Disable Mac App Store password prompts for 15 minutes after a purchase

Have you ever went on an app downloading spree in the Mac App Store only to find that it was going to ask for your password every time you wanted to download a paid app on your Mac?

If you’re the only user on your Mac, then you probably don’t want to or need to be bothered with having to enter your password each and every time.

Instead, macOS includes a feature that lets you disable password prompts for additional purchases for up to 15 minutes following your first Mac App Store purchase in a succession. We’ll show you how to configure this feature in this tutorial.

You don’t need to enter your password EVERY time

If you are downloading more than one paid app on your Mac because you’ve decided to invest in some software from the Mac App Store, then your Mac will, by default, ask you for your Apple ID password for each and every purchase you attempt to make, even if they’re back-to-back.

For those who feel confident in their ability to use the Mac App Store, this can be annoying. Especially if you know you’re not going to purchase things by accident.

Your Mac comes with a feature that prevents the Mac App Store from asking for your Apple ID password for up to 15 minutes after you purchase an app, and then you can continue downloading paid apps without interruptions. After those 15 minutes are up, the Mac App Store will ask you to once again verify your identity with a password when you attempt to purchase another app.

The idea here is to make it more convenient to go on a Mac App Store shopping spree without compromising your security and without letting someone download unauthorized software on your computer when you walk away from it after a purchase.

Many people liked the idea of not having to enter a password at all to download free apps from the Mac App Store, so this feature is very much an extension of that for paid apps, but there need to be limitations, of course, because paid apps cost money and there’s more room for error here.

Disable password prompts for 15 minutes after a purchase

If you want to disable those password prompts, it’s not all that hard. Here are the steps to do it.

1) Launch the System Preferences app and select your Apple ID.

2) On the left, pick Media & Purchases.

3) Now for the Purchases and In-app Purchases setting, change the selection from “Always Require” to “Require After 15 Minutes.”

Mac App Store Require Password Settings

Now, after you enter your password at least once to purchase a paid app from the Mac App Store, your Mac will let you continue to download any app(s) from the Mac App Store in an uninterrupted manner for 15 minutes following the completed purchase.

What to keep in mind

If you’re enabling this feature from a convenience state of mind, you should also mind your security. Don’t let people get on your computer after you make a purchase for at least 15 minutes, because if you do, they could launch the Mac App Store and make unauthorized purchases until the timer times out.

A good idea is to log out of your Mac and log back in, as this will reset the timer. You can also make sure to log out or shut down your computer after you’re done using it, as this will keep others from playing with your computer after you walk away.

Even if you accidentally click on the purchase button from the Mac App Store, you’re not always liable to pay for the app. You can always ask Apple for a refund for an app that you’ve purchased by accident, and most of the time they’ll help you with your request and approve the refund.

Wrapping up

It can be convenient not to have to enter your password so many times in a row when you’re buying apps from the Mac App Store, but there is always a trade-off between convenience and security. Consider all odds before you make your decision.

Also read:

Do you like to enter your password repeatedly when buying apps in rapid succession from the Mac App Store? Share in the comments!