How do you lock the Play Store on Android?

Three different things people call locking the Play Store

A lock on purchases asks for your Google password or fingerprint before anything is bought. It's built into Google Play.

Parental controls stop downloads above an age rating you choose, behind a PIN. They're built into Google Play too, but they filter apps rather than lock the store.

A lock on the app asks for a PIN, pattern or fingerprint before the Play Store opens at all, so nobody can install or uninstall apps through it. Google Play doesn't have one, so it has to come from your phone or an app locker.

Ask for a password before every purchase

This stops paid apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions going through without you. Google's help page describes it for purchases only, so don't count on it to stop a free app being installed.

1. 01Open Google Play and tap your profile picture at the top right.
2. 02Tap Payments & subscriptions > Purchase verification.
3. 03Tap Verification frequency (or Verification requirement, depending on your country) and choose Always.

Limit what children can download with a parental PIN

Parental controls let you pick the highest age rating allowed for apps and games, and only a PIN your child doesn't know can change it. They work on the phone where you set them, apps installed before stay on it, and restricted apps can still show up in search.

If your child has a Google account managed with Family Link, you can go further: in the Family Link app, select your child, tap Controls > Google Play > Require approval for and choose All content, so even free apps need your approval.

1. 01Open Google Play, tap your profile picture and go to Settings > Family > Content restrictions.
2. 02Tap Go to Parental controls > Set up a parental controls PIN and create a PIN your child doesn't know.
3. 03Choose Apps and games and pick the highest age rating you allow.

Lock the whole Play Store with your phone's settings

Some phones have an App lock built in. If the Play Store isn't in its list, or your phone has no App lock, an app locker does the same job.

1. 01Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO: Settings > Apps > App lock, tap Turn on, set a pattern, then select Google Play Store.
2. 02vivo and iQOO: Settings > Fingerprint, face and password (or Security) > Privacy & app encryption, set a password and turn on Google Play Store.
3. 03Samsung: One UI has no app lock. Secure Folder keeps copies of apps behind its own PIN, but the Play Store on your home screen stays open.Get it onGoogle PlayInstall
4. 04Pixel and other Android 15 phones: no app lock on stable Android. Private space holds fresh copies of apps behind a separate lock, and your usual Play Store stays open.
5. 05OPPO, realme and OnePlus: search Settings for “App lock”, because its place differs between ColorOS versions. It uses a privacy password of its own.

Lock the Play Store on any phone with an app locker

An app locker works the same on every brand, and its PIN is separate from your phone's, so someone who knows your screen lock still can't open the Play Store. Lock Settings as well: apps can be uninstalled from there too. While you're at it, lock WhatsApp and the gallery.

AppLock Master suggests the Play Store and Settings when you set it up, because they are where apps get installed and uninstalled. It puts a PIN, pattern or fingerprint on them and any other app you pick, takes a photo with the front camera after repeated wrong tries, and asks for your PIN before anyone can uninstall it. It's free, with ads.

1. 01Install AppLock Master and allow Usage access and Display over other apps, so it can see which app is opening and show the lock screen.
2. 02Tick Google Play Store and Settings in the list of apps, and anything else you want locked.
3. 03Choose a PIN, a pattern or your fingerprint, and set a security question in case you forget it.

Try it in AppLock MasterFree on Google Play · No accountGet it onGoogle Play

More detail: See who tried to open your Play Store →