Stop your Child from Redownloading Deleted Apps on iPhone without Disabling the App Store
Deleting an app doesn't stop a child from redownloading it, even with Ask to Buy on. Here's how to properly block deleted apps from being redownloaded on iOS without disabling the App Store.
If you're a parent who's set up Ask to Buy so your child needs your permission to download apps to their iPhone, you might have noticed that your child can still download some apps that you've previously deleted without getting permission from a parent. Apps that are deleted can be re-downloaded by a child by tapping the cloud button on the App Store page, completely bypassing Ask to Buy. Fortunately, parents can configure Screen Time so that permission is always required for iPhone app downloads, even for previously deleted apps.
An app that has never been downloaded on the iPhone will have a Get button in the app store page.
If you've enabled Ask to Buy , parental permission is required before this app can be downloaded.
Now here's the problem: if a parent approves the app, but then reconsiders and deletes the app, the app store page for that app will have a cloud button in place of the Get button.
Once you purchase an app and uninstall it, the App Store page lets the app be downloaded freely because it's "purchased" (even free apps). Ask to Buy only applies to apps that haven't yet been purchased.
Choosing an Approach to Block Apps that are already Purchased on an iPhone
An app that has never been downloaded on the iPhone will have a Get button in the app store page.
If you've enabled Ask to Buy , parental permission is required before this app can be downloaded.
Now here's the problem: if a parent approves the app, but then reconsiders and deletes the app, the app store page for that app will have a cloud button in place of the Get button.
Once you purchase an app and uninstall it, the App Store page lets the app be downloaded freely because it's "purchased" (even free apps). Ask to Buy only applies to apps that haven't yet been purchased.
In order to always require permission to download an app, even if it was previously "purchased", a parent needs to combine Ask to Buy with other Screen Time app restrictions.
Require permission to download almost any iPhone app without disabling the App Store
This is the most comprehensive answer for parents who really want an approach as close as possible to "Ask to Download" behavior. This ensures that a parent gets a similar convenient experience to Ask to Buy.
From your child's perspective, they need to ask for permission to download an app from the App Store even if it was previously downloaded and deleted:
This "Ask to download" behavior is achieved by setting an app age rating restriction in Screen Time. In order to download an app, a child asks for an exception to the age rating restrictions (which is now possible as of iOS 26).
Here's how:
On your child's device, you'll probably notice that apps may get grayed out; they can select these grayed-out apps and ask for permission. It should look something like the image below:
This request is usually sent through the Messages app, so you could view and accept it on any apple device, similar to Ask to Buy.
When your child wants to download an app, they can select the "Ask for Exception" button on the App Store.
You can manage exceptions by accessing your child's Screen Time and going to Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web, & Games > Apps > Exceptions. You can remove exceptions at any time, but note that your child will need to ask for permission to use the app again.
Note that this doesn't work for all apps, but you can use the next approach instead.
Block a Specific App Permanently
If a particular app is one you've decided is never welcome on the device, there's a third layer that doesn't depend on the install gate at all: block the app and its network endpoints so even if it gets installed, it can't function.
- Screen Time App Limits. You can set a zero-minute App Limit on a specific app, which prevents it from launching. This is more durable than relying purely on the install restriction, because even if the app does end up installed via some path, it can't be used. See our guide on how to block apps on a kid's iPhone for the full walkthrough.
- DNS-level block via a Content Policy . A Screen Time App Limit only stops the app from running on this iPhone. Some apps are also reachable via mobile or desktop browsers, and Screen Time doesn't catch that traffic. DNS-based filtering blocks the app's domains at the network layer regardless of which browser or device is used.
For apps where you've made a permanent decision, this two-layer block, App Limit plus DNS Content Policy, works reliably for most of the workarounds a child might try, including signing into a different Apple ID or restoring the app via a backup.
Disable All App Downloads
Screen Time has a restriction that disallows installing apps on the device at all, and it does this by completely blocking the App Store; in fact, your child can't open the App Store unless you use Screen Time and re-enable it later.
We recommend several options in our dedicated guide for disabling the App Store on iPhones, but parents can use these instructions:
On your child's iPhone:
Once this is done, the App Store completely disappears from your child's App Library on their iPhone.
If Screen Time itself isn't set up yet on the device, walk through our broader guide on setting up parental controls on iPhone first.
Frequently asked questions
Is "Ask to Buy" the same as "Ask to Download"?
No. Ask to Buy is the official Apple feature name and the only one that exists in iOS settings — there is no Apple setting called Ask to Download. Despite the "Buy" wording, Ask to Buy does cover free apps, because Apple treats grabbing a free app from the App Store as a purchase claim against the Apple ID. What it does *not* cover is reinstalling an app that's already in the Apple ID's purchase history — those installs are treated as redownloads of already-owned content, not new purchases, so Ask to Buy doesn't fire. The behavior most parents want from a hypothetical "Ask to Download" — every install requires my approval — only exists if Ask to Buy and the Screen Time install restriction in Step 2 are turned on together.
If I hide an app from purchase history, can my child unhide it?
No, it's not possible to completely remove an app from the App Store's purchase history unless you start with a brand new Apple account.
Will "Don't Allow Installing Apps" break Family Sharing or app updates?
No on both.
Family Sharing is unaffected. Your child stays in your family group, location sharing still works, iCloud storage still works, and apps shared via Family Sharing remain available.
App updates run on a separate Screen Time toggle and aren't governed by the Installing Apps restriction, so apps already on the device continue to update normally. The only behavior that changes is the install action itself in the App Store: Get buttons and cloud download icons are hidden until you turn the restriction back off with the Screen Time passcode.