Where to find and cancel your free trials

Free trials on iPhone live in the App Store's subscription settings, not in the apps themselves. Open the App Store app, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, then tap Subscriptions. You will see a list of all active subscriptions and free trials. Tap the trial you want to cancel, then tap Cancel Subscription or Cancel Free Trial. The app will ask you to confirm — tap again to finish.

The subscription page shows you exactly when each trial ends and when you will be charged. If you cancel before the trial period ends, your access stops immediately. If you cancel on the last day, you keep access through midnight that night, then lose it. Either way, you will not be charged.

Some apps let you manage subscriptions from inside the app itself, but Apple's App Store is the only place where cancellation always works. If an app claims you must cancel through its own settings, that is not true — the App Store is the source of truth for all iPhone subscriptions.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, then tap Subscriptions to see all active trials and when they end.
  • Tap the trial you want to cancel and select Cancel Free Trial — you will not be charged if you cancel before the trial period ends.
  • Canceling immediately stops your access to the app, but you can usually reinstall it later and start a new trial after a waiting period.
  • Check your subscriptions list once a month to catch trials you forgot about before they convert to paid subscriptions.

What happens after you cancel

Once you cancel, your access to that app's premium features stops right away. You can still use the free version of the app if one exists. Some apps become completely unusable after cancellation — those are the ones that have no free tier at all.

You can reinstall the app and sometimes start a new free trial, but most apps will not let you run another trial for at least a few months. Apple does not enforce a waiting period across all apps, so the rules depend on what the app developer decided. Check the app's description in the App Store to see if it mentions a trial period or whether you can run multiple trials.

How to see your trial end dates before they sneak up on you

The Subscriptions page shows the exact date and time your trial converts to a paid subscription. Write this date down or set a phone reminder a few days before — that way you can cancel if you decide you do not want to pay. Many people forget about trials and wake up to a charge they did not expect.

If you have already been charged after a trial ended, you can request a refund. Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, tap Purchase History, find the charge, tap it, and select Report a Problem. Explain that you did not mean to be charged and ask for a refund. Apple approves most refund requests for unwanted subscription charges within a few days.

Trials that hide in other apps

Some subscriptions are buried inside apps you might not think of as subscription services. Fitness apps, photo editors, and note-taking apps often include free trials for premium versions. Check your Subscriptions list even for apps you barely use — a trial you started weeks ago might be about to charge you.

Games sometimes offer free trials for battle passes or premium currency subscriptions. These work the same way as any other subscription — they show up in your Subscriptions list and cancel the same way. Do not trust the game's own cancellation button if it has one; always cancel through the App Store to be sure.

Trials on family accounts

If you share an Apple ID with family members through Family Sharing, each person's subscriptions appear separately in their own Subscriptions list. You can only see and cancel your own trials, not anyone else's. If a family member started a trial on a shared device, they need to cancel it themselves from their own Apple ID.

The person who pays for the family plan can see a summary of all family subscriptions in Family Settings, but they still cannot cancel individual trials — only the person who started the trial can do that. This prevents one family member from canceling another's subscriptions without permission.

Trials that do not appear in your Subscriptions list

Occasionally a trial will not show up in the Subscriptions page even though you are using it. This usually means the app is using an older payment method or the subscription was set up outside the App Store. Check the app itself for a subscription or account settings section — some apps have their own cancellation buttons for trials they manage independently.

If you cannot find the trial anywhere, contact the app's support team through the app or its website. They can tell you whether a trial is active and help you cancel it. Keep a record of any confirmation email the app sends you when you cancel, in case you get charged by mistake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose access to the app immediately if I cancel a free trial?

Yes. Once you tap Cancel Free Trial, your access to the premium features stops right away. You can still use any free version the app offers, but paid features become locked. If the app has no free tier, it becomes unusable.

Can I get a refund if I was charged after my trial ended?

Yes. Go to the App Store, tap your profile icon, select Purchase History, find the charge, tap it, and choose Report a Problem. Explain that you did not intend to be charged and request a refund. Apple usually approves these requests within a few days.

What if I cancel a trial and want to use it again later?

Most apps will let you start a new trial after a waiting period, usually a few months. Check the app's description in the App Store to see if it mentions how often you can run a trial. Some apps only allow one trial per account ever.

Do I have to cancel through the app itself, or can I always use the App Store?

Always use the App Store. Even if an app has its own cancellation button, canceling through the App Store Subscriptions page is the most reliable way to ensure the trial actually stops. The App Store is the official record of all iPhone subscriptions.

Can I see all my trials in one place?

Yes. Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and tap Subscriptions. This shows every active subscription and free trial on your account, along with the exact date each one will charge you. Check this list monthly to catch trials you forgot about.