How to Cancel Apple News+: A Complete Guide to Managing Your Subscription
Apple News+ is Apple's premium magazine and news subscription service, bundled into the Apple News app. Whether you signed up directly, through a family sharing plan, or as part of an Apple One bundle, canceling works differently depending on how your subscription is structured. Here's what you need to know before you tap that cancel button.
What Is Apple News+ (and What You're Actually Canceling)
Apple News (the free app) and Apple News+ (the paid subscription tier) are two different things. The free News app stays on your device regardless — what you're canceling is the $12.99/month premium subscription that unlocks full magazine access, audio stories, and expanded content.
This distinction matters because many users try to cancel by deleting the app, which doesn't stop billing. Your subscription lives in your Apple ID account, not on your device.
How to Cancel Apple News+ on iPhone or iPad
This is the most straightforward path for most users:
- Open Settings
- Tap your name at the top (your Apple ID)
- Tap Subscriptions
- Find Apple News+ in the list
- Tap it, then tap Cancel Subscription
- Confirm when prompted
Your access continues until the end of your current billing period. Apple does not issue prorated refunds for unused time in most standard cases.
📱 If you don't see Apple News+ listed, scroll through all active and expired subscriptions — it may be listed under a slightly different name depending on your region.
How to Cancel Apple News+ on a Mac
If you manage subscriptions from your Mac:
- Open the App Store
- Click your name or profile icon in the bottom-left corner
- Click View Information at the top of the page
- Scroll to the Subscriptions section and click Manage
- Find Apple News+ and click Edit
- Select Cancel Subscription
Alternatively, on macOS Ventura and later, you can go to System Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions and manage it from there — the same flow as on iPhone.
Canceling Apple News+ Through Apple One
This is where things get more nuanced. Apple One is Apple's bundle that packages multiple services — Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, and in higher tiers, Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+.
If your Apple News+ access comes through an Apple One subscription, you can't cancel News+ independently. Your options are:
- Downgrade to an Apple One tier that doesn't include News+ (Individual or Family tiers, for example, don't include News+ — only Premier does)
- Cancel Apple One entirely and re-subscribe to only the individual services you want
To check which plan you're on, follow the same Subscriptions path in Settings. The subscription name will appear as Apple One rather than Apple News+.
Canceling if You're on a Family Sharing Plan
If a family organizer set up the Apple News+ subscription, only that person can cancel it. Individual family members can't cancel a shared subscription from their own accounts.
The family organizer needs to follow the cancellation steps above from their own Apple ID. Once canceled, the subscription ends for all family members simultaneously at the billing cycle's end.
If you are the subscriber but want to remove someone from Family Sharing without canceling the subscription, that's managed separately under Settings → [Your Name] → Family Sharing.
What Happens After You Cancel
| After Cancellation | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Access to content | Continues until billing period ends |
| Downloaded issues | May no longer be accessible after access ends |
| Free Apple News | Remains available — nothing changes |
| Re-subscribing | Can restart anytime through the same Subscriptions menu |
| Billing | Stops at end of current cycle |
One important note: downloaded magazine issues inside the News app are tied to your active subscription. Once your paid access ends, that downloaded content typically becomes inaccessible, even if it was saved for offline reading.
Can You Get a Refund?
Apple's standard policy does not automatically offer refunds for cancellations mid-cycle. However, you can request a refund through Apple's official refund portal at reportaproblem.apple.com for recent charges. Refund approvals are handled case by case and depend on your usage history, region, and how recently the charge occurred.
Variables That Affect Your Cancellation Path 🔍
Several factors determine which steps actually apply to you:
- How you originally subscribed — directly, through Apple One, or via a third-party promotion
- Whether you're the account holder or a family sharing member
- Which Apple One tier you're subscribed to, if applicable
- Your device and OS version — the Settings layout has shifted across iOS/macOS updates, so menu names may differ slightly
- Your region — Apple News+ isn't available in all countries, and subscription management interfaces can vary
Users who signed up through a free trial offer attached to a device purchase, student deal, or promotional code may find their subscription is linked to specific terms that affect how and when cancellation takes effect.
The path that's simplest for one person — say, someone with a standalone News+ subscription on a single iPhone — looks quite different for someone on a Premier Apple One family plan who also wants to keep Apple Music and iCloud+ active. Understanding exactly how your subscription is structured is the piece that makes all the other steps fall into place.