Paying with gift card balance

How apps, content, and subscriptions from Apple are billed - Apple Support

Some purchases aren’t charged to your Apple Account balance

- If you're in a Family Sharing group, purchases that you make are charged to your personal Apple Account balance. If you don't have enough Apple Account balance to pay for the purchase, the remainder is charged to the family organizer if purchase sharing is turned on.

- You can’t use your Apple Account balance to buy gifts or gift cards.

- Some subscriptions might not be charged to your Apple Account balance.

"Some purchases might require that you have a credit card on file, even if you use your Apple Account balance to make the purchase."

• Until now I made in game purchases with gift card and it never required a card information. So why would it suddenly want to?

See the list at the end.

If you are being asked to enter a payment method, you can try the things in this response Recommended by Apple I need to add credit to download a free a… - Apple Community which presents multiple (albeit what appear to be outdated) methods supposedly letting you avoid this. Apple's official Support Articles team currently presents multiple unelaborated criteria* requiring the presence of a payment method at times, even for free items. If you are encountering one of those situations then based on the documents I suspect you have no option but to enter a valid payment method if you wish to continue downloading. Read the support article Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support about how to do that. The payment method may not be charged if you also have account balance or the item is free, but the payment method has to be present. This next article lists valid payment methods for different countries but note that in this situation Apple Account balance alone apparently may not meet the requirement and you need to use another payment method until you find one that satisfies Apple's requirement (often a credit or debit card): Payment methods that you can use with your Apple ID - Apple Support .

If you have already entered a payment method, use the first link above to check it. If a message appears in red there is a problem with it. If the information is still correct and current, contact your financial institution.

* Ref.:

Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

"To make purchases from the App Store and use subscriptions like iCloud+ and Apple Music, you need at least one payment method on file."

If you can’t download or update apps on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

- "You might need to have a payment method on file, even if the app that you want to download is free."

Remove a payment method from your Apple ID - Apple Support

- If you have any active subscriptions, you must have at least one payment method on file other than Apple ID credit.

- You might not be able to remove a payment method if you have a balance due.

Sign in with your Apple ID - Apple Support

- "When you sign in to the App Store and other media services for the first time, you might need to add a credit card or other payment information."

How apps, content, and subscriptions from Apple are billed - Apple Support

- You can’t charge gifts to your Apple ID balance. If you send a gift or gift card, your primary payment method is charged.

- Some subscriptions might not be charged to your Apple ID balance.

What you can buy with your Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance - Apple Support

"Some purchases might require that you have a credit card on file, even if you use your Apple Account balance to make the purchase."

eldar545 wrote:

it responds that the purchase couldn’t be completed.

A possible reason for seeing this message is Apple cannot find a functioning payment method to use in making this purchase. You may not have adequate balance, the kind of payment method required, or there may be problems with the method(s) you do have.

Use the document Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support to review your payment methods such as credit or debit cards. Problem methods will usually have a notice in red lettering below them. The article: If your payment method is declined in the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support has some information about declined payment methods.

If using Apple Account balance to pay for an item, ensure there is adequate balance to pay for the item, including tax if applicable. Read this article about how to check your Apple ID balance.--> Check your Apple Account balance - Apple Support Some purchases may require the presence of another payment method such as a credit card even if the final payment will be made by account balance.

If the information above does not track down the nature of the problem then you may find the fastest route to resolution would be to accept the invitation to contact Apple for assistance with this.

To contact iTunes Support, do this:

1. Click on this link --> Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support

2. Select your country

3. Select: Billing & Subscriptions

4. Select: Subscriptions & Purchases

5. Select: Update payment method

6. Select a chat session or a phone call.