Apple Refund Approved but No Money Yet? How Long an Apple Refund Takes to Arrive

Short answer: "approved" doesn't mean the money lands in your account the same minute. There are really two separate clocks: the time Apple takes to decide your request, and the time the money takes to arrive after it's approved. That second clock depends on your payment method — if Apple approves the refund, an Apple Account balance or store credit is typically returned up to about 48 hours later, cards and most methods up to about 30 days, and carrier (mobile-phone) billing up to about 60 days. This page breaks down both clocks so "approved but nothing yet" makes sense. You do everything yourself; we just help you prepare. This page is general information, not professional advice.

Two clocks: the decision, then the money

It helps to keep these apart, because they answer different questions:

• The decision clock. After you submit at reportaproblem.apple.com, Apple's own guidance is to wait 24 to 48 hours for an update on your request. Treat that as an update window, not a guaranteed decision time — Apple does not promise a fixed timeline, and some requests take longer. Whether you get a refund at all is at Apple's sole discretion.
• The money clock. Only after a refund is approved does the second clock start — the time for the money to actually be credited back. That's the part people miss when they see "approved" and expect the balance instantly.

So "approved but no money yet" is usually normal: you've cleared the first clock and you're waiting on the second.

How long the money takes to arrive, by payment method

If Apple approves the refund, how long the money takes to be credited back depends on how you paid:

• Apple Account balance / store credit — up to about 48 hours to be credited.
• Credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Apple Cash, and most other methods — up to about 30 days to arrive back.
• Mobile-phone (carrier) billing — up to about 60 days to arrive.

These are the times for the money to be returned after an approval — not the time to decide the request, and not a deadline on your side. They're also maximums ("up to"), so it may well arrive sooner.

"It says approved, but I still don't see the money"

If your request shows as approved and the money isn't there yet, work through this:

1. Check which method it's going back to. Store credit is the quickest; cards and most methods can take up to about 30 days; carrier billing up to about 60. Match your wait against the right row above.
2. See whether the arrival window has actually elapsed. If it's been a day and you paid by card, you're well inside the normal window — there's simply nothing to do but wait.
3. There's nothing to resubmit. Once a refund is approved, the payout is Apple's process on the payment-method side; sending another request won't speed it up and can muddle your case.

One related note: if the charge was still pending when you tried, you couldn't have requested a refund on it yet — a pending charge can't be refunded until you've received the email receipt. That's a different situation from an approved-but-not-yet-arrived refund.

This is arrival time — not a request deadline

Don't confuse the money-arrival window with a deadline to ask in the first place. Apple doesn't publish a fixed calendar deadline for refund requests, so an older charge isn't automatically out of scope — sooner is just easier to find and file. For who's eligible and how the request is judged, see Am I eligible for an Apple refund?. For the full step-by-step of submitting, see How to request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com.

How Claimly helps (and what it will never do)

Claimly helps you prepare a clear, specific request before you submit — it can't change Apple's decision or how fast the money is credited afterwards. For your case, the tool:

• Structures your evidence — walks you through the specific items that back up your request (receipt, cancellation confirmation, charge screenshot), with a per-payment-method checklist.
• Assesses how strong your case is — a readiness gauge that shows what's solid and what's missing before you submit.
• Generates a clear appeal letter — turning your specific fact, date, evidence, and request into a clear, factual note you copy into your own submission.

What it does not do, by design: it never signs in as you, and we never submit the request for you — you submit it yourself at Apple. We do not store your Apple ID or password. And we do not guarantee a refund — or a payout time: whether you get a refund, and how fast it's credited, is up to Apple and your payment provider.

Start preparing your request — free

Create a case, organise your evidence step by step, and see how strong the request is before you submit — all free. The appeal-letter package is free during launch too — no payment needed to generate your letters.

Independent service — not affiliated with, endorsed by, operated by, or reviewed by Apple. "Apple", "App Store", and "Apple ID" are trademarks of Apple Inc., used here only to refer to the services they name. This tool covers Apple App Store / Apple billing refunds only — not other merchants or payment channels. You sign in and submit the request yourself; we never do it for you.