How to Stop Loot Boxes & In-Game Spending

This guide shows you how to disable or restrict loot boxes and other in-game purchases on every major gaming platform—PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam, Epic, Battle.net), and mobile (iOS and Android). You’ll learn both built-in parental controls and account-level spending locks, so you can stop unwanted purchases without losing access to the games you already own. No special tools are needed, just a few minutes and access to the account settings.

What You’ll Need

• Access to the account that manages the gaming platform (your own or the parent/guardian account).
• The password for that account, plus any two-factor authentication method.
• For mobile: the device with the app store (or the ability to log into the store website).
• A payment method already on file is not required—you’re removing or blocking it.

Step-by-Step

PlayStation (PS4 / PS5)

1. Go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management on the console, or visit the PlayStation website and sign in to your account.
2. Select the child account you want to restrict (or your own if you want a spending limit).
3. Under Spending, set a monthly spending limit to 0, or choose “No purchases” if available.
4. Also set a PIN for checkout. This requires a password for every transaction, even on the primary account.
5. To fully block loot boxes, disable In-Game Purchases in the parental control settings. This hides or blocks the option to buy anything inside games.

Xbox (Series X|S, One)

1. Press the Xbox button, go to Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings.
2. Choose the child account, then select Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy > View details & customize > Buying and downloading.
3. Set Ask a parent for “Can you buy things?” and “Can you download things?” This forces approval for any purchase.
4. For your own account, go to Settings > Account > Payment & billing > Change payment options and remove all saved credit cards or PayPal.
5. Alternatively, set a spending limit to zero in the same menu.

Nintendo Switch

1. From the Home menu, select System Settings > Parental Controls (on the console) or use the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app on your phone.
2. Set a Restriction Level to “Teen” or lower—this automatically blocks purchases unless you approve them.
3. In the app, go to Console Settings > Purchase Restrictions and select “Don’t allow purchases.”
4. For the main account, go to the Nintendo eShop, select your profile icon, and choose Account > Wallet > Remove funds. Then delete any saved credit card from the eShop settings.

PC (Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net)

1. Steam: Open Steam, go to Settings > Family > Family View. Set up Family View and select only the games you want. Then, under Store preferences, uncheck “Show Steam store” and “Show hardware store.” This hides the store entirely.
2. Steam spending lock: In Family View settings, also enable the option to require a PIN to make purchases. This blocks any in-game purchase without the PIN.
3. Epic Games: Log into your Epic account on the web, go to Account > Payments. Remove all saved payment methods. Then, in the Epic Launcher, go to Settings and enable Require verification for purchases (if available).
4. Battle.net: Open the Battle.net app, go to Account (top right) > Account Settings > Payments. Remove all payment methods. Then, in the app’s Settings > Game Settings, turn off “In-game purchases” for each game if the option exists.

Mobile (iOS and Android)

1. iOS: Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Turn on the toggle, then tap iTunes & App Store Purchases and set In-app Purchases to “Don’t Allow.” This blocks all in-app purchases, including loot boxes.
2. iOS payment removal: Go to Settings > your name > Payment & Shipping (or iTunes & App Store > Apple ID > Manage Payments) and remove all payment methods.
3. Android (Google Play): Open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon, go to Settings > Parental controls. Turn on parental controls, set a PIN, and under Apps & games choose the highest age rating that excludes purchases (or set to “Everyone” to hide most loot-box games). Then, go back to Settings > Authentication and select “Require authentication for purchases” every time.
4. Android payment removal: In Google Play, go to Payment methods > More payment settings and remove all cards or accounts.

Common Mistakes

• Only setting a spending limit but not blocking purchases—many games allow buying with virtual currency earned in-game, which can still lead to loot boxes.
• Forgetting to apply parental controls to every profile on the console. Each child account needs its own restriction.
• Removing payment methods but leaving a gift card balance or store credit. That balance can still be used for purchases.
• On mobile, disabling in-app purchases but leaving the App Store or Google Play store accessible—kids can still buy apps that contain loot boxes.
• Not setting a PIN or password for checkout—anyone with access to the device can approve a purchase.

Tips

• Use a unique, strong PIN for parental controls and do not share it with children.
• Regularly check your purchase history (on each platform) to ensure no unauthorized transactions have occurred.
• If you’re an adult trying to curb your own spending, consider using a prepaid gift card with a fixed amount and no auto-reload.
• For PC, you can also use third-party tools like a password manager to store your account password, making checkout more cumbersome—but that’s not a guarantee.
• Remember that some games let you earn loot boxes through gameplay. Blocking purchases does not stop those, but it does stop spending real money.

Troubleshooting

• Purchases still go through: Check if the parental control is applied to the correct profile. On PlayStation, you must select the specific child account. On Xbox, the family settings apply to the child account, not the parent.
• Can’t remove a payment method: Some platforms require you to have at least one payment method on file for subscriptions. If you have an active subscription (like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus), you may need to cancel it first, then remove the payment method.
• In-game purchases still appear: On PC, some games have their own in-game store that bypasses platform settings. For those, you may need to disable in-game purchases from the game’s own settings menu, if available. If not, you may need to contact the game’s support.
• Forgot your PIN: On consoles, you can reset the PIN by answering security questions or using the parent account. On mobile, you can reset Screen Time passcode via Apple ID or Google account recovery.
• Child created a new account: Ensure all accounts on the console are under the family group. On PlayStation, you can add new users to your family. On Xbox, add them to your family group.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will blocking purchases stop loot boxes from appearing in games?

No. Blocking purchases stops you from spending real money, but loot boxes may still appear as in-game rewards or with virtual currency. You’ll need to disable in-game purchases in the game itself if the option exists, or avoid those games.

Can I block loot boxes without blocking all in-app purchases?

On most platforms, no. The settings are all-or-nothing for in-app purchases. However, on iOS you can set a specific app to have purchases disabled individually via Screen Time > Content & Privacy > Allowed Apps > In-app Purchases (per app). On Android, you can’t per-app, but you can use Google Play’s parental controls to block apps rated above a certain age, which often includes loot-box games.

Do these settings work for free-to-play games?

Yes, they block any real-money transaction, including in free-to-play games. However, some games use virtual currency that can be earned in-game, and those purchases are not blocked—only real-money ones are.

What about PC games that have their own launcher (like Genshin Impact)?

Those games often have their own payment system. You may need to contact the game’s support to disable purchases, or you can remove all payment methods from your account and avoid adding any. Some games allow you to set a spending cap in their settings.

Can I set a spending limit instead of blocking all purchases?

Yes, on PlayStation and Xbox you can set a monthly spending limit. On mobile, you can set a limit via Google Play’s parental controls (if available in your region) or on iOS, you can use Screen Time to set a limit for app store purchases, but it’s not granular.

Will these settings affect my ability to download free games?

No, they only block purchases. Free downloads should still work. However, on some platforms, if you have a payment method on file, you may be prompted to approve a $0 transaction for verification—this is not a charge.

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