Is there a way to block an app on family sharing that has already been approved?

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Level 1

25 points

Is there a way to block an app on family sharing that has already been approved?

So with family sharing I apparently had the app sharing enabled which allowed my son to be able to download any app that I had downloaded without "asking for permission" through the app store first. This has created some problems with a couple apps we didn't allow access to. Now that he has previously downloaded them, it won't make him ask for permission if it's downloaded again.

Does anyone know if there is a way to block this app from his apple ID "child" account or make it so he has to "ask for permission" again?

Thanks!

iPod touch, iOS 9.1

Posted on Nov 19, 2015 10:05 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 19, 2015 10:47 PM in response to the_d_fresh

You can "Hide" the app: Content can be hidden by family members; hidden content is not available for download.

To hide it, you need to go to iTunes on your computer and sign in with the ID that was used to make the original purchase. Then click on the App Store, then on Purchased under the Quick Links section on the right. Then click on iPad or iPhone and All.

You will see the list of Apps purchased under the ID that you have signed in. Find the app you want to hide, and hover the cursor over the top left-hand corner of the app icon. You will see the pointer change to a hand. Click, and the app should disappear from the screen. It is now hidden and will not be available for download. (there used to be an "x" that displayed, but apparently that is invisible now....go figure....)

To "Un-hide" purchases you would go to the iTunes Store, click on your name, then on Account Info>iTunes in the Cloud>Hidden Purchases>Manage. You will see all of your hidden purchases displayed with an "Unhide" option below them.

You may want to bookmark this link: HIDING AND UNHIDING PURCHASES

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 2

Nov 21, 2015 10:18 AM in response to the_d_fresh

He must have downloaded it using his own Apple ID, then. And you are right, in that case your only options are to either set up a new ID, or you could try contacting iTunes Support to see if they would delete it from his Apple ID's purchase history:

iTunes Support WorldWide

Sorry that didn't occur to me before.... 😟

Best of luck,

GB

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Answer 3

the_d_fresh Author

Level 1

25 points

Nov 19, 2015 10:54 PM in response to gail from maine

So this didn't work. I was able to go into my account and hide the purchase but it doesn't seem to hide the purchase from his iPod. It still shows up in the App store when searching for it. I've turned off app sharing so you can't bring up purchased apps at all through his app store, but if you search for the app it still shows up. I think I'm going to have to create a new apple ID and start fresh on it for him.

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Answer 4

the_d_fresh Author

Level 1

25 points

Nov 21, 2015 4:46 AM in response to gail from maine

Yes, deleted from the device then did those steps and still showed up even after turning off app sharing for his device. I ended up just making a new apple ID for him which worked but would be nice to be able to "unpurchase" an app so it isn't available as just a download any longer. Such is life, problem solved ultimately!

Thanks for the quick reply to my problem though!

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Answer 5

Jun 29, 2016 7:30 PM in response to the_d_fresh

I have been having a hard time with my kids and YouTube, so I finally put Safari on Restricted. Then my oldest downloaded the YouTube app again, and since I previously approved it, she could keep downloading it no matter how many times I deleted it (and took away the device). Then I figured out that YouTube has an 18+ rating - ha ha! I blocked all content over 12+ and now YouTube has disappeared. Hurray!

Settings > General > Restrictions > On. Set a 4 digit password that they don't know and can't guess. You can turn off built-in apps like Safari, and then limit other content or apps by age & explicit. Hope that helps.

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Answer 6

Nov 20, 2015 5:16 PM in response to the_d_fresh

Did you delete the app from his device?

GB

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