Prevent App Store from making me put in a credit card for a free app?

Apple asks for your payment information when you create a new Apple ID or try to download an app that is not available in your country or region. However, you can remove your payment information from your phone by following these steps:

1. Open the 'Settings' app on your iPhone.

2. Tap on your Apple ID at the top of the screen.

3. Tap on 'Payment & Shipping'.

4. Tap on your payment method, and then tap 'Remove Payment Method'.

5. Confirm that you want to remove your payment method.

Once you have removed your payment information, you should be able to download free apps without being asked for your payment information.

I hope this helps!

Every time I give Apple my credit card I get a ton of charges. So this is what I did, I went and got a Visa gift card so I didn’t have to have my good credit cards and some app where I could be hacked or charged at will. You can also use a pay-as-you-go such as green dot or blue bird so you can regulate the charges without having limits you’re not comfortable with. You can put up to $500 on a gift card and I think even more on a pay as you go. Hope that helps.

BarbHayes1962 wrote:

I donot own a credit card.. how can i possibly download free apps

You can try adding an iTunes gift card.

Maissa1 - You cannot use the Apple Store freely unless you have a payment method added to your Apple ID. Please check these approved payment methods. Maybe something else will work for you.

Payment methods that you can use with your Apple ID - Apple Support

This link specifically mentions Egypt:

Egypt

• Most credit and debit cards
• Apple Account balance (from adding funds)
• Mobile phone billing5
  • Vodafone

Keep in mind, you are talking to other Apple users in this community forum. We are not Apple. Many of us volunteer to help other Apple users with technical questions. We can explain what Apple's rules are. But we cannot change the rules. You can try telling Apple what you want in the link below. But I doubt they will change this specific rule.

Product Feedback - Apple

I purchased Visa gift cards. I also have pay as you go carts and I use them for all my online transactions and for my phone for any apps that way if it’s hacked, it’s a small amount of money and I don’t have to stress about somebody having access to a credit card that has tens of thousands of dollars available. It will help me sleep at night. I hope it helps you. They have from $25 up to 500 on prepaid Visa’s gift cards and a pay is ago. I think you can even put more on there and keep refilling it. This has prevented a lot of charges that I never authorized. I did not have to close my account or report fraud or cut up my card. It really has save me from an unauthorized, even fraudulent charges.

sumeya144 wrote:

Stop asking for my credit card number, every time I try to download an app that is free Apple always ask me for credit card information, how do I remove this from my phone?

I think your previous question provides the answer when you ask "How come I stop App Store payment". If you owe money for a previous purchase, then you will not be allowed to use the App Store until that is resolved. The way you avoid being charged is to not sign up for a subscription or a free trial if you do not intend on cancelling it 24 hours before the trial period ends. This action requires a double click of your side button, so it is not done by accident and you should know exactly what you are doing without being surprised by a charge.

Stopping a payment is done by cancelling a subscription. Deleting the app or not having funds for your payment is not the solution.

If you don't want to put a payment method on your account you won't be able to use the App Store to download or update apps. There is no way around this. Free apps are indeed free, but they offer In-App Purchases, which is the ONLY way app developers make ANY money for providing their apps for free. You don't EVER have to make an In-App Purchase, which will be easy as you won't be able to download any apps anyway, unless you put a payment method on your account.

Hello~ First of all, you are asking a fellow forum member that themselves has had an issue. You will need to contact Apple as they have the final say. Go to the lower left and click on the small Support I on.

~Katana-San~

See this link and make sure the payment you are using is one which you CAN use with your account --> Payment methods that you can use with your Apple ID - Apple Support

It doesn't matter whether you are downloading a free app or not. The payment method has to be one which "could" be charged if you decided to make an "in-app" purchase.

I did all what you said to do and it’s still asking for my credit card when trying to download any app 😡

That is because you must have a payment method registered to download any apps that support in app purchases, including free apps that support in app purchases.

Hello~ You need to add a payment method. Click on below…

Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

~Katana-San~

Hello~ You need to add a payment method. Click on below…

Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

Take care.

~Katana-San~

Since so many apps offer in-app purchases, Apple normally requires a payment method to be on file. You will not be charged unless you purchase something. But if you want to download apps, you should enter a payment method.

So whenever I’m trying to download any game it doesn’t matter if it is free or not he keeps asking me for my credit card information and I don’t really want my card information to be on my phone, so why does it keep asking me this even if it’s a free app