This should bring up a selection of things that you can do to manage your Google Play experience, like changing your payment information, checking your Play Points rewards, signing up for Play Pass, and more. We aren’t interested in those right now, though; you’re going to want to tap on Settings to get to the next step.
Turn on Purchase Authentication on Settings
There are quite a few settings available in Google Play. Like before, these will let you fine-tune your Google Play experience to adjust parental controls, change when apps can auto-update and whether or not they’ll use mobile data, app archive options, and more. For this guide, we’re interested in the Authentication section of this menu.
In the authentication menu is an option for changing when you need purchase authentication. You have a few options here, ranging from incredibly strict to no passwords required whatsoever. Depending on your situation and who else might be using your phone, you’ll want to pick the one that makes the most sense for you.
Requiring authentication for all purchases through Google Play on this device means you’ll need to put in your password or use biometric ID anytime you try and buy something on Google Play. This is the safest option and will prevent all unwanted purchases; unless someone knows your password or can duplicate your fingerprint, you’re safe.
Requiring every 30 minutes skips that authentication if you make another purchase within 30 minutes of the previous purchase. This adds some security, but still enables some convenience if you’re buying multiple items at a time. This can be risky if a child is playing games, though, since additional purchases can be made in the window after you authorize an initial charge.
Never requiring authentication is exactly what it sounds like. Google Play will never prompt for a password on your device, so all purchases will go through instantly. This is obviously the most high-risk option, but the most convenient for someone that never allows others to use their phone. If your phone is stolen and the lock screen PIN is figured out, though, you could have a problem.
It’s up to you to decide which option makes the most sense, but for maximum security, fully requiring authentication for every purchase is the most safe decision.
