> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.usetapp.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Refund only the tip

> Return an eligible collected tip in the mobile app while keeping the order payment in place.

Use **Refund tip only** when the guest should receive their tip back while the payment for the order remains in place. This returns the eligible tip amount shown by the app; it does not offer a custom partial amount.

## Who can do this?

Owners and Managers can use this action for their shop. Staff cannot issue a tip-only refund, even if they can refund a full order.

## Where to do it

In the mobile app, open **History**, select the paid or completed order and choose **Refund tip only**. The action opens a check of the tip and payment. A visible button does not guarantee that this particular tip is refundable.

## Review and confirm

1. Check the selected shop and order number.
2. Wait for the refund details to load. Review the amount and currency displayed.
3. Read any message explaining why the refund is unavailable. Do not estimate the amount or use another refund action to bypass a restriction.
4. For cash, return the displayed tip amount to the guest first. Then select **I have already handed this tip amount back in cash.** Only confirm this after the actual handover.
5. Choose **Confirm tip refund** once.
6. Use **Refresh refund status** to check the result. Wait for **Tip refund confirmed** before treating it as complete in Tapp.

If refreshed details clear the cash-return switch, check the displayed amount against the cash already handed back before confirming again. A cleared switch is not a request to return more cash.

For card payments, submitting the request does not confirm that the refund has reached the guest's account. A cash confirmation records the handover; it does not transfer money.

## Understand unavailable refunds

The app can block the action when there is no eligible collected tip, another refund is pending, the amount cannot be confirmed, or the payment details have changed. A reserved card amount alone is not enough: this action requires a confirmed collection and cannot cancel a card reservation.

Tips with shares already marked as paid out cannot be returned through this action. Other records may also require review. Refresh when the app asks you to review updated details, and contact Tapp support if the restriction remains.

## Handle an uncertain result

When you reopen this screen, wait for its checks of earlier attempts. A previously saved result does not replace a fresh status check.

If the result is unconfirmed, keep checking the same order. Automatic checks stop after five minutes or a loading error; use **Refresh refund status** to check again. Closing the screen, losing the connection or seeing an unchanged order status does not prove failure.

A tip-only refund leaves the order paid or completed. Check the tip refund result and money breakdown rather than waiting for the whole order to become Refunded. **Tip returned**, **Total returned** and **Remaining paid** help distinguish returned money from the remaining order payment when confirmed amounts are available.

If the app says the refund needs review, do not issue another refund. If it confirms failure, refresh the current details before making another deliberate attempt. For cash, check the earlier handover before giving any money back again.

## Platform notes

These steps describe the mobile app. The web app's full-order refund is a different action. Changing a pending checkout tip is also different from returning a tip already collected.

## Market notes

The action is available subject to the payment and record checks for shops in Great Britain and Germany. Some fiscal records do not support a tip-only refund; follow the message and ask Tapp support for help. Check the currency shown for this order.

## Troubleshooting

If details cannot load, choose **Refresh refund status** and check your connection. When contacting Tapp support, provide the order number and the message shown. Do not promise a bank arrival time from the app's status alone.

## Related articles

* [Refund an order](/en/history/refund-an-order)
* [Review tip shares](/en/overview/review-your-tip-shares)
* [Collect a tip at checkout](/en/point-of-sale/collect-a-tip-at-checkout)