Consumer Rights Act — Digital Content in the United Kingdom
Reviewed by the Commoner Law Editorial Team. Sourced from UK Acts of Parliament, statutory instruments, and official guidance. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Digital content — apps, games, music, films, ebooks, software, and streaming services — has its own set of consumer rights:
- Digital content must be of satisfactory quality
- It must be fit for a particular purpose
- It must be as described
If the digital content is faulty:
- You have the right to repair or replacement
- If repair/replacement is not possible or doesn't fix the problem, you have the right to a price reduction (which may be a full refund)
Importantly, if a free update or patch damages content you've already paid for, the trader must fix it.
No short-term right to reject — sections 33–47
Unlike faulty goods, digital content under sections 33–47 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 has no 30-day short-term right to reject. Your statutory remedies are the right to repair or replacement (s.43) and, if that fails, a price reduction up to a full refund (s.44). The trader must carry out repair/replacement within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience, and at their own cost (s.43(3)).
Section 46 — damage to your device or other digital content
If digital content you paid for (or that was supplied free alongside something you paid for) damages a device or other digital content — for example, an app that corrupts your phone's operating system or a game that breaks other installed software — section 46 entitles you to repair of the damage or compensation, provided the trader could have avoided causing the damage with reasonable care and skill. This is a separate right from the repair/replace remedy for the digital content itself.
Pre-download cancellation (CCR 2013, regulation 37)
For digital downloads purchased online, the 14-day CCR 2013 cancellation right is lost once the download or streaming begins, but only if the trader obtained your express consent and your acknowledgment that the right is lost. Without both, the 14-day right survives even after download.
When does it apply?
- You paid for digital content (or it was supplied alongside paid goods or services, like pre-installed software on a laptop).
- Free digital content included with a paid product is also covered.
- Free trials and freemium services may have limited coverage unless they came with paid content.
- This section works alongside the online shopping cancellation rights — so for digital downloads, you can usually cancel before downloading begins.
What to Do If Digital Content You Paid for in the UK Is Faulty or Not as Described
- Contact the seller — the platform you bought from (App Store, Google Play, Steam, Amazon, the developer's own site). Don't let them redirect you 'to the developer' if they took the payment.
- If the content is buggy, crashes, or doesn't do what was advertised, ask for a repair (patch/update) or replacement in writing.
- If they can't fix it, claim a price reduction or refund under section 44.
- Screenshot the problem. Record a screen capture if it's an interaction issue. Crash logs are gold.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't accept the line that 'digital is different'. The 2015 Act was written specifically to close that loophole.
- Don't sign away your statutory rights in click-through T&Cs. Section 47 of the CRA voids any term that tries to exclude these rights.
- Don't shrug off updates that break things. If the trader pushes a patch that damages your content or device, section 46 puts them on the hook for the repair or compensation.
Common Questions
When does consumer rights act — digital content apply?
You paid for digital content (or it was supplied alongside paid goods or services, like pre-installed software on a laptop).Free digital content included with a paid product is also covered.Free trials and freemium services may have limited coverage unless they came with paid content.This section works alongside the online shopping cancellation rights — so for digital downloads, you can usually cancel before downloading begins.
What should I do if an app, game, or digital download I paid for in the UK doesn't work?
Contact the seller — the platform you bought from (App Store, Google Play, Steam, Amazon, the developer's own site). Don't let them redirect you 'to the developer' if they took the payment.If the content is buggy, crashes, or doesn't do what was advertised, ask for a repair (patch/update) or replacement in writing.If they can't fix it, claim a price reduction or refund under section 44.Screenshot the problem. Record a screen capture if it's an interaction issue. Crash logs are gold.
What mistakes should I avoid with consumer rights act — digital content?
Don't accept the line that 'digital is different'. The 2015 Act was written specifically to close that loophole.Don't sign away your statutory rights in click-through T&Cs. Section 47 of the CRA voids any term that tries to exclude these rights.Don't shrug off updates that break things. If the trader pushes a patch that damages your content or device, section 46 puts them on the hook for the repair or compensation.