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Apple gift cards: which one you have, how to redeem it, and what it can buy
Apple Gift Card, App Store & iTunes card, or Apple Store Gift Card? How to tell them apart, redeem to your Apple Account balance, check the balance, spend the last bit, and avoid the scams built around them.
On this page
Apple’s gift cards changed in 2020 and the old ones are still in circulation, so the first job is working out which card is in your hand. After that, redemption is quick and the balance is easy to see. This guide is for the US; Apple’s rules vary by country.
Which card do you actually have?
- Apple Gift Card: colourful Apple logo on a white front. Redeem it to your Apple Account balance and use it for apps and subscriptions, or for products at apple.com and Apple Stores.
- App Store Card / App Store & iTunes Gift Card: mostly blue with a pattern. Redeems the same way; the balance is for apps, media and subscriptions, and in the US also for products.
- Apple Store Gift Card: solid grey, white, silver or gold. This older card is for products only, in an Apple Store or at apple.com, and cannot be redeemed in the App Store. Use the balance link and phone number printed on its back.
Apple Account balance is also different from Apple Cash, which is a peer-to-peer payment balance and not a gift card.
Check your balance
If you have already redeemed the card, open the App Store, tap your photo or initials, and the balance appears under your name (the same works on iPad, Mac and Vision Pro; on Windows use the Apple Music or Apple TV app). On iPhone you can also add your Apple Account card to Wallet to see the balance and transactions.
An unredeemed Apple Gift Card or App Store card has no separate balance checker; redeeming it is how you see the value. Apple Store Gift Cards do have a balance page, linked on the back of the card.
Redeem your card
- Find the 16-digit code on the back; peel or gently scratch the label if there is one. The redemption code starts with X.
- In the App Store, tap your photo or initials, then Redeem Code (on Mac: your name → Redeem Gift Card).
- Choose Use Camera and frame the card, or enter the code manually.
- Tap Redeem. The value is added to your Apple Account balance.
On iPhone you can also redeem from the Apple Account card in Wallet. In an Apple Store, an unredeemed Apple Gift Card can be presented at checkout, and a redeemed balance can be paid from Wallet with Apple Pay at the register.
Use a small remaining balance
Apple Account balance is spent first on eligible App Store purchases, with the remainder charged to your payment method, so a small balance disappears into the next app or month of iCloud+ without any effort. For products at apple.com, you can apply the balance at checkout and pay the rest by card.
If the leftover is too small to spend on anything you want, Apple lets you top the balance up in the App Store or Wallet. A few cents stuck on a balance can also stop certain account changes; Apple has a help page for spending the very last of it.
Understand restrictions
- Country lock: redeem only in the country or region of purchase.
- Not for: sending gifts or gift cards, Apple Cash, bills, fees or anything not sold by Apple. Some recurring charges, such as starting AppleCare+, need a card on file.
- Family Sharing: your balance is yours alone; family members cannot spend it.
- Expiry: Apple Account balance in the US does not expire.
Troubleshoot
- “Card is not valid”: check it isn’t an Apple Store Gift Card, enter the code manually, and watch for look-alike characters (B/8, O/0, S/5, Z/2).
- “Already redeemed”: check your Apple Account balance; the money may already be there. If not, someone else had the code.
- “Not activated”: the retailer didn’t activate it at the till. Take the card and receipt back to that store.
- “Must be redeemed in a different country”: the card was bought abroad; return it to the seller if you can.
- Still stuck? Contact Apple Support online or on 800-275-2273 and say “gift cards”.
Protect your card
Apple gift cards are the single most common currency of phone scams, so Apple’s guidance is blunt: its cards buy things from Apple and nothing else. No tax office, utility, hospital, employer or new online friend is ever legitimately paid in Apple gift cards. If someone urges you to buy cards and read out the codes, stop and contact Apple Support.
Keep the code under its label until you redeem, redeem promptly so the value is attached to your account, and when you file the card in your cabinet, record the redeemed balance rather than the code.
Checked against Apple Support’s gift card articles on Nov 1, 2026. If Apple’s pages say something different today, follow Apple.
Common questions
Which Apple gift card do I have?
An Apple Gift Card has a colourful Apple logo on white and works for both the App Store and Apple products. App Store & iTunes cards are usually blue and patterned. Older Apple Store Gift Cards are a solid grey, white, silver or gold and can only be used for products in an Apple Store or at apple.com.
Can I redeem an Apple Gift Card bought in another country?
No. Apple gift cards must be redeemed in the country or region where they were purchased. If you have a physical card, take it back to the retailer that sold it.
Can I use my Apple Account balance to pay for AppleCare+ or send a gift?
You can't start AppleCare+ with the balance or use it to send gifts or gift cards. Once another payment method is on file, some recurring charges will draw from the balance if it covers the whole amount.
Have a card this could help with?
File it in your cabinet so the balance and the reminder stay together.