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Google Play Terms of Service

March 15, 2023 (View archived version)

1. Introduction

Applicable Terms. Thanks for using Google Play. Google Play is a service provided by Google Ireland Limited ('Google', 'we' or 'us'), located at Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Your use of Google Play and the apps and games (including Android Instant Apps), system services, movies, books, magazines or other digital content or services (referred to as 'Content') available through it is subject to these Google Play Terms of Service ('Play ToS') and the Google Terms of Service ('Google ToS') (together referred to as the 'Terms'). Google Play is a service as described in the Google ToS. If there is any conflict between the Play ToS and the Google ToS, the Play ToS prevail.

2. Your use of Google Play

Access to and use of Content. You may use Google Play to browse, locate, view, stream or download Content for your mobile, computer, TV, watch or other supported device ('Device'). To use Google Play, you will need a Device that meets certain system and compatibility requirements. Content available on or through Google Play may have additional system requirements. The availability of Content and features will vary between countries and not all Content or features may be available in your country. Some Content may be available to share with family members. Content on Google Play is offered by Google Commerce Limited, located at Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Such Content may originate from another source (such as an app developer, book publisher or movie studio) (the 'Provider' of the Content).

Age restrictions. In order to use Google Play, you must have a valid Google Account ('Google Account'), subject to the following age restrictions. If you are considered a minor in your country, you must have your parent or legal guardian’s permission to use Google Play and to accept the Terms. You must comply with any additional age restrictions that might apply for the use of specific Content or features on Google Play. Family managers and family members must meet these additional requirements as well.

Third-party fees. You are responsible for any access or data fees incurred from third parties (such as your Internet provider or mobile operator) in connection with your use and viewing of Content and Google Play.

Updates. Google Play, related support libraries or Content may need to be updated, for example, for bug fixes, enhanced functions, missing plug-ins and new versions (collectively, 'Updates'). Such Updates may be necessary in order for you to use Google Play or to access, download or use Content. By agreeing to these Terms and using Google Play, you agree to receive such Updates automatically. You may be able to manage Updates to certain Content via Settings in Google Play. If it is determined, however, that the Update will fix a critical security vulnerability or critical operability issue related to the Content, or will prevent abuse, the Update may be completed irrespective of your Update settings in Google Play or your Device. If another app store attempts to update Content that was initially downloaded from Google Play, you may receive a warning or such updates may be prevented entirely.

Information about you. Google’s privacy policy explains how we treat your personal data and protect your privacy when using Google Play. Google may need to provide your personal information, such as your name and email address, to Providers for the purposes of processing your transactions or provisioning Content to you. Providers agree to use this information in accordance with their privacy policies.

If you are part of a family group on Google Play, your family members in the family group will be able to see certain information about you. If you are the family manager of a family group on Google Play, family members that you invite to join the family group will see your name, photo and email address. If you join a family group as a family member, other family members will be able to see your name, photo and email address. Your family manager may also see your age, and will see a record of all purchases that you make using the designated family payment method, including a description of the Content purchased. If Content is available for family sharing and you share it with your family group, then all family members will be able to access the Content and see that you purchased it.

Unauthorised access to accounts. You must keep your account details secure and must not share them with anyone else. You must not collect or harvest any personal data of any user of Google Play or of any user of other Google services via Google Play, including account names.

Disabled accounts If Google disables access to your account in accordance with the Terms (for example, if you materially or repeatedly violate the Terms), you may be prevented from accessing Google Play, your account details or any files or other Content that is stored with your account. See the Help Centre for more information. If you are the family manager of a family on Google Play and Google disables access to your account, your family members may lose access to family features requiring a family group, such as a family payment method, family subscriptions or Content shared by family members. If you are a family member of a family on Google Play and Google disables your account, your family members will lose access to Content that you have shared with them.

Malware protection. To protect you against malicious third-party software, URLs and other security issues, Google may receive information about your Device’s network connections, potentially harmful URLs, the operating system and apps installed on your Device through Google Play or from other sources. Google may warn you if it considers an app or URL to be unsafe, or Google may remove or block its installation on your Device if it is known to be harmful to devices, data or users. You can choose to disable some of these protections in the settings on your Device. However, Google may continue to receive information about apps installed through Google Play, and apps installed on your Device from other sources may continue to be analysed for security issues without sending information to Google.

Android Instant Apps. When you click on a link on your Device, Google Play may check if an applicable instant app exists and, if so, open the link within the instant app. Any code needed to run the portions of the instant app that you access will be downloaded to your Device and kept on it temporarily. App details for an instant app can be found in the Google Play Store. Android Instant Apps data and settings are synced to devices signed in with your Google Account. You can choose to disable Android Instant Apps in the settings on your Device.

Changes to these Terms. If the Play ToS change, you will be given at least 30 days’ notice and the new Play ToS will be effective after such notice period. Your continued use of Google Play following such notice period will indicate your acceptance of the new Play ToS. The new Play ToS will apply to your use of all Content (including Content that you have installed or purchased in the past) and all subsequent installs or purchases. If you do not agree with such changes, you will be given the opportunity to download the Content that you previously purchased or installed and terminate your use of Google Play. You may continue to view that copy of the Content on your Devices in accordance with the last version of the Play ToS that you accepted.

3. Purchases and Payments

Content on Google Play is offered by Google Commerce Limited, and when you download, view, use or purchase Content on or using Google Play, you will enter into a separate contract based on these Terms (as applicable) with Google Commerce Limited.

Alternative Billing Systems for Some In-app Purchases. Some Providers may sell products and/or services in their app allowing you to use a billing system other than Google Play’s billing system. Provider is responsible to provide you with the necessary information. If you purchase products and/or services through a billing system other than Google Play’s billing system, you will enter into a separate contract based on third party terms and a third party will supply the product and/or service. You will not enter into a contract with Google Commerce Limited and Google Commerce Limited will not be considered as the seller of this product and/or service. The Play ToS (including the provisions relating to pricing, refunds, and your withdrawal rights) are not applicable to, and Google is not involved in the supply or delivery of such product and/or service.

Pre-orders. When you place a pre-order for Content, your contract for the purchase and use of that item is completed when the Content is made available to you, and you will be charged for the purchase at that time. You can cancel your pre-order at any time up to the point at which the Content becomes available to you. We will need to cancel your pre-order if the Content is withdrawn from sale through Google Play before it is made available, and we reserve the right to cancel your order in the event that the price changes before your order is fulfilled.

Family payment method. If you are the family manager of a family group on Google Play, you will be required to set up a valid family payment method for your family members to use to purchase Content on Google Play and within apps. You will be responsible for all of your family members’ purchases of Content using the family payment method. If a family group is deleted, or a family member leaves the family group, you may be charged for pending purchases made by family members using the family payment method.

Google Payments. In order to purchase Content through Google Play, you must have a Google Payments account and agree to the Google Payments Terms of Service.The Google Payments Privacy Notice applies whenever you purchase Content using a Google Payments account. You are responsible for all amounts payable associated with purchases made through Google Play on your Google Payments account.

Other Payment Processing Methods. Google may make available to you various payment processing methods in addition to Google payments to facilitate the purchase of Content through Google Play. You must abide by any relevant Terms and Conditions or other legal agreement, whether with Google or a third party, that governs your use of a given payment processing method. Google may add or remove payment processing methods at its sole discretion. You are solely responsible for all amounts payable associated with purchases that you make on Google Play.

Eligibility for operator billing. In order to determine your eligibility to have purchases of Content that you make through your Devices billed to your network provider’s account, when you create a Google Play account on a Device, we will send identifiers of your Device, e.g. subscriber ID and SIM card serial number, to your network provider. To permit this you will need to accept the network provider’s Terms of Service. The network provider may send us your billing address information. We will hold and use this information in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policies and Google Payments Privacy Notice.

Pricing. Pricing and availability of all Content displayed through Google Play are subject to change at any time prior to purchase.

Taxes. 'Taxes' means any duties, customs fees, levies or taxes (other than income tax) associated with the sale of Content, including any related penalties or interest. You are responsible for any Taxes and must pay for Content without any reduction for Taxes. If Google or Google Commerce Limited is obligated to collect or pay Taxes, the Taxes will be charged to you. You must comply with any and all applicable tax laws, including the reporting and payment of any Taxes arising in connection with your use of Google Play or the purchase of Content on or through Google Play. The reporting and payment of any such applicable Taxes are your responsibility.

All sales final. See Google Play’s refund policy for more information about your rights to withdraw, cancel or return purchases for a refund. Except as expressly set out in the Google ToS, Google Play’s refund policy or the refund policies of the Provider, all sales are final, and no returns, replacements or refunds are permitted. If a replacement, return or refund is granted for any transaction, the transaction may be reversed, and you may no longer be able to access the Content that you acquired through that transaction.

Consumer alternative dispute resolution. Google Commerce Limited neither commits to nor is obligated to settle disputes before an alternative dispute resolution entity.

Withdrawal rights for digital content. If you are purchasing as a consumer, under the law you have an automatic statutory right of withdrawal from contracts for purchases of digital content or subscriptions to digital content on Google Play. However, when you purchase, or subscribe to, digital content on Google Play you agree that the digital content will be available to you immediately, and you acknowledge that as a result you waive your automatic statutory right of withdrawal.

Withdrawal rights for services. If you are purchasing as a consumer, you have the right by law to withdraw from contracts for purchases of services within 14 days without giving any reason. The withdrawal period will expire 14 days from the date of purchase. To exercise the right of withdrawal, you must inform Google Commerce Limited of your decision to withdraw from this contract by an unequivocal statement. You may use this model withdrawal form. Alternatively, you may contact Google Commerce Limited, c/o Customer Support, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland 1800832657 or seek a refund here.

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by email) without undue delay. To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.

If you withdraw from the contract, you will be reimbursed all payments that you made under the contract without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day that your unequivocal statement to withdraw from the contract is received by Google Commerce Limited. We will reimburse you using the same means of payment that you used for the initial purchase, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

If you request to begin the performance of services during the withdrawal period, you may be required to pay an amount in proportion to the services provided until you have communicated to us your withdrawal from this contract, in comparison with the full coverage of the contract.

Refunds. Google offers additional rights of refund for several types of Content on Google Play, which are set out in Google Play’s refund policy.

Subscriptions. When you subscribe to Content through Google Play, you receive access to that Content on a continuing basis unless you cancel. Subscriptions are automatically renewed and charged at the start of each billing period (whether weekly, monthly, annually or another period), and you may be charged no earlier than 24 hours before the beginning of each billing period.

(a)  Trial periods. When you subscribe to Content for a price, you may receive access to the subscription benefits at no charge for a specified trial period, after which you will be charged until you cancel your subscription. To avoid being charged, you must cancel before the end of the trial period. Once you cancel your trial, you will immediately lose access to the Content and any subscription privileges unless otherwise specified. Access to such trial periods may be limited to a certain number of trials for each user during a given period, or other restrictions.

(b)  Cancellations. You may cancel a subscription at any time before the end of the applicable billing period as described in the Help Centre, and the cancellation will apply to the next period. For example, if you purchase a monthly subscription, you may cancel that subscription at any time during any month of the subscription, and the subscription will be cancelled at the end of your then-current billing period. You will not receive a refund for the current billing period, except as otherwise provided in Google Play’s refund policy (for example where Content is defective).

(c)  Reductions for print subscribers. Some Providers of periodicals may allow you to purchase a subscription of periodical Content on Google Play at a reduced rate if you are already a print subscriber. If you cancel your print subscription of that periodical or your print subscription expires and you do not renew it, your reduced subscription rate of that Content on Google Play will be cancelled automatically.

(d)  Price increases. When you purchase a subscription, you will initially be charged at the rate applicable at the time of your agreement to subscribe. If the price of the subscription increases later, Google will notify you. The increase will apply to the next payment due from you after the notice, provided that you have been given at least 30 days' prior notice before the charge is made. If you are given less than 30 days' prior notice, the price increase will not apply until the payment after the next payment is due. If you do not wish to pay the increased price for a subscription, you may cancel the subscription as described in the Cancellations section of these Terms, and you will not be charged further amounts for the subscription, provided you have notified us before the end of the current billing period. Where the Provider increases the price of a subscription and consent is required, Google may cancel your subscription unless you agree to the new price. If your subscription is cancelled and you later decide to re-subscribe, you will be charged at the then-current subscription rate.

4. Rights and restrictions

Licence to use Content. After completing a transaction or paying the applicable fees for Content, you will have the non-exclusive right, solely as expressly permitted in these Terms, to store, access, view, use and display copies of the applicable Content on your Devices or as otherwise authorised as part of the Service for your personal, non-commercial use only. All rights, title and interest in Google Play and Content not expressly granted to you in the Terms are reserved. Your use of apps and games may be governed by the additional Terms and Conditions of the end-user licence agreement between you and the Provider.

Violation of licence Terms. If you violate any of the Content restriction provisions of the Terms, materially or repeatedly violate any of the other Terms, or we are investigating you for suspected misconduct then Google may, without refund to you, terminate your access to Google Play, the Content or your Google Account and your rights under this licence will immediately terminate. We will notify you with the reason for our action unless we reasonably believe that to do so would cause Google or another person legal liability, would compromise an investigation, would compromise the operation of any Google products, services or systems, would cause harm to our users, or would be in breach of the law or the direction of a legal enforcement authority. See Disabled accounts in section 2 for additional information.

Restrictions: You may not:

Third-party provisions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Terms, the third parties who license their Content to Google are intended third-party beneficiaries under these Terms solely with respect to the specific provisions of these Terms that directly concern their Content ('Third-party provisions'), and solely for the purpose of enabling such third parties to enforce their rights in such Content. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in these Terms confers a third-party beneficiary right upon any party, with respect to any provision that falls outside the Third-party provisions, which includes but is not limited to any provisions or agreements incorporated by reference, or that may be referenced without incorporation, in these Terms.

Play policies. Posting reviews on Google Play is subject to the following policies. If you want to report abuse or other content violations, click here.

Defective Content. Once Content is available to you through your account, you should check the Content as soon as reasonably possible to ensure that it functions and performs as stated, and notify us or the Provider as soon as reasonably possible if you find any errors or defects. See the Google Play refund policy for more information.

Removal or unavailability of Content. Subject to the Terms, Content that you purchase or install will be available to you through Google Play for the period selected by you, in the case of a purchase for a rental period, and in other cases as long as Google has the right to make such Content available to you. In certain cases (for example if Google loses the relevant rights, a service or Content is discontinued, there are critical security issues or there are breaches of applicable terms or the law), Google may remove from your Device or cease providing you with access to certain Content that you have purchased. You may be given notice of any such removal or cessation, when possible. If you are not able to download a copy of the Content before such removal or cessation, Google may offer you either (a) a replacement of the Content if possible or (b) a full or partial refund of the price of the Content. If Google issues you a refund, the refund shall be your sole remedy.

Multiple accounts. If you have multiple Google Accounts with different user names, in some cases, you may transfer Content out of an account and into another account, provided that you are the owner of each such account and provided that Google has enabled a feature of the relevant service allowing such transfers.

Limits on access on Devices. Google may, from time to time, place limits on the number of Devices or software applications that you may use to access Content. Please visit the Google Play Movies & TV/Google TV usages rules for more information about these limits for Google Play Movies & TV/Google TV.

Dangerous activities. None of the Services or Content are intended for use in the operation of nuclear facilities, life support systems, emergency communications, aircraft navigation or communication systems, air traffic control systems, or any other such activities in which case the failure of the Services or Content could lead to death, personal injury, or severe physical or environmental damage.

Google Play Movies & TV/Google TV. For additional details and restrictions regarding your access and use of Google Play Movies & TV/Google TV, see the Google Play Movies & TV/Google TV usage rules.