Apple Gift Card Balance/ Apple Account Balance Is Not Letting Me Use It

For many purchases Apple will require the presence of a working payment method such as a credit or debit card, even if you have adequate balance to pay for the items using personal balance. The balance may be used in the end to make the purchase but the payment method has to be there. If you really want to see them I can post the 10 references in Apple's documents where it talks about that.

In the meantime it appears your payment method is not working. Read this document about how to view your current payment types and add Apple Account payment methods on an Apple mobile device, a Mac, or a PC --> Add a payment method to your Apple Account - Apple Support

If an item appears in red then it is no longer working and you either need to replace it or get it working again.

If you can't add a payment method, check Add a payment method to your Apple Account - Apple Support , or this one about what to do if your payment method is declined in the App Store or iTunes Store —> If your payment method is declined in the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support

- Based on the information you enter, Apple is checking with your financial institution if the payment method is valid. Apple is receiving a negative, or no, response. Make sure the name and address are entered exactly as it appears on your financial institution bills and that the 3 digit CVV is correct. Check with your financial institution about the status of your card. “If you want to know why a debit card, credit card, or other payment method was declined, speak with your financial institution. Apple doesn't have information about why the payment method was declined.”

- Make sure your payment method is up to date or to try a different one ( If you need to change or update your Apple Account payment method - Apple Support ).

- Make sure this is one of the payment methods that you can use with your account, as listed in this support article: Payment methods that you can use with your Apple Account - Apple Support .

・Unfortunately the payment methods list is somewhat general and does not include individual brands of cards (I guess there are too many and are constantly changing). This thread is an example of where a person was not using an acceptable kind —> Why are my cards not supported on the MFI… - Apple Community Prepaid cards are not true credit cards.

・Also read any footnotes in the document.

・If you are trying to use a payment method from another country you may encounter problems. Apple’s statements to me are unclear. In If your payment method is declined in the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support Apple implies international payment types can be used when it says, "You might need to ask your financial institution to allow international purchases on your debit or credit card". Apple then counters this in Add a payment method to your Apple Account - Apple Support with, “If you're using an accepted payment method but your Apple Account is set to a different country or region, change your country or region.” Usually it is easiest to just use a card from the same country as your Apple Account setting.

・Finally, note that the document only says which methods _are_ acceptable. Apparently certain types (usually a credit or debit card) _must_ also be present under certain situations such as when a subscription is involved.

If you still have problems, contact official Apple Support. Click here --> Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support Select your country, then a product. If you don't see one that handles your issue then keep experimenting with selections until you reach one that gets you a chat session or a telephone call and get the representative to redirect you.

or:

See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world, in this article --> Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

If you're in India, click on this link to read an April 2022 notice 'About billing for Apple subscriptions and media products in India' --> https://support.apple.com/HT212781

Additional verification that may be required when making purchases in Europe --> https://support.apple.com/108103

Finally, nobody replying to you here works for Apple. We are helping others out of the goodness of our hearts so please don't be demeaning or else we'll just go and clean out cat litter boxes instead as a more attractive alternative. ;-)

Hi effluvia,

welcome to the Apple (user-to user) Community

Re: "Apple Gift Card Balance/ Apple Account Balance Is Not Letting Me Use It": ".... when I try to buy something it says my payment was declined and it tells me to put in a card number instead of just letting me use the apple account balance."

We don't have access to your account to check out what the situation is.

So let's try to find out what is causing your gift-card problem:

Apple support have articles online (links below) that may help:

See what to do: If your payment method is declined in the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support

See which payment methods Apple can accept in your country or region:

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

If Apple can accept an Apple Account balance as payment in your country or region: Check: What you can buy with your Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance - Apple Support

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

Also: seems not all purchases can be paid for with Apple Account Balance from Gift Cards.

Also: For some purchases, Apple requires that you have a Debit or Credit Card listed in your Apple Account, even if you are using an Apple Account Balance for your purchase.

_____________________________________________________

Re: " ..... it also says I can’t use it for website purchases"

Some Gift Cards may be for use in the iTunes or App Store:

See: What type of gift card do I have? - Apple Support

Some stores and apps etc., may not be available in your country or region:

Availability of Apple Media Services - Apple Support

You may have purchased cards that can only be used in Apple Stores or the Apple online store, and in the country where the gift cards were purchased.

You may want to find a store near you: Apple Store - Find a Store - Apple

______________________________________________

Some countries may also have particular requirements:

If you are in India: About billing for Apple subscriptions and media products in India - Apple Support

If you are in Europe: About billing and purchases in Europe - Apple Support

____________

If needed: Gift Card Terms and Conditions : Gift Cards need to be used, and purchases received, in the same country that they were purchased, .

Hope something here helps you use your Gift Cards / Apple Account Balance happily.

All the best :-)

effluvie wrote:

I tried to make the apple account my default payment method but it says I cannot do that.

It is by default the payment method tried first. You cannot make it anything else.

From this support article --> How apps, content, and subscriptions from Apple are billed - Apple Support

"Which payment method is charged?

When you buy items or pay for subscriptions, Apple automatically attempts to charge your payment methods in this order:

1. Apple attempts to use your Apple ID balance to cover the full amount.

2. If you don't have Apple ID balance, you don't have enough to cover the full amount, or an item cannot be paid for with Apple ID balance, Apple attempts to charge your primary payment method (typically a credit or debit card, but varies according to country). The primary payment method is at the top of the list in Settings on your iPhone. You can control which payment method is at the top of the list. [See: Add a payment method to your Apple Account - Apple Support ]

Don't confuse having to have a payment method present as an indicator it will be used. Apple may require a payment method be present even if it doesn't use it.

3. If there's a problem with the primary payment method, or if the primary payment method can't be charged for the full remaining amount, Apple attempts to charge your other payment methods in order from top to bottom. If none of them can be charged, Apple may try again." See also sections B and H of Legal - Apple Media Services - Apple

Some purchases aren’t charged to your Apple Account balance

● You can't use your Apple Account balance to send gifts or gift cards.

● For some recurring charges, like AppleCare+, you can't start your subscription with Apple Account balance. But as long as you keep another valid payment method on file and your Apple Account balance would cover an entire charge, your recurring charge will pull from your Apple Account balance (see the article for more information).

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

● If you use Family Sharing, your family members can't spend your Apple Account balance. Funds that you add to your Apple Account balance are available only to you.

We are all Apple users, like yourself, in the community. Some of us volunteer our time and energy to do the best we can to help each other.

If your post hasn't been answered by the experts in the community, and we don't have much info. to go on, we may suggest relevant support articles.

Apple is not here. You can contact Apple support if you wish:

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Can you give a proper answer?

Or is this repeat irrelevant answer all your little apple employees brains can think of

Maybe people should be able to use a gift card not buy apple gift cards to have them completely useless. Here a tip learn to read and give an educated answer