Q: Mac app store asking for credit card information for free apps

See if you can select, "None" for payment method >  Mac App Store: Changing your account information

thenmozhiarasu,

Depending on how you have your account set up, as well as what scenario caused this, there are a couple different things that might have happened and a couple different ways to rectify it.

1. You set up your account and added a credit card to it for purchases. If this is the case; then it was caused by you, or someone else, downloading a paid app. When Apple tried to collect payment it was declined, either because the card is no longer valid, over the limit, or wrong information. If this is the case, as soon as you go into your iTunes account and update the credit card information, and Apple is able to collect on the previous purchase, your good to go again.

2. This is most likely what happened in your case. You don't have a credit card on file. Either because you never planned to purchase any paid apps, or you only ever download free apps. This is very common. If it is set up this way, if you or anyone else accedently taped on a paid app by mistake; the default by Apple is to lock your account until you add a valid credit card to your account. This happened all the time and it is a pain in the butt. You now have 2 options: either A. add a credit card to your account; or B. Call Apple and tell them what is going on, and they should be able to cancel the purchase and reset your Apple ID/ Account. Apple will have no problems doing this for you. This is a common problem and happens all the time.

I hope this helps.

Dave

The secret is to never change your Apple password.  I just did and now I can't get in without giving them my credit card info.  Macs and iPhones used to be user friendly.  What has happened?

I updated my information, discovered the phone number was not in the correct format. Corrected that, no credit card was needed, download then proceeded as normal.