How to Add Apple Gift Card to iPhone, iPad or Mac to Redeem

Learn how to add your Apple Gift Card to your Apple Account balance on your iPhone, iPad or Mac so that you can redeem it

By Dave Johnson - Senior Staff Writer
3 Min Read
  • You can add an Apple gift card to your iPhone, iPad or Mac in a few simple steps.

  • There are two ways you can add an Apple gift card onto your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, either by manually typing in the gift card number or by scanning its barcode with your device’s camera.

  • When you add an Apple gift card to your device, you can make purchases with your Apple Account balance.

An Apple gift card can be used to purchase devices, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud and more. Digital Apple gift cards can be purchased online. A physical Apple card can be bought from retail stores like Best Buy, Walmart or Target. You may have received a physical Apple Gift Card for the holidays or as a birthday present and may wonder how you can add it to your device so that you can redeem it. This article explains how you can add a physical Apple gift card to your account so that you can easily redeem it later.

How to add an Apple gift card to an iPhone or iPad

Here’s how to add an Apple gift card from your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Find the 16-digit code on the back of the card. For some gift cards, you might need to peel or gently scratch off the label to see the code.

  2. Launch the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad.

  3. Tap on your profile picture in the upper right corner of the screen.

  4. Tap on ”Redeem Gift Card or Code.”

  5. Choose ”Use Camera” to use your device’s camera to scan a gift card barcode. Aim your camera at the code on the card, and your device will automatically enter the code for you. Alternatively, tap ”You can also enter your code manually” and then type the code into that task bar.

  6. Tap ”Redeem.”

  7. The next screen is the confirmation screen. It will say, "You’ve added $ (amount)." You can start spending the gift card by tapping Shop App Store or Shop Apple Store Online. You can also tap Done and use your balance later.

How to add an Apple gift card to a Mac

Here’s how to add an Apple gift card from your Mac:

  1. Find the 16-digit code on the back of the card. For some gift cards, you might need to peel or gently scratch off the label to see the code.

  2. Launch the App Store app on your Mac.

  3. Click on your name in the bottom left corner of the screen.

  4. Click on ”Redeem Gift Card.”

  5. Choose ”Use Camera” to use your Mac’s camera to scan a gift card barcode or enter the code manually in the task bar provided.

  6. Click ”Redeem,” and your gift card will be added.

You can now use your Apple Gift Card at an Apple Store or at apple.com to buy products and accessories. Or redeem it in the App Store and use it for apps, subscriptions like Apple Music or iCloud , purchases from apple.com, and more.

If you received a gift card by email

To redeem a gift card that someone emailed to you, open the email and tap or click the Redeem Now button.

How to check your Apple gift card balance

After you have added the card to your Apple Account, you may want to see your account balance. It is very easy to do so. You can do it on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Here is how:

Check your balance on your iPhone or iPad

  1. Launch the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. Tap on your profile picture in the upper right corner of the screen.

  3. If you have a balance, it will show above “Add Money to Account.” (If your balance is $0, you won’t see anything here.)

Check your balance on your Mac

  1. Launch the App Store app on your Mac.

  2. Click on your name in the bottom left corner of the screen.

  3. If you have a balance, the amount appears below your name. If you don’t see an amount, you don’t have a balance.

What you can buy with Apple gift card

When you redeem an Apple Gift Card or App Store & iTunes gift card, you can make purchases with your Apple Account balance. Here’s what you can buy with your Apple Gift Card balance:

  • You can purchase products and accessories at an Apple Store.

  • You can purchase apps, games, or in-app purchases from the App Store.

  • You can pay for subscriptions like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and Apple TV . Or pay for subscriptions in apps from the App Store.

  • You can purchase music, movies, and more from the iTunes Store, Apple TV app, or Apple Books.

  • You can pay for iCloud , Apple’s premium cloud subscription.

Senior Staff Writer
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Dave Johnson is a staff writer for GeeksChalk based in New Jersey. He covers news, how-tos, and user guides for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
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