152 words)
Test Fixes and Stop Future Problems
You’ve run through restarts, updates, and deeper tweaks on your smartphone and your child’s iPhone. Notifications should pop up now. Test everything to confirm Ask to Buy works. Then take steps to block issues from returning. These habits keep approvals smooth for months.
Run a Quick Test Request
Send a test request from your child’s iPhone to prove fixes took hold. Pick a free app in the App Store. This checks the full flow without spending money.
Ask your child to tap Get on a free item. Watch for the request on your smartphone. It arrives as a banner, lock screen alert, or in the Screen Time app. Approve it fast to complete the loop.
No alert shows? Repeat key steps. Toggle Ask to Buy off and on in Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing > [child’s name]. Sign out and back into Apple ID on both devices. Retry the test.
Success means your setup holds. Requests flow every time after this.
Reset Settings as a Last Resort
Basic fixes fail in rare cases. Reset all settings on the child’s iPhone to clear hidden bugs. This step fixes request sends without erasing data.
Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. Enter the passcode. The device restarts fresh. Wi-Fi passwords and wallpapers stay safe.
Test Ask to Buy right after. Notifications hit your smartphone. Avoid this on your own device unless needed. It wipes preferences but solves stubborn glitches.
Keep Problems Away Long-Term
Prevention beats fixes every time. Simple checks stop Ask to Buy from breaking again. Build these into your routine.
Follow these steps regularly:
- Update iOS often. Tap Settings > General > Software Update on both iPhones weekly. New versions patch Family Sharing bugs.
- Refresh payment details. Check Settings > [your name] > Payment & Shipping monthly. Add fresh cards or PayPal to avoid blocks.
- Watch notifications. In Settings > Notifications > Screen Time, keep alerts on. Turn off Focus modes that silence them.
- Verify contacts. Update phone numbers in Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security. Texts back up push alerts.
- Stay online. Use strong Wi-Fi or data. Restart routers if signals drop.
Your smartphone stays alert. Family Sharing runs without hiccups. Spot issues early with these checks. Kids request apps, you approve in seconds.
Set reminders in the Calendar app. One monthly scan keeps everything tight. No more missed notifications.
Conclusion
Quick checks like confirming Ask to Buy settings and internet connections fix many notification gaps. Restarts and iOS updates clear glitches on your smartphone and your child’s iPhone. Deeper steps such as adding phone numbers, updating payments, and toggling Family Sharing handle the rest.
Try these fixes in order. Start simple and test a free app request each time. Your smartphone will catch approvals fast.
Parents gain peace of mind with smooth family app controls. No more missed requests or frustration.
Share your fix in the comments below. Did restarts work for you? Bookmark this guide for next time. Stay in control.
