“There Is an Active Subscription on This Account” Best iPhone Fixes

Error messages are the worst! The last thing anyone wants is to be stuck with an error message that does not seem to have a fix – especially when it’s related to money. As great as the iPhone is, it’s not always easy to use, especially when facing errors regarding your account.

The infamous error message, ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ is one of the most frustrating errors you can get on an iPhone. Luckily, we have a lot of fixes for it – and then some.

“There Is an Active Subscription on This Account” Causes

The ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error occurs when trying to remove all payment methods without first cancelling active subscriptions, iCloud storage plans or free trials. The error usually goes further to say you must have at least one payment method. You might not be on any active paid subscriptions, but free trials, free subscriptions or incomplete/pending/expired subscriptions remain active on your account and are usually the cause of the error.

Unpaid Bills

Another cause for the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error could be a close due payment date, an unpaid balance or unpaid subscription. If you have one, you will be unable to remove or change your payment method until the payments are made.

Apple Music

You should also check your Apple Music or iTunes subscriptions. If they are still active while trying to remove or change your payment method, it will result in the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error. You would need to cancel these subscriptions first. To reiterate, any subscription or trial must be cancelled to avoid the error – including iCloud Storage Plans.

Apple Family

If you are the organiser of an Apple family, you might encounter the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error when trying to remove or change your payment method. You would need to turn off purchase sharing to resolve this error.

*It is important to note that deleting an app does not cancel its subscription. You must cancel the subscription via your phone’s settings or the app’s official website.*

“There Is An Active Subscription On This Account” 5 Best Ideas To Fix

To fix the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error, you need to cancel any subscriptions, free trials, free subscriptions, or iCloud Storage plan on your account. To do this;

1. Go to Settings and click on your name
2. Select Subscriptions and select an app
3. Select Cancel Subscription >> Confirm
4. You can repeat this for the other apps on the list to remove all subscriptions

*Note that unsubscribing from a paid service or app would take effect at the end of the current cycle. You will have to wait until the cycle ends to remove the payment method*

To cancel your iCloud Storage plan;

1. First, backup to your Mac or PC
2. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> iCloud >> Manage Storage >> Change Storage Plan
3. You will be prompted to type in your Apple ID password
4. Next, scroll down and select Downgrade Options
5. Select the Free plan under Choose Downgrade and tap Done in the top right corner

Fix 1: Change Region

You can also resolve the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error by changing or resetting your country/region and then setting your payment method to none. Do this with these steps;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Media & Purchases >> View Account
2. You will be prompted to type in your iPhone password or use Touch ID/face ID
3. Select Country/Region >> Change Country or Region
4. You should see a tick icon next to your country, select another country and then select your country again to reset it
5. Next, select Agree
6. Then, select None when prompted for a payment method and type in your billing information
7. Follow the onscreen prompts to finish

Fix 2: Add And Remove

If you encounter the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error when trying to change your payment method, we recommend adding the new payment method before removing the old one. Follow these steps;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping >> Add Payment Method
2. Fill in your card details and billing information correctly
3. Tap Done in the top right corner to finish
4. To remove the old payment method, go to the Payment & Shipping page
5. Select the old payment method on the list and select Remove Payment Method > Remove

*Note that you will be charged a certain amount after adding a new payment method. It is a payment authorisation that will be reversed within 24 to 48 hours.*

Fix 3: Itunes

If you cannot remove your payment method or add a new one on your iPhone, you can try doing it through iTunes on your computer.

1. First, you would need to download the iTunes app on your computer from the official Apple website or the Microsoft Store
2. Launch the app and sign in
3. Next, select Store from the top menu  
4. Select Account under MUSIC QUICK LINKS in the right menu
5. You should see your Payment Information under Apple ID Summary
6. Click on Manage Payments next to it
7. Here, you can select Add Payment and type in your card details and billing info to add a new card or select Edit next to the existing payment method and click Remove Payment Method at the bottom of the page to remove it
8. After adding a new payment method on iTunes, you will need to go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping on your iPhone, select the new payment method and type in the security code (CVV) again to verify it

Fix 4: Purchase Sharing

As aforementioned, if you are the organiser of an Apple Music family, you might be unable to change or remove your payment method. This is because you most likely have purchase sharing turned on – turning it off would resolve the issue.

To turn off purchase sharing;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Family Sharing >> Purchase Sharing >> Continue
2. Follow the onscreen prompts and tap Purchase Sharing again
3. Tap Stop Purchase Sharing

Why Does My App Store Say Verification Required? How To Fix It

The ‘verification required’ error on App Store comes up when the device/account;

1. Has never been used to purchase a paid app
2. Has never been used to download a free app
3. Has a pending unpaid bill
4. Has a faulty or expired credit/debit card
5. Has other payment method errors

To fix the ‘verification required’ error on App Store, you can;

1. Update the details of your payment method
   1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping
   1. Select the payment method
   1. Type in updated details
   1. Tap Done in the top right corner
2. Add a valid card/payment method
   1. Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping >> Add Payment Method
3. Remove your payment method
   1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping
   1. Select the card/payment method on the list
   1. Select Remove Payment Method >> Remove
4. Pay unpaid balance
   1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Media & Purchases >> View Account >> Purchase History
   1. You should see any unpaid or pending balance here
   1. If you find one, click on Amount you Owe and follow the onscreen prompts to pay
5. If you are in an Apple family, contact the organiser to update or change the payment method
6. Contact Apple support

Read also: What Does Sync Mean on My Phone? 

Why Are You Unable To Remove Payment Method On Apple?

If you are unable to remove the payment method on Apple or you encounter the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error when trying to remove or change a payment method, you may have active subscriptions/free trials, unpaid bills, expired/pending subscriptions or a close due payment date on your account. Additionally, if you are the organiser of an Apple family facing this problem, you need to turn off purchase sharing.

You might also experience this issue if your device has never been used to download an app from the App store or if you recently moved to a new country or region. It could also be that the process is not working on your iPhone, but it might work on your computer via iTunes – see the steps below. You can also try to add a new payment before removing the existing one – see our ‘5 Best Ideas to Fix’ above.

How To Remove Card From iPhone With Active Subscriptions

You can only remove a card from your iPhone with active subscriptions at the end of the subscription period. To remove a card/payment method from your Apple ID;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping
2. Select the card/payment method on the list
3. Select Remove Payment Method >> Remove

If it does not work through your iPhone, you can do it through iTunes on your computer;

1. First, you would need to download the iTunes app on your computer from the official Apple website or the Microsoft Store
2. Launch the app and sign in
3. Next, select Store from the top menu  
4. Select Account under MUSIC QUICK LINKS in the right menu
5. You should see your Payment Information under Apple ID Summary
6. Click on Manage Payments next to it
7. Select Edit next to the card/payment method
8. Click Remove Payment Method at the bottom of the page to remove it

*Note that you will be charged a certain amount after adding a new payment method. It is a payment authorisation that will be reversed within 24 to 48 hours.*

How To Remove Billing Information On iPhone

To remove your billing information on your iPhone;

1. Go to Settings > Your Name > Payment & Shipping
2. Select the card/payment method on the list
3. Select Remove Payment Method > Remove

Why Is My Payment Method Declined On Apple?

If your payment method is declined, you should check that;

1. Your payment information is updated and correct
2. You have no unpaid bills on your account
3. Your credit/debit card is active and not expired
4. Apple accepted your payment method
5. Your card allows international transactions
6. Your balance can cover the purchase
7. Your spending limit allows the purchase
8. Your Apple ID country/region matches the country/region where you got the card

To fix this, you can;

1. Update your device
2. Restart your device
3. Add a new and active payment method
4. Update your card/billing information
5. Pay any unpaid bills
6. Contact your Apple family organiser to update the payment information or change the payment method
7. Sign out of the App store and iTunes, wait a few minutes and sign in again
8. Contact Apple support
9. Contact your bank or credit/debit card issuer 

How To Find Subscriptions On iPhone

To find the active subscriptions on your iPhone, launch the Settings app, tap on your name or Apple ID at the top of the page and select Subscriptions. Here, you should see a list of all the apps on which you have active subscriptions and free trials. To cancel any subscription, simply select the app, and click on Cancel Subscription > Confirm.

You can also find subscriptions on iPhone by navigating to Settings >> Your Name >> Media & Purchases >> View Account >> Subscriptions.

How To Unsubscribe And Cancel Subscriptions From An App On iPhone

You can unsubscribe and cancel subscriptions from the App Store app on iPhone using these steps;

1. Launch the app, select Search from the bottom menu and tap on your profile picture
2. Select your name or Apple ID at the top of the page
3. Scroll down and select Subscriptions
4. Select the app you wish to unsubscribe from and tap Cancel Subscription > Confirm

*Note that unsubscribing from a paid service or app would take effect at the end of the current cycle. You will have to wait until the cycle ends to remove the payment method*

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How To Cancel Apple Music Subscription

To cancel an Apple Music subscription on your iPhone via the Apple Music App;

1. Launch the app and tap Listen Now from the bottom menu
2. Click on your profile picture, scroll down and select Account Settings >> Subscriptions
3. Select the Apple Music app, and click on Cancel Subscription >> Confirm

To cancel an Apple Music subscription via the Settings app;

1. Launch the Settings app
2. Tap on your name or Apple ID at the top of the page
3. Select Subscriptions
4. Here, you should see a list of all the apps you have active subscriptions and free trials on
5. Select the Apple Music app, and click on Cancel Subscription >> Confirm

To cancel an Apple Music subscription via the Apple Music website;

1. Go to music.apple.com
2. Sign in with your Apple ID
3. Click on the profile icon in the top right corner
4. Scroll down to the Subscriptions section and select Manage >> Cancel Subscription

To cancel an Apple Music subscription on an Android;

1. Launch the Apple Music app
2. Select Listen Now from the bottom menu
3. Tap the menu icon (three dots) at the top right corner
4. Select Account > Manage Subscription > Cancel Subscription > Confirm

To cancel an Apple Music subscription on your Windows computer via iTunes;

1. First, you would need to download the iTunes app on your computer from the official Apple website or the Microsoft Store
2. Launch the app and sign in
3. Next, select Store from the top menu  
4. Select Account under MUSIC QUICK LINKS in the right menu
5. Scroll down to the Settings section; you should see your Subscriptions under it
6. Select Manage next to it
7. Then click Edit > Cancel Subscription

To cancel an Apple Music subscription on your Mac computer via the App Store app;

1. Launch the app
2. Select Store from the top menu bar and choose View My Account from the dropdown
3. Select View Information from the top menu
4. Scroll down to the Manage section and select Manage next to Subscriptions
5. Click Edit next to the Apple Music subscription and tap Cancel Subscription > Confirm

*Note that unsubscribing from a paid service or app would take effect at the end of the current cycle.*

Read also: What Causes Poor Signal Strength on Android and iPhones?

How Do I Stop Itunes From Charging My Credit Card? – The Options

To stop iTunes from charging your credit card, you can either remove your payment method, cancel automatic subscriptions, remove all payment methods via the iTunes app, or remove unknown devices logged in with your Apple ID. You can also turn off purchase sharing if you are an Apple Music family organiser or contact Apple support.

Payment Method

To remove a credit card/payment method from your Apple ID;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping
2. Select the card/payment method on the list
3. Select Remove Payment Method >> Remove

Automatic Subscriptions

To cancel automatic subscriptions;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Media & Purchases >> View Account >> Purchase History
2. Here, you can see your subscriptions, how much is charged for them and when the next payment will be charged
3. Cancel the subscriptions by tapping them and clicking Cancel Subscription >> Confirm

All Payment Methods

To remove all payment methods through the iTunes app, you must ensure you have no active/ pending subscriptions, unpaid bills, iCloud+ or other Apple plans.

1. Launch the iTunes app
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Apple ID >> View Apple ID
3. You will be prompted to sign in using your password or face/touch ID
4. Select Manage Payments and select None from the payment type options
5. If you don’t see the None option, it means you have active or pending subscriptions
6. You can also try removing the payment methods one after the other

Unknown Devices

To check for and remove unknown devices logged in with your Apple ID;

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name
2. Scroll down to see the devices logged in with your Apple ID
3. Tap on the unrecognised device and select Remove from account

How To Remove Credit Card From Apple ID

To remove a credit card/payment method from your Apple ID;

• Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping
• Select the card/payment method on the list
• Select Remove Payment Method >> Remove

If it does not work through your iPhone, you can do it through iTunes on your computer;

• First, you would need to download the iTunes app on your computer from the official Apple website or the Microsoft Store
• Launch the app and sign in
• Next, select Store from the top menu  
• Select Account under MUSIC QUICK LINKS in the right menu
• You should see your Payment Information under Apple ID Summary
• Click on Manage Payments next to it
• Select Edit next to the card/payment method
• Click Remove Payment Method at the bottom of the page to remove it

*Note that you will be charged a certain amount after adding a new payment method. It is a payment authorisation that will be reversed within 24 to 48 hours.*

How To Turn Off Auto-Renew On iPhone

To turn off auto-renew on iPhone;

1. Go to Settings >> Media & Purchases >> View Account
2. You will be prompted to sign in to your Apple ID using the password or face/touch ID
3. Scroll down and select Subscriptions
4. Select the subscription and toggle off Automatic Renewal

Alternatively, you can contact the company or cancel the subscription. This works best if you only want access to the service for a little longer. After cancelling, you can still access the service until the cycle ends, as unsubscribing or cancelling a subscription only takes effect at the end of the current cycle.

If you don’t see the Automatic Renewal or Cancel Subscription button, it could mean that the subscription has already been cancelled and will not auto-renew.

How To Change Payment Method On iPhone App Store

To change payment method on iPhone App Store;

1. Launch the App Store app
2. Select Search from the bottom menu
3. Click on your profile picture at the top right corner
4. Click on your name or Apple ID at the top
5. You might be prompted to type in your iPhone password or use touch/face ID
6. Select Manage Payments
7. You can choose to Add Payment before removing the existing payment method(s) or add an additional payment method
8. To add, select Add Payment, type in your card details and billing information
9. To remove, select the card/payment method you wish to remove and tap Remove Payment Method >> Remove

Read also: What to Do With “iMessage Not Saying Delivered”

How To Bypass Billing Info On App Store

To bypass billing info on the App store, select ‘None’ as your payment method. This way, you would not have to provide card details or billing info. However, it is essential to note that this will prevent you from subscribing to any paid services or purchasing paid apps on your account – you would need to provide a payment method to do this.

To bypass billing info with a new Apple ID;

1. If you are already signed in with a different Apple ID, you can sign out by going to Settings >> Your Name >> Media & Purchases >> Sign Out
2. After signing out, launch the App Store app
3. Pick any free app, and tap Get to download it
4. You will be prompted to Sign in with an Apple ID
5. Select Create New Apple ID
6. You will be asked to provide a payment method; select None
7. Follow the onscreen prompts to finish creating your account

To bypass billing info with an existing Apple ID;

*Before taking this step, you must ensure you do not have any active, pending or unpaid subscriptions. You should also check that you don’t have ongoing free trials, iCloud+ subscriptions or unpaid bills, and if you are the organiser of an Apple family, be sure to turn off ‘Purchase Sharing’. Otherwise, you would encounter the ‘There is an active subscription on this account’ error*

1. Go to Settings >> Your Name >> Payment & Shipping
2. You will be prompted to sign in
3. Tap Edit in the top right corner and click the red delete button (-) next to each payment method on the list
4. Click on Done in the top right corner after removing all the payment methods

Why Is Apple Trying To Charge Me For Free Apps?

If Apple charges you for free Apps, you should check that you have not made an in-app purchase within the app. Free apps are free to use, but they could have in-app purchases that will be charged to your account if you make them. To identify such apps, look out for the In-App Purchases indication under the Get button in App Store.

You can check your purchase history to see where the charge is coming from, what it’s for, and if multiple charges were grouped into one. To do this, go to Settings >> Your Name >> Media & Purchases > View Account > Purchase History. To see older purchases, select Last 90 Days at the top and choose a different period.

If you can’t find purchase in your purchase history, try checking again with your other Apple IDs if you have more than one. If you are certain about not making the purchase, you should ask the members of your Apple Family if they did or request a refund. Otherwise, you should contact Apple Support – someone else might be using your Apple ID.

To request a refund from Apple;

1. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com
2. Sign in with your Apple ID
3. Click on I would like to… and select Request a refund from the options
4. Next, click Tell us more… and select a reason from the options
5. Tap Next and select a service from your purchase history displayed under the search bar or search for the app using the search bar
6. Click on the purchase when you find it and tap Submit at the top

You should note that a temporary store holding charge will be made on your account every time you change, add a new payment method or add a new member to your Apple family. Depending on your card issuer, this charge should be reversed within 24-48 hours. If this is the charge you are worried about, then you need not worry.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay Your Apple Music Bill?

If you don’t pay your apple music bill, your subscription will be cancelled, and you will be unable to access the music in your library on the Apple Music app. However, Apple will continue to keep track of your music library while waiting for you to pay the bill – sometimes, you might still be allowed to listen to the music in your library or your downloaded music.

After 30 days from your lapsed payment, this privilege will be lost, and your music library will be deleted from all your devices. However, you will regain full access to your music library if you pay the bill before the 30 days of grace ends.

Conclusion

iPhones can be sneaky in the sense that a subscription or free trial you thought you cancelled could still be active on your account, and you’d have no idea. Thankfully, getting rid of them is not a pain, and it is sure to resolve the ‘there is an active subscription on this account’ error. If it doesn’t, we have a plethora of fixes in this article for you to try.

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