Purchasing a game, downloadable content, a movie, or any other digital item from the PlayStation Store does not have to be an irreversible decision; Sony has a refund system in place to allow you to get your money back. If you act quickly, you can even get money back on the purchase of a PlayStation Plus membership, so PS Store refunds are very possible.
Basically, you can get your money back within 14 days of making your purchase, no questions asked, with one major caveat: you cannot download the item in question because the moment you do, you will lose the ability to get a refund.
In other words, you should disable automatic downloads in your console’s settings to give yourself the best chance of getting a refund on an unsatisfactory purchase.
However, pre-orders can be a little tricky – if you pre-order within 14 days of the game’s upcoming release, you can get a refund at any time within 14 days of your actual pre-order.
If you pre-ordered before that time, you can get a refund at any time before the game is released.
But how do you go about putting this into practice? Let’s find out…
Playstation Refund Policies and Procedures
Learning and becoming acquainted with the refund policy and rules is an important first step. You’ll know right away if your product is eligible for a refund, so you won’t waste time going through the rest of the process if your product isn’t.
#1. Categorizing Your Content and Product Type
Each refund type will have outlined specifications to determine whether or not your product is eligible for a refund. So, we’ve listed each content type below, as well as how the general refund process works.
- Games and add-ons: Full games, downloadable content, in-game consumables, and season passes are all included in this category. You have 14 days from the date of purchase to request a refund. If you downloaded and streamed your purchase, you are not eligible for a refund unless you have proof that your product is defective.
- Promotional packages: Game deals (for example, buy two, get one free in a bundled package) are refundable within 14 days of the transaction date, provided you have not yet downloaded or streamed the bundle.
- Subscription-based services: You have 14 days from the date of purchase to request a refund, including any free trials that came with your product. Please keep in mind that depending on how long you’ve been a subscriber, you may not receive the full refund. Activities such as online gaming, cloud storage, and monthly game downloads will reduce your refund amount.
- Pre-orders: You can request a refund for pre-orders placed before 14 days before the content’s release date. If you placed your pre-order after 14 days after the content’s release date, you have only 14 days from the date of your order to request a refund (assuming you never downloaded any content). If you receive a refund, you will also lose any extra content or bonuses that came with your pre-order.
#2. Refunding Change of Online ID and Vouchers
Please keep in mind that you cannot receive a refund for the money you spent to change your online ID; any other purchases, such as items purchased from PlayStation Direct, PlayStation gift cards, and retailer vouchers, are not eligible for a refund.
#3. Policy on Cancellation
For more information, see the official PlayStation Store cancellation policy. It is important to note that any funds added to your wallet are non-refundable. When choosing to top up, we recommend exercising caution.
#4. Ineligible Original Payment Method
In most cases, your refund will be credited to your original method of payment (such as a credit card or PayPal). Keep in mind that some payment methods are not eligible for refunds: Bancontact (MisterCash), Paysafecard, and money vouchers are all options.
#5. Cases Where the Original Payment Method Has Expired
If the original payment method is no longer valid, Sony will credit the amount to your PSN wallet; keep a record if the account is already shared with other family members. There is currently no way to refund money sent to the wallet; however, you can enable parental controls to keep the monthly spending limit at $0.00.
How to Request a Refund via the PlayStation App
The PlayStation App will direct you to the correct page and give you instructions on how to begin the refund process; always stay connected to the internet as you go through these steps to avoid interruptions while contacting customer service.
- Download the PlayStation App from the Google Play Store
- Open the PlayStation App and select Sign In. On the next screen, enter your Sign-in ID (email address) and password. Click, Next.
- If this is your first time using the PlayStation App, you should read the features before proceeding to the main page. Continue by tapping Next, then on the ‘Promos and offers’ screen, tap Maybe Later. To complete the setup, tap Next.
- You’ve arrived at the home page of the PlayStation App. You can use it to access PlayStation news, your gaming library, the PlayStation Store, and other features.
- Tap Settings (gear icon), then PlayStation Network, then Support.
- Then, go to the PlayStation Support page and select PS Store & Refunds > Refunds > I’m requesting a refund from the PlayStation Store.
- Select the best option for your purchase type. Select Refund Request. You’ll be contacted by a Customer Support bot who will walk you through the rest of the process.
How to Deactivate Auto Funding for Pre-Orders and Subscriptions
Learning how to avoid shady credit card charges can keep you from needing a refund in the first place — and it will only take you a few minutes. You can manually manage your reminders by turning off the auto fund function for pre-orders and subscriptions, or you can use an app like Google Calendar to create tasks.
- Start the PlayStation App.
- Navigate to the PlayStation Store by tapping on the shopping bag icon at the bottom of the home page.
- Tap the Hamburger (three horizontal lines) button > Payment Methods. For security reasons, you may need to log in again.
- Turn off the ‘Automatically Add Funds to Renew Subscriptions or Pay for Pre-Ordered Content’ slider.
Viewing the Transaction History
Keeping track of what you’ve bought (or others if it’s a shared family account) can help you plan your future spending and manage multiple accounts for other family members. Fortunately, the app can view your transactions, but old history is occasionally archived, so we recommend keeping a personal record annually.
How To View the Transaction History on the PlayStation App
After you’ve logged into the correct PSN account and downloaded the app to your Android device, follow the steps below.
- Launch the PlayStation app and navigate to the PS Store (at the bottom of the page).
- Tap the Hamburger (three horizontal lines) button > Transaction History.
- To view the transaction details, tap on any product purchase entry.
How to Disable Automatic Downloads
If you frequently preorder games, there is a step you can take to ensure that you will be able to request a refund. Only if you haven’t downloaded or preloaded your purchases will you be eligible for a refund. As a result, you’ll have to disable your PS4 or PS5’s time-saving Automatic Downloads feature.
Turning off this feature has more drawbacks than advantages. While you can still request a refund, the system will no longer download your games while you’re doing something else. Instead, you’ll have to download and install your games manually in your spare time. This will have an effect on titles you already own because you’ll have to manually install updates. However, if that isn’t a big deal for you or if your internet speeds are extremely fast, it will be less of a burden.
Turning off Automatic Downloads on a PlayStation 5
To ensure that your preorders do not preload on PS5, follow these steps:
- To open the Settings menu, select the top-right cog icon on the home screen.
- Scroll down to Game/App Settings and Saved Data.
- Scroll down to Automatic Updates on the left.
- Turn off Auto-Download and Auto-Install in Rest Mode on the right. This prevents your PS5 from automatically downloading game updates and preorder downloads.
Turning off Automatic Downloads on a PlayStation 4
To do the same on the PS4, follow these steps:
- To begin, go to the top-level row of options and then click on Settings.
- Scroll down and click the System option.
- Automatic Downloads are the second option from the top. Select that option.
- Finally, deactivate the Application Update Files setting. This will prevent your PS4 from downloading and installing updates as well as preloading data.
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