Google makes it pretty straightforward to find and reinstall all the apps and games you’ve bought through the Play Store, but honestly, digging through purchase history can be a little confusing if you’re not sure where to look. This guide covers the two main ways to view that info on Android devices and on your desktop – because everyone’s setup is different, and sometimes it’s just easier to check from your computer. Plus, it’s good to know that you can’t really delete that purchase history—at least not entirely. And just a heads up, your Google Pay transactions aren’t included here; this is strictly what you bought via the Play Store, not Google Pay.
1. View Google Play Store Purchase History on Desktop
If you’re sitting at your laptop or desktop and wanna see what you’ve bought without jumping through your phone, the process is pretty simple. This is for Windows, Mac, Linux, or even Chromebooks—anywhere you can fire up a browser. No app required, just some clicking.
First, open up your favorite browser and head to the Google Play Store Website. Make sure you’re logged into the same Google Account used for your purchases, or it won’t show your history.
Next, click on your profile picture in the top right corner. Then select Payments & subscriptions. This is where Google keeps most of your transaction info.
After that, pop over to the Budget & Order History section—sometimes it’s a little hidden, but it’s there around the middle of the menu. Your entire purchase history should be visible now. On some setups, this page loads weird or gets stuck, so refresh if needed. It kind of sucks how Google’s interface isn’t super intuitive here, but once you find it, it’s pretty handy.
2. View Google Play Store Purchase History on Android
On Android, it’s even easier—or at least more direct. Open your Google Play Store app, tap on your Profile picture in the top right corner. From the menu that pops up, select Payments & subscriptions. Don’t worry if it feels like a handful; after a couple of times, you’ll get the hang of it.
Then, tap on Budget & History. Here’s where Google dumps everything you’ve bought on your account. You’ll see a list of all your purchases—sometimes it’s lengthy, especially if you’re an app collector or have upgraded your device multiple times. If you want a quick scroll-through, just tap around. This is handy for double-checking what’s paid for, especially if there are weird charges or you’re trying to recall what app was what.
How do you clear the Google Play Store purchase history?
Here’s the grumpy truth—Google doesn’t let you wipe out your entire purchase history. Kind of weird, but that’s just how it is. If you want to hide certain purchases because you’re trying to clean things up or for privacy reasons, you can only do it for specific items. Removing an individual purchase *means* you lose access to that app or game and, in most cases, can’t get a refund afterward. So, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword.
To remove a purchase, you gotta go back to the same Payments & subscriptions menu on your device or browser, then open Budget & History. Find the item you want gone, tap the three dots next to it (if there are any, because not all might show this option), and select Delete Forever. Be aware that this step isn’t reversible, so double-check before confirming.
On some setups, the three dots icon doesn’t appear next to all your purchases. When that happens, you’re out of luck—Google only allows deletion for certain transactions to prevent accidental losses. Also, if you don’t see the option, try updating your Google Play app or clearing cache—it’s one of those annoying things where it’s not totally transparent why it works sometimes and not others.
Lastly, just to keep expectations realistic: most of the time, the purchase history exists mainly for record-keeping, and Google’s not making it easy to fully wipe it clean. If you don’t want the history cluttered, the best approach is just to ignore it or start fresh with a new account, though that’s a bigger hassle.