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iOS download request from children broken

I have set up Apple Family and everything looks correct. My kid wants to download an app. Per Apple Family, he needs to get approval from me or my wife to install the app. I do not get a notification on my iPhone anymore for him. I do get a notification on my Mac, but the details are extremely slow to load and once I hit approve, it just hangs.


If after a few minutes I close the details window with the approve and decline buttons on my Mac, I get the notification again in my sidebar, but when I click "details" there, nothing opens, the notification disappears and reappears. Clicking "details" triggers the same loop again.


For one of my other kids, if she requests an app, I get an iMessage with the request on my iPhone instead of a notification.


The whole experience appears inconsistent and broken. Does anyone know how to fix this?

iPhone 12 mini

Posted on Feb 15, 2023 2:16 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 15, 2023 2:28 PM

If Ask to Buy isn't working, read the suggestions in the document: If Ask to Buy isn't working - Apple Support about looking for the request in Messages or Notification Center.


Make sure notifications haven't been disabled. This article discusses notifications: Use notifications on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

and this one Change notification settings on iPhone - Apple Support


Make sure the software is up to date on all devices involved.


Sometimes it helps to have the devices involved take a fresh look at settings:

● Try signing out of accounts and back in again.

Sign out of iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac - Apple Support

Sign in with your Apple ID - Apple Support

● Restarting is a simple step that can resolve many unexpected behaviors.

iPhone: Restart your iPhone - Apple Support then choose your model.

iPad: Restart your iPad - Apple Support

Mac: Ways to start up your Mac - Apple Support


If a problem persists, particularly over several days, try contacting Apple for assistance:


Click here --> Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support Select your country, then a product. If you don't see one that handles your issue then keep experimenting with selections until you reach one that gets you a chat session or a telephone call and get the representative to redirect you.


or:


"See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world."

Click here --> Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 15, 2023 2:28 PM in response to JayInTX

If Ask to Buy isn't working, read the suggestions in the document: If Ask to Buy isn't working - Apple Support about looking for the request in Messages or Notification Center.


Make sure notifications haven't been disabled. This article discusses notifications: Use notifications on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

and this one Change notification settings on iPhone - Apple Support


Make sure the software is up to date on all devices involved.


Sometimes it helps to have the devices involved take a fresh look at settings:

● Try signing out of accounts and back in again.

Sign out of iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac - Apple Support

Sign in with your Apple ID - Apple Support

● Restarting is a simple step that can resolve many unexpected behaviors.

iPhone: Restart your iPhone - Apple Support then choose your model.

iPad: Restart your iPad - Apple Support

Mac: Ways to start up your Mac - Apple Support


If a problem persists, particularly over several days, try contacting Apple for assistance:


Click here --> Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support Select your country, then a product. If you don't see one that handles your issue then keep experimenting with selections until you reach one that gets you a chat session or a telephone call and get the representative to redirect you.


or:


"See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world."

Click here --> Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support


Feb 15, 2023 2:28 PM in response to JayInTX

Here is a solution where editing the name of a mobile device resolved recent occurrences of this issue. It has worked for at least 14 people (and likely many more who never provided feedback after seeing that solution). It isn't something that Apple has in its documentation so I am putting it in a separate post for those who are interested in exploring beyond Apple's formally documented solutions (although several people have reported they were told about it by official Apple Support).


Go to: Settings > General > About > Name

Change the name

Then "Done" and retry.


You can also achieve the same thing by resetting network settings but that will also reset other network features.

iOS download request from children broken

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