I'm unable to make a purchase on the App Store as Apple ID balance is inaccessible

I am trying to make a purchase on the app store. I have an apple balance, so the money is there. However it is asking me for someone else’s credit from the family for verification. But I purchased a card to avoid this problem. Is there a technical reason why this is? It seems actionable to require someone else’s (or any) credit card to access funds that are already on the account. Especially when I am traveling in another region and the card holder is asleep or busy etc. Again, is there a legit technical reason for this? Or is there something i am doing wrong?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 15

Posted on Jul 16, 2024 8:36 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 16, 2024 8:40 AM

The Organizer must have a card present.


The short answer is only one person, the Organizer, can (and must) have a card, but the Organizer can avoid having this charged by others by asking them to make sure they have adequate personal balance (e.g., from gift cards) to cover their purchases. Other family members can only pay for things by using their personal balance or by letting the remainder automatically roll over to the Organizer's payment method (such as a credit card but not the Organizer's personal account balance).


The alternative is described in this document: Add a family member to your shared subscriptions - Apple Support

"If you're the family organizer and you don't want to pay for family members' purchases and subscriptions, you can turn off Purchase Sharing [ How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support ]. When Purchase Sharing is turned off, everyone must use their own payment method. When Purchase Sharing is turned off, family members can share subscriptions, but they can't share individual purchases like apps or books."


Another alternative would be for a person to leave the family group altogether. However, a person can only join one family per year.


=Full details=

Based on: How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support and How apps, content, and subscriptions from Apple are billed - Apple Support


1. If anybody in the family buys or subscribes to something, Apple first attempts to charge the item to that individual's Apple Account (Apple ID) balance, if any.

2. If a family member does not have enough personal Apple Account balance, any excess will be charged to the Family Organizer's primary payment method (usually a card of some kind). The Organizer's personal balance will not be used for purchases made by other family members. If Apple cannot bill the primary payment method, the Organizer will need to make another payment method the primary method. With Family Sharing the Organizer always has to have at least one functioning payment method.


Also note: "Some purchases, including gifts, can't be billed to Apple ID balance and will be charged to the family organizer's payment method." "Some subscriptions might not be charged to Apple ID balance."


Ref:

- Family purchases and payments - How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support

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

- Check your Apple ID balance - Check your Apple Account balance - Apple Support

- Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

Adding funds to your Apple ID balance:

- How to redeem your Apple Gift Card or App Store & iTunes gift card - Apple Support

- Add money to your Apple Account balance - Apple Support



Similar questions

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 16, 2024 8:40 AM in response to BusyBison

The Organizer must have a card present.


The short answer is only one person, the Organizer, can (and must) have a card, but the Organizer can avoid having this charged by others by asking them to make sure they have adequate personal balance (e.g., from gift cards) to cover their purchases. Other family members can only pay for things by using their personal balance or by letting the remainder automatically roll over to the Organizer's payment method (such as a credit card but not the Organizer's personal account balance).


The alternative is described in this document: Add a family member to your shared subscriptions - Apple Support

"If you're the family organizer and you don't want to pay for family members' purchases and subscriptions, you can turn off Purchase Sharing [ How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support ]. When Purchase Sharing is turned off, everyone must use their own payment method. When Purchase Sharing is turned off, family members can share subscriptions, but they can't share individual purchases like apps or books."


Another alternative would be for a person to leave the family group altogether. However, a person can only join one family per year.


=Full details=

Based on: How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support and How apps, content, and subscriptions from Apple are billed - Apple Support


1. If anybody in the family buys or subscribes to something, Apple first attempts to charge the item to that individual's Apple Account (Apple ID) balance, if any.

2. If a family member does not have enough personal Apple Account balance, any excess will be charged to the Family Organizer's primary payment method (usually a card of some kind). The Organizer's personal balance will not be used for purchases made by other family members. If Apple cannot bill the primary payment method, the Organizer will need to make another payment method the primary method. With Family Sharing the Organizer always has to have at least one functioning payment method.


Also note: "Some purchases, including gifts, can't be billed to Apple ID balance and will be charged to the family organizer's payment method." "Some subscriptions might not be charged to Apple ID balance."


Ref:

- Family purchases and payments - How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support

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

- Check your Apple ID balance - Check your Apple Account balance - Apple Support

- Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

Adding funds to your Apple ID balance:

- How to redeem your Apple Gift Card or App Store & iTunes gift card - Apple Support

- Add money to your Apple Account balance - Apple Support



Jul 16, 2024 9:27 AM in response to BusyBison

The people here are users like yourself. Apple does not provide detailed explanation for its policies. We just have to live with them.


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."


Jul 16, 2024 8:51 AM in response to Limnos

okay, but I have a balance. What is the technical reason I can’t access my own balance? Apple is holding funds that I purchased. I am not using the credit card of the organizer. It is on the account, but it is asking for the CVV. I am purchasing a 99¢ app and have 100$ of credit on the system. Does the balance get encrypted by the CVV?

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I'm unable to make a purchase on the App Store as Apple ID balance is inaccessible

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