Hello,
My 14 year old loaded several gift cards to his Apple Pay account, but he is not able to use his Apple Pay to pay online. Can he use the gift card balance to buy a product in store?
iPhone SE (3rd generation)
svetla64 wrote:
You are so right, it is confusing the way they are named. The gift cards are in the Apple account, not the cash part. Hence, my son is trying to buy an Apple product from the Apple Store using that gift card balance associated with his ID.
Okay, so Apple Pay and Apple Cash and the rest are not involved. Just gift cards and an Apple ID balance.
Here is how this is supposed to work: What you can buy with your Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance - Apple Support
Apple typically also requires an associated payment method in addition to the balance, which means setting up shared payments within Family Sharing, or setting up a payment card associated with the Apple ID.
If the purchase cannot be completed from the Apple ID balance, then contact Apple Support, and see why that purchase might be failing. Apple usually uses the Apple ID balance first too, when purchasing from Apple.
Use the Support link in the lower left corner of this webpage, and chat or call Apple as available.
PS: check that the age associated with the Apple ID is 13 or later.
svetla64 wrote:
You are so right, it is confusing the way they are named. The gift cards are in the Apple account, not the cash part. Hence, my son is trying to buy an Apple product from the Apple Store using that gift card balance associated with his ID.
Okay, so Apple Pay and Apple Cash and the rest are not involved. Just gift cards and an Apple ID balance.
Here is how this is supposed to work: What you can buy with your Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance - Apple Support
Apple typically also requires an associated payment method in addition to the balance, which means setting up shared payments within Family Sharing, or setting up a payment card associated with the Apple ID.
If the purchase cannot be completed from the Apple ID balance, then contact Apple Support, and see why that purchase might be failing. Apple usually uses the Apple ID balance first too, when purchasing from Apple.
Use the Support link in the lower left corner of this webpage, and chat or call Apple as available.
PS: check that the age associated with the Apple ID is 13 or later.
The money associated with gift cards always end up at Apple.
Gift cards can't be used to transfer cash to others, via Apple Pay or otherwise.
I would not expect an Apple Gift Card to be applied to Apple Pay, and would expect it would be added to the Apple ID balance.
Per Apple: "Apple Gift Cards are solely for the purchase of goods and services from the Apple Store, the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Books, and other Apple properties."
The money associated with Apple Pay can go elsewhere, so I would not expect an Apple Gift Card to be redeemable there.
Confusingly named, the so-called Apple Gift Cards can be used for most purchases from Apple. There have been other gift cards offered by Apple, and those gift cards can have restrictions about what can be purchased: What type of gift card do I have? - Apple Support
Put differently, check where the cash is. It might be (probably is?) associated with the Apple ID. Not Apple Pay.
Apple pay is available for 13 and older kids. He is not getting an Apple Pay card, just trying to use his account with gift cards loaded. The credit card linked to his Apple pay is the parent’s though.
You are so right, it is confusing the way they are named. The gift cards are in the Apple account, not the cash part. Hence, my son is trying to buy an Apple product from the Apple Store using that gift card balance associated with his ID.
I’m sorry but a 14 year old in not eligible for an Apple Pay account because of his age. I can’t offer any more specific advice or information until I can understand what’s going on. Sorry.
Cannot use gift card balance on Apple Pay of 14 year old
