Apple Gift Card Won’t Redeem on iPhone? Try These Fixes

Common causes

• An Apple Store Gift Card, which can’t be redeemed in the App Store
• A card that has already been redeemed
• A card the retailer didn’t activate
• A card bought in another country or region

Step-by-Step Solutions

Find the message you see when you try to redeem the card, then follow the steps for that message.

1. 1

   Step 1: Check which message you see

   Apple’s troubleshooting lists four messages you might see when you try to redeem a gift card.

   When you can’t redeem your gift card in the App Store, note the message that appears. Apple’s troubleshooting covers these messages:

   • Card is not valid
   • Card has already been redeemed
   • Card is not activated
   • Code must be redeemed in a different country or region
2. 2

   Step 2: Card is not valid: check the card type

   Apple Store Gift Cards can’t be redeemed in the App Store or iTunes Store.

   If the message says your card is not valid, first make sure it isn’t an Apple Store Gift Card. Apple Store Gift Cards are a solid color on the front: gray, white, silver or gold. You can’t redeem them in the App Store or iTunes Store.

   On the back, an Apple Store Gift Card has a link to a website where you can check the card’s balance, a phone number you can call if you need help, and text saying the card can only be used in the Apple Online Store or Retail Store, or that it can’t be redeemed in the iTunes Store.

   Apple Gift Cards, App Store Cards and App Store & iTunes Gift Cards are the cards you redeem in the App Store, and they look different:

   • Apple Gift Card: a colorful Apple logo on a white background on the front.
   • App Store Card and App Store & iTunes Gift Card: most are blue with a pattern on the front.

   Good to know

   In some countries and regions, you can use an Apple Store Gift Card in an Apple Store or at apple.com.

3. 3

   Step 3: Card is not valid: enter the code manually

   Type the redemption code yourself, using the code that begins with “X”.

   Try entering your redemption code manually. When you redeem the gift card, tap “You can also enter your code manually.”

   Enter the redemption code that begins with “X”, not a different number on the card. The code is on the back of the card, and on some gift cards you might need to peel or gently scratch off the label to see it.

   Make sure you enter the correct characters. Some letters and numbers look alike:

   • B and 8
   • D and O
   • E and 3
   • G and 6
   • O and Q
   • O and 0
   • S and 5
   • U and V
   • Z and 2
4. 4

   Step 4: Card has already been redeemed: refresh your balance

   You might have already redeemed the card, so sign out and back in to refresh your Apple Account balance.

   If the message says your card has already been redeemed, you might have already redeemed it.

   Sign out of the App Store or iTunes Store on all of your devices, then sign back in. This refreshes your Apple Account balance.

   Then check your balance in the App Store. If you still think it’s incorrect, check your purchase history to see whether you bought an item or a subscription renewed.

5. 5

   Step 5: Card is not activated: go back to the retailer

   The retailer who sold the card might not have activated it.

   If the message says your card has not been properly activated, it might not have been activated by the retailer who sold the card.

   The best option is to go back to the retailer and try to resolve it with them.

6. 6

   Step 6: Code must be redeemed in a different country or region: check where it was bought

   A gift card can’t be redeemed outside the country or region where it was bought.

   If the message says the code must be redeemed in another storefront, the card was probably purchased in another country or region.

   You can’t redeem Apple Gift Cards, App Store Cards or App Store & iTunes Gift Cards outside the country or region of purchase. For example, if you bought an Apple Gift Card in France, you can’t redeem it in the App Store in the United States.

   If you have a physical gift card, you can return to the retailer where it was purchased.

   Good to know

   Gift cards aren’t available in all countries or regions.

Frequently Asked Questions