Google Play's 2-Hour Refund-Window for Apps and Games Now Official

It was noted last month that Google was not strictly enforcing its 15-minute refund-window on Google Play for apps, with a real-world window closer to 2 hours. The company has now confirmed that the return period for Google Play's apps and games is 2 hours.

Google's 'Return paid apps and games' support page notes "After purchasing an app or game on Google Play, you can return it within two hours for a full refund."

The support page further details, "If the two-hour refund window has not yet passed, open and refund buttons will be displayed. If a refund button is not displayed, your purchase is not eligible for return."

The company has also detailed the steps to return an app or game within two hours of purchase. On the Android device > Open the Google Play > Touch the Play Store icon > My Apps > Select the app or game to be returned > select refund.

Consumers will have to follow the instructions to complete the refund and uninstall the app or game.

The search engine giant clearly mentions that once the two-hour return period has passed, consumers will have to contact the app developer directly. "You can find an app developer's contact information listed on an app or game's detail page on Google Play," said the support page.

(Also see: How to Get Refunds on iTunes, App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, BlackBerry World)

Google also stressed that a user cannot return an app or game more than once. The support page explains, "If you're refunded for an app during the two-hour return period then decide to purchase it again, you can't receive a second refund for the app."

Android Police points out that the two-hour refund policy has been live for some time however has been confirmed only now. When the website reached out to Google for comment last month, the company had said, "[We] only advertise a 15-minute refund window, that is the guaranteed window for a user, but [we] do extend the window in some cases to account for download times."

The latest move by Google to extend the refund-window on Google Play for apps and games to two-hours is expected to decrease the number of negative app reviews that are posted by annoyed consumers who in the past were unable to get a refund under the 15-minutes return policy which was rolled out back in 2010.