Unable to use my Apple balance

Question

Level 1

16 points

Unable to use my Apple balance

With the Apple launch of new products and the possibility of being in the United States in the period, I programmed and organized myself for this. With access from my account in the United States store I added balance and made the iPhone Air pre-order for pick-up. Everything happened correctly, the balance was debited from the account and my order was authenticated.

After a few days analyzing other products I decided to place another order for the same pick-up purpose in the same store where I would already pick up my iPhone Air. Only after checking several times the availability of the products I chose (apple Watch and extra band, Case for iPhone Air, AirPods Pro 3) did I perform the same procedure as before, adding balance to the apple balance of my account in the United States store and proceeding with the pre-order.

However, this time at the end of the pre-order process I was presented with the message: “The Delivery & Pickup Option you've chosen is no longer available for this order. Please select a new option below."

I questioned this, because I only proceeded with the pre-order after checking the availability of the products several times. I tried the delivery option offered, but it showed an error.

I contacted support through the chat explaining the situation, I was transferred several times to different sectors in addition to having contacted by phone call and none of them was able to explain to me what happened or solve the problem for me to proceed with the pre-order. I requested confirmation of the availability of such products for pick-up and the support stated that they were available and I in person at the store when picking up my iPhone Air I could normally use my apple balance to buy the other items.

In United States I proceed with the pick-up of my iPhone Air, but in two trips to Apple stores, after more than three hours with the help of the sellers, chatting and calling apple support, with all the products next to the seller separated waiting to complete the payment through my apple balance account with active balance, I found myself leaving the store remaining talking to support without any conclusion of the problem.

So, now back to my country, I'm without the products, which is why I traveled to pick them up, I have more than a thousand dollars stuck in this account of the United States store and without being able to change my account to my country of origin for presenting an active balance in the account of the United States store.

Support always starts from scratch without any record or log of previous services and so far I have not received any feedback by email or call from apple.

Extremely frustrating the situation. I went through in apple stores with all my items in the seller's hand and without me being able to buy them and having all the money in my apple balance from the United States, in addition to the stress during the trip and having lost more than four hours each day in apple stores.

I'm really disappointed. This turns my trip into a bad trip.

I found a report similar to my problem in this forum: Unable to use my Apple balance - Apple Community

Ps: this report does not contain all the details of what happened for obvious security reasons. The purpose is to alert other consumers about the possibility of this situation occurring, in addition to requesting feedback again from Apple support, which has not occurred so far.

Posted on Sep 28, 2025 5:27 AM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

427,379 points

Sep 29, 2025 7:05 AM in response to henriquejpp

Again I do not work for Apple so I am only saying what I have seen researching information. Others state that Apple tries to offer the fastest delivery method, and may change their delivery options as circumstances dictate. For example, if they can get a device sent directly to a customer from another location if a particular store is running short.

Now something comes into play to which you alluded in your first post, namely that you are not in the USA. Apple expects people to purchase devices in their own region. In fact in certain circumstances they very specifically say you are not allowed to export devices (Shipping & Pickup - Shopping Help - Apple. "You may not export any products purchased online from Apple.") It certainly sounds to me like they simply assume that if you have purchased an item that it is no problem if they then ship it to you directly, which of course will only be inside the country of purchase. I know you can't have this done, but you weren't supposed to be doing things this way in the first place (I'm not scolding, I am simply explaining my understanding of how things work).

As for the money tied up in an account, again, if you do not live in the USA you should not be using an account set to the USA. Apple's system simply isn't set up to accommodate something that shouldn't be happening if you do things by the rules.

The sections below are copied from the USA Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions document but I suspect they are very similar for all versions of this document --> Legal - Apple Media Services - Apple - Last Updated: September 16, 2024

From Section A: "Our Services are available for your use in your country or territory of residence (“Home Country”). By creating an account for use of the Services in a particular country or territory you are specifying it as your Home Country."

G. “If you fail, or Apple suspects that you have failed, to comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement, Apple may, without notice to you: (i) terminate this Agreement and/or your Apple ID, and you will remain liable for all amounts due under your Apple ID up to and including the date of termination; and/or (ii) terminate your license to the software; and/or (iii) preclude your access to the Services."

So your options as I now see them would be to find somebody in the USA who could accept delivery for you. As for the balance, that is probably locked up in that account. Technically you should not be spending it unless you live in the USA. If you do, it will take a long time to spend down. Apple does not refund gift card balance unless required to do so by law.

Laws requiring gift card balance refunds.

From: Check your Apple ID balance - Check your Apple Account balance - Apple Support ➔

"About unused Apple ID balance

You can't redeem or return Apple Gift Cards, App Store & iTunes Gift Cards, or unused Apple Account balance for cash, except as required by law. If your jurisdiction allows for refund of redeemed gift balances, you can contact Apple Support." Read the support article for more details.

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Answer 2

henriquejpp Author

Level 1

16 points

Sep 29, 2025 3:35 AM in response to Limnos

First of all, thank you for your attention Limnos, because it's really being a very stressful situation.

Regarding the purpose of this post, I will contact support again today and I will use this summary to start the conversation, in addition to the objective here to alert new consumers of the probability of this situation occurring.

This "glicth" happens only after you have already committed to the purchase by entering balance in the apple balance and at the end of the whole process the error message appears. Everything seems to be normal before that and there is no way to know, because when inserting the items in the cart the value of my apple balance was normally reduced.

About your link sent, they seem to be confused as much as I am and without an answer to it.

At the beginning of this report I state that I performed the procedure of buying the iPhone Air normally for pickup and removed it without any problem, but the situation occurs in the second attempt in the same way of buying the other products. Even in the physical store all the products were separated by the seller and were next to us while waiting for the completion of the purchase.

Ps: this "glitch" happens when also proceeding with the delivery attempt, not allowing in any way the purchase of the products.

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Answer 3

Limnos

Level 10

427,379 points

Sep 28, 2025 8:07 AM in response to henriquejpp

in addition to requesting feedback again from Apple support

Remember that this is a user to user forum. "Apple" itself is not here except for moderation purposes. You will need to continue to work with Apple itself.

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Answer 4

henriquejpp Author

Level 1

16 points

Sep 29, 2025 11:41 AM in response to henriquejpp

Completing the first purchase of my iPhone Air and having picked it up at the physical store shows that the procedure is correct and not fraudulent. The problem begins, for some reason, when trying to complete the second purchase and presenting such a "glitch" blocking the purchase for both pickup or delivery.

My apple account is 10+ years old, I even had the iPhone 01 right at its beginning and I believe they can prove my identification of such, also not being the problem.

Today, after about three hours of talking to Apple support, it became clear that there is no mistake or fault on my part in this situation, but they do not explain such a "glitch". Even in my face-to-face stay in physical stores in the US, several ways were incessantly tested to solve such a situation with the help of sellers and support.

Now in my country of origin, even if such a "glitch" is resolved, I can't make the purchase because there is no delivery from them here.

I'm really frustrated and disappointed with this situation.

Here is the tip for care in possible situations like this to other consumers, and maybe say not to trust apple balance!? Who knows now...

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Answer 5

Limnos

Level 10

427,379 points

Sep 29, 2025 12:13 PM in response to henriquejpp

This is strictly my personal preference but I do not now, nor have ever had, any Apple balance. If I were to I would only make it a very modest amount ($25) so if anything should happen to my account I would not lose a lot of money. Nor, if I would change country on my account, I wouldn't have to do sudden large purchases to empty the account.

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