Can't use Apple Account Balance to complete purchase

so i had a similar issue but i definitely found a way to fix it. i had placed an order for the AirPods Max and had already had $200 in my Apple balance from a gift card i redeemed for Christmas and i paid for the rest of the balance using my debit card. i cancelled my order shortly after when i realized that the money wasn’t going to be taken out of my bank account immediately and being a broke college student, i knew i would be irresponsible with my money (something im working on lol). anyways, i added money to my Apple balance to cover the total costs for the AirPods Max and tried repurchasing them using my Apple balance and it didn’t work! i was incredibly frustrated, but i had placed another order using my debit card and just called customer support to have them change my payment method to my Apple balance and it was simple as pie.

then, i became incredibly anxious having to wait for the AirPods to ship out and i was so scared that changing my payment method wasn’t going to work. after about two agonizing weeks, today my order finally moved on to the ‘preparing to ship’ phase and it did take the total amount for the order from my Apple balance. Yasss

Had the same situation occur - I even went to a local Apple Store (they were sympathetic and tried to help, but I think this was new to some of them), but I ended up calling the Apple gift card support number. A very helpful rep said this is a known problem - she said it stemmed from using the entire Apple Balance to pay for something - and she said she would escalate it with a 24-hour email response time. I tried the order (12 hours later…) and it finally went through. However, there was no confirmation of the amount actually applied from the Apple Balance vs. the credit card charge for the rest, and the Apple Balance amount on my account stayed the same. I was sort of worried that none of the Apple Balance applied and it would all go on my credit card. Yet another chat with a rep revealed it was successfully applied - the Apple Balance would only be updated once the product shipped. Note to self - never use Apple Balance again…

I tried the method to pay by credit card and then call Call Apple’s sales support (877-377-6362) to change the payment method to my Apple account balance. It works. Just 10 mins call.

I was having this apple balance issue as well. Saw that I could get the phone same day on the 16th. So I cancelled my preorder that was set to arrive on 27-29th so I wouldn't have conflicting balance issues. Boy was I wrong. Getting all the same credit card provider and information errors that everyone else was getting. What I ended up doing was calling Apple and spoke to sales specialist that transferred me over to the apps department. He was able to refund all my apple balance back to the gift cards. All i needed to give him was the last 4 digits of the pin for each gift card. Once that was done I went and ordered my iphone again now have a processing order for 18-25th for my iphone. Such a hassle and could of had it sooner if I was just patient. But never again with gift cards and apple balances. Just do in-store pick up/purchase with gift cards/balance from now.

I bumped into the same issue this morning when trying to order device online and in store by using left over iTunes balance. Bad luck through service hotline and in store agents. Finally figured out that in the Apple ID profile I used a different ZIP code (where I used way back)and I also remove an expired credit credit from another Apple ID shared home device. Wait for one hour, sales order went through without any issue. Good luck everyone!

Hi yes I found a resolution. Mine just started working one day. I had called apple many times and transferred multiple times until finally an employee put in an order to remove a “block” on my account that she presumed was there because I had said that I tried multiple times and nothing went through, and the fact that I loaded 7 gift cards at once there may have been a block due to those reasons. No one ever followed up with me and I tried again randomly 6 days later to check out and it worked successfully. For those that said the apple rep said there was no block on my account I want to point out that the first two reps I spoke to said the same thing until I finally got thru to the third person who said she did some extra digging and found that a block must be the reason. Anyway, I am now using my iPhone 14 pro after going thru this nightmare and hope that others will be able to as well

You need to explain it to them, that it’s blocked and that the sales rep on the phone can’t order the item on their end. For every rep I talk to I explained that the problem was from loading to many gift cards and from research online it locks the account. I

If they say everything is good, ask them to order the item for you.Than they will find out it is blocked.

being nice and polite also goes along way

I have the same issue as you guys regarding the apple balance error, I called apple support today and they submitted a BOSS request to remove the block on the apple balance, should be getting an email in 24 hours, I will let you know the outcome.

If you are facing the same issue just call support and ask them to submit a BOSS request to lift the block and wait for the email.

I had the same exact issue buddy I had to call probably six times. It was only when I read above to call in specifically state, “please unblock my purchases from the Apple Store” then request they escalate that to the Level 2 team

Ok folks, I think I figured it out

1- Charge whatever wallet balance you have LESS $1 which should be charged to a credit card

2- Upon adding the credit card to pay the remaining $1, ensure that the FOUR digits after the zip code are removed and ensure the name and address on Apple matches the name and address with the credit card company.

Finally!!! After four calls, numerous transfers, and more than 4 hours -- I just received this email and was able to place an order online (I didn't feel like chancing another phone call!!).

The last person I spoke with today seemed to understand that *many* people were experiencing this issue, but nobody could explain what the problem was. They did say that there were no blocks on my account prohibiting me from using my Apple Account balance.

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Information about your order 

Hello,

We’re following up on your recent call to us. 

We’ve determined that the quantity of items in your order does not exceed our maximum per customer. 

We ask that you place a new order at apple.com within 24 hours of the time this email was sent so that we can process it as quickly as possible. You can also call us at 1-800-MY-APPLE at your convenience so that we can further assist you with your order.

Solved!!!!! I applied 300 with my balance and left 3.76 by CC. It worked! I always let account balance cover all the bill. This time I tried to pay tiny parts from CC and it was solved. I didn't make any phone call cuz I know it is a waste of time.

OK. I just scored. Was on the chat for 1.5 hours. Got no where. They even gave me the phone number for Sun Bank as the service number. Called customer service at 18006927753. They said they were aware of the issue and i got transferred to someone that could help me. She had me do an on line order with my apple card. Then give her the order number. Then she worked magic and switched it to my Apple account balance. I did receive an email of the change. I will not upload apple cards to the balance anymore. This was to much work.

Going through getting the block removed might also work, but much easier this way, the sales reps can change the payment method after you order and if the system balks at them using my balance (which it did) they have ways around it and can take care of it, so it seems. Took me 25 minutes on the phone between the first and second rep.

Just got off the phone with Apple - first person had no idea what I was talking about, but transferred me over to another department. That second department couldn't do anything either, but the guy luckily knew exactly what I was talking about. Said it was a known, common issue (as evidenced by this thread being so long).

He contacted the proper department and they started the process of patching my account, apparently. He told me I would receive an email within 24-hours with instructions to follow to go through the process. I asked him what the proper department to contact was (so everyone else here doesn't run through five different advisors), and he said it's Customer Service / Post-Sales - "two names for the same department."

Good luck everyone, hopefully they figure out how to do a system-wide patch rather than each of us having to contact and go through the process individually.