Cancelling digital downloads and apps, by country
A download starts working the moment it is delivered, so the statutes let the seller end the right to withdraw early, but only on conditions. France, Spain, Sweden and Norway tie the loss to the consumer's express consent plus an acknowledgement, and three of them also require the trader's confirmation of the contract. Sweden and Austria say outright that nothing is payable for downloaded content already supplied, while Spain and Norway free the consumer from cost only when the consent steps were skipped. In every country that speaks to the point, the buyer who does withdraw must stop using the content and may not hand it to others.
| Country | When the withdrawal period starts | Right to withdraw is lost when | Payment owed after withdrawal for content already supplied | Buyer after withdrawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Nothing for content already supplied | Must stop using it or passing it on | ||
| Germany | Consumer expressly agreed that performance starts before the period ends and confirmed they lose the right | |||
| Spain | Day the contract is concluded | Performance has begun with the consumer's prior consent, their acknowledgement that the right is lost and the trader's confirmation | No cost if the consumer did not consent beforehand, was unaware of the loss of the right or got no confirmation | Must stop using it or making it available to third parties |
| France | Day the contract is concluded | Performance has begun with the consumer's express prior consent, their acknowledgement that the right is lost and the trader's confirmation | Must stop using it and not make it accessible to third parties | |
| Norway | Delivery has begun with the consumer's express prior consent, their acknowledgement that the right is lost and the trader's confirmation | No payment duty if delivery began without the consumer's express consent and acknowledgement or without the trader's confirmation | Must stop using it and not make it available to third parties | |
| Sweden | Day the contract is concluded | Supply has begun with the consumer's express consent and agreement that the right is lost, and the trader has confirmed the contract | Nothing for what has been delivered | Must stop using it and not make it available to others |
Country by country
Austria
- Rule
- Fern- und Auswärtsgeschäfte-Gesetz § 16
- Covers digital content not stored on a physical data carrier, bought at a distance or away from business premises.
- The ingested text of the exceptions in § 18 and of the period in § 11 is incomplete (the list items are missing), so when the right is lost and when the 14 days start are left blank rather than guessed.
Tritt der Verbraucher nach § 11 Abs. 1 von einem Vertrag über die Lieferung von nicht auf einem körperlichen Datenträger gespeicherten digitalen Inhalten zurück, so trifft ihn für bereits erbrachte Leistungen des Unternehmers keine Zahlungspflicht.so darf er eine ihm bereitgestellte digitale Leistung nicht mehr nutzen oder Dritten zur Verfügung stellen Germany
- Rule
- BGB § 312f Abs. 3
- Applies to consumer contracts for digital content not supplied on a physical data carrier.
- The value comes from what the contract confirmation must record. The provision that actually ends the right (§ 356) and the payment rules (§ 327p) lie outside the ingested BGB parts, so those columns are blank.
Bei Verträgen über digitale Inhalte (§ 327 Absatz 2 Satz 1), die nicht auf einem körperlichen Datenträger bereitgestellt werdenausdrücklich zugestimmt hat, dass der Unternehmer mit der Ausführung des Vertrags vor Ablauf der Widerrufsfrist beginntseine Kenntnis davon bestätigt hat, dass er durch seine Zustimmung mit Beginn der Ausführung des Vertrags sein Widerrufsrecht verliert Spain
- Rule
- LGDCU arts. 103 m), 104 c) and 108
- Covers digital content not supplied on a physical medium, bought at a distance or away from business premises.
- The period is 14 calendar days or, in some cases, 30; the section on the period gives the day it starts for digital content.
El suministro de contenido digital que no se preste en un soporte material cuando la ejecución haya comenzadoEl consumidor o usuario haya otorgado su consentimiento previo para iniciar la ejecución durante el plazo del derecho de desistimiento.El consumidor o usuario haya expresado su conocimiento de que, en consecuencia, pierde su derecho de desistimientoEl empresario haya proporcionado una confirmación con arreglo al artículo 98.7 o al artículo 99.2. o de contenido digital que no se preste en un soporte material, el día en que se celebre el contrato. En caso de desistimiento del contrato, el consumidor o usuario se abstendrá de utilizar el contenido o servicio digital y de ponerlo a disposición de terceros.El suministro, en su totalidad o en parte, de contenido digital que no se preste en un soporte material, cuando:El consumidor o usuario no haya dado expresamente su consentimiento previo a la ejecución antes de que finalice el periodo de catorce o, en su caso, treinta días naturalesEl consumidor o usuario no sea consciente de que renuncia a su derecho de desistimiento al dar su consentimiento; oEl empresario no haya dado la confirmación con arreglo al artículo 98.7 o al artículo 99.2. France
- Rule
- Code de la consommation arts. L221-18, L221-26-1 and L221-28 13°
- Covers digital content without a physical medium. The 14-day period for such contracts runs from conclusion of the contract.
- The right is lost only if all three conditions are met when the contract imposes a duty to pay. The ingested text has no payment rule for digital content after withdrawal, so that column is blank.
De fourniture d'un contenu numérique sans support matériel dont l'exécution a commencé avant la fin du délai de rétractationIl a donné préalablement son consentement exprès pour que l'exécution du contrat commence avant l'expiration du délai de rétractationIl a reconnu qu'il perdra son droit de rétractationLe professionnel a fourni une confirmation de l'accord du consommateur Elles s'appliquent également aux contrats portant sur la fourniture de contenu numérique sans support matériel. Le consommateur dispose d'un délai de quatorze jours pour exercer son droit de rétractationDe la conclusion du contrat, pour les contrats de prestation de services et ceux mentionnés à l'article L. 221-4 Lorsque le consommateur a exercé son droit de rétractation, il s'abstient d'utiliser le contenu numérique et de le rendre accessible à des tiers. Norway
- Rule
- Angrerettloven §§ 22 n) and 26
- Covers digital content not delivered on a physical medium. The right is lost only if the contract obliges the consumer to pay and all conditions are met.
- The section on the period names only services and goods, so the start of the period for digital content is left blank.
levering av digitalt innhold som ikke leveres på et fysisk medium, dersom leveringen er begynt og følgende vilkår er oppfylt:forbrukeren har uttrykkelig forhåndssamtykket til at levering begynner før angrefristen utløperforbrukeren har erkjent at angreretten dermed går tapt, ogden næringsdrivende har gitt bekreftelse etter angrerettloven § 11 eller § 18. levering av digitalt innhold som ikke kan leveres på et fysisk medium, er begynt uten forbrukerens uttrykkelige forhåndssamtykke og erkjennelse av at angreretten dermed går tapt, eller uten at den næringsdrivende har gitt bekreftelseforbrukeren som bruker angreretten, avstå fra å bruke det digitale innholdet eller den digitale tjenesten og fra å gjøre den tilgjengelig for tredjeparter Sweden
- Rule
- Distansavtalslagen 2 kap. 11 § 11, 12 §, 13 a § and 15 a §
- Covers digital content supplied other than on a physical medium. The exception applies where the contract imposes a duty to pay.
- The trader may block further use, except for content the consumer created that the trader must not use.
avser tillhandahållande av digitalt innehåll på något annat sätt än på ett fysiskt medium om tillhandahållandet har påbörjatskonsumenten uttryckligen har samtyckt till att tillhandahållandet påbörjas och gått med på att det därigenom inte finns någon ångerrättnäringsidkaren antingen gett en bekräftelse på avtalet enligt 4 § Detsamma gäller i fråga om avtal om digitalt innehåll som levereras på något annat sätt än på ett fysiskt medium. ska konsumenten avstå från att använda det digitala innehållet eller den digitala tjänsten och från att göra detta tillgängligt för annan är han eller hon inte skyldig att betala för det som har levererats Countries not in this table yet
Japan, the Netherlands and Australia are not shown: the ingested Japanese act, the Dutch Book 7 and the Australian Consumer Law text contain no cooling-off rule for digital content, so nothing can be quoted for them. The UK, Canada and the United States are not part of this guide because the relevant consumer statutes are not ingested.
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LawAsked, “Cancelling digital downloads and apps, by country”, https://lawasked.com/guides/digital-content-withdrawal (reviewed October 25, 2026).
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