Warning for millions of iPhone and Android owners to check for ‘vampire’ bills

ANYONE with an iPhone or Android mobile should check for “vampire” bills.

They may be quietly draining your bank in the background without you ever realising.

1

Thankfully it’s easy to check for (and cancel) app subscriptions on iPhone and Android devices.

Sometimes apps will try to trick you into signing up for subscriptions.

Other times, you’ll sign up for something and then forget to cancel it.

Maybe you want to claim a free trial, but cancel before the first payment is due.

Whatever the reason, it’s possible to cancel these subscriptions and save your hard-earned cash.

However, note that you can only cancel subscriptions that you signed up to through the official app store mechanisms – and not if you signed up elsewhere, like the Netflix website.

How to check and cancel iPhone subscriptions

Apple subscriptions actually live inside your Settings app – rather than the App Store itself.

You’ll need to tap your name at the top of the Settings menu first.

Then near the top, you’ll see a tab for Subscriptions – tap that.

In there, you’ll find all of your subscriptions that were activated through the App Store.

It’ll also show billing dates, which is when you’re charged.

If you tap on an individual subscription, you can see the cost of the subscription.

And you’ll also be able to change whether you’re charged weekly, monthly or yearly and so on – depending on which options are offered.

There’s also a big red Cancel Subscription button at the bottom, if you want to scrap your plan completely.

Generally you’ll retain access to the service until the current billing cycle runs out, but it’s worth checking first before cancelling.

How to cancel a Google Play subscription

Firstly, note that uninstalling an app won’t cancel your subscription.

Go into the Google Play Store, and make sure you’re signed into the correct account.

Then tap Menu > Subscriptions and choose the payment plan you want to cancel.

Tap Cancel Subscription and then follow the instructions.

You’ll still be able to use your subscription for the time you’ve already paid – but the plan will no longer renew.

How to pause a subscription on Google Play

Alternatively, you can pause a subscription – if an app allows it.

This means your plan will pause at the end of your current billing period.

Open the Google Play Store on your phone or tablet, and make sure you’re logged in on the correct account.

Tap Menu > Subscriptions and choose the subscription you want to pause.

Then tap Manage > Pause Payments and choose the time period you want.

Finally, tap Confirm to pause the payments.

Best Phone and Gadget tips and hacks

Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find those secret features within social media apps? We have you covered…

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]