Password protect your Google Play app to prevent unwanted purchases

Money doesn't grow on trees. Take a few steps to password protect your Google Play purchases.

When it comes to things that cost real money, people tend to become a little more cautious. Nobody wants their child or kid brother accidentally buying a bunch of apps or in-app purchases from Google Play while they are supposed to be playing Angry Birds, and it's easy enough to do with just a few taps -- unless you've password protected your Google Play app.

With the password enabled, every time you try to spend money in Google Play, whether it be buying an app or book, renting a movie, or adding coins to your favorite game you'll need to enter your Google credentials to finalize the purchase. It's a great option, and one I suggest everyone enable. Luckily, it's easy to enable. Follow past the break to see how.

Visit our Google Play mini-site for everything there is to know about Google Play

  

Open the Google Play app on your phone or tablet, and go to the Settings menu by pressing the overflow button (those three dots in the upper right) or tapping the menu button if your phone has one. In the settings, scroll down about three-quarters of the page and you'll see a line item that says "Use password to restrict purchases",  with a checkbox to the right.

You can probably guess what to do next -- check the box. You'll be presented with a pop up asking you to confirm your password. You Google account password goes in that field, the same one you use for Gmail and when you first set up your phone. Once you press the OK button, you'll have password protection enabled.

You'll use that same Google account password each time you try to buy something on Google Play, so there is no worry that pesky "accidental" purchases can happen. For security reasons, you'll also need to enter the password to change the setting -- nobody can disable it unless they know your account login.

There is a lot of great content on Google Play, and plenty of it is well worth spending a dollar or two on. Do it the safe way and protect yourself.