Do you ever let children play with your smartphone or tablet? I don’t, but I’m particularly jealous of my Android devices. For normal people, instead, it’s a quite common thing. However this ends up with the risk of finding some Google Checkout emails that inform us of some unwanted expenses (huge ones, too).
Before Google Play Store, there was no solution. Now you can specify a PIN code that will be requested any time you’re buying something. This is true both for Google Play Store app and for in app purchases.
Enabling PIN code
Here’s how to enable PIN code:
- Open Google Play Store app
- Choose Menu and then Settings
- Choose Set or change PIN
- Insert a PIN and press OK
- As a double check, we’ll be asked to insert again the PIN
- Now the PIN is set. Select option Use PIN for purchases
Done! From now one every purchase will ask you to insert the PIN code you set.
Change or remove PIN
To change these security settings we’ll have to unlock them. As before, in Google Play Store’s Settings we’ll find Unlock settings. Insert PIN and we’ll gain access to Set or Change PIN, where we’ll also have a button to remove it.
I forgot my PIN!
If these kids are particularly clever, they’ll know there must be a way to remove the PIN in case the one who set it forgot it. They would figure out the procedure immediately: go into Android’s Settings > Applications > All, look for Google Play Store and choose Delete data. PIN removed!
But they’ll have a bad surprise: opening the store they’ll find that also account data have been removed! Our credit card is safe!
