Quick Links

  • What Is an iTunes Gift Card?
  • How to Purchase an iTunes Gift Card
  • How to Redeem iTunes Gift Cards
  • How to Check Your iTunes Gift Card Balance
  • What Can You Buy With an iTunes Gift Card?
  • Tin You lot Use iTunes Gift Cards in the Apple Store?
  • How to Add Funds to Your Apple tree ID Without Gift Cards
  • A World of iTunes Entertainment Awaits

iTunes is Apple'due south market place for all sorts of media, software, and entertainment. If you've been given an iTunes gift menu, you can use it to purchase apps, books, music, movies, and more than.

If yous're not familiar with iTunes or have never received an iTunes gift carte du jour earlier, yous might accept a few questions most how to use it and what to buy. Permit'due south address some of the near common iTunes gift bill of fare questions.

Note that with the release of macOS Catalina, Apple tree has removed iTunes in favor of individual apps, such as Apple tree Music and Apple Books. iTunes is still bachelor on Windows, as well as individual apps on iOS.

What Is an iTunes Souvenir Menu?

An iTunes souvenir card (usually labeled equally an App Store & iTunes carte) is pre-purchased credit for Apple's various digital services. This includes the iTunes Shop---Apple'southward media and software market where y'all can buy music, movies, apps, and more. You can also use iTunes souvenir cards to subscribe to Apple Music and other Apple services.

Exist aware that iTunes gift cards are different than Apple Store gift cards. Apple tree Store gift cards let you buy physical Apple products, like an iPhone or MacBook, at Apple's physical or online stores.

iTunes gift cards are available equally physical cards, as well as digital codes delivered via electronic mail. The gift menu don't expire, and once the credit is practical to your account, it won't elapse either.

You lot can only redeem your carte du jour in the same iTunes Store from which information technology was purchased. Thus, a US gift card is only proficient in the U.s. App Store.

How to Buy an iTunes Gift Card

Yous tin buy an iTunes gift card in the post-obit ways:

  • At the Apple tree Store online.
  • On an iPhone or iPad: Launch the App Store app, tap your user icon, then choose Send Souvenir Bill of fare by Electronic mail.
  • Using a Mac running macOS Catalina or higher: open up the Music app, click iTunes Store in the sidebar, and choose Ship Gift.
  • On older versions of macOS or a Windows PC with iTunes: Click the Shop tab, and then choose Send Gift.
  • At physical retail locations like the Apple Store, supermarkets, and convenience stores.

iTunes gift cards are a good mode to pay for items if you lot don't accept a credit card, or are traveling and desire to make a buy on some other country'southward iTunes Store. When needed, you tin often find these online from secondary sellers.

If you're lucky, you lot can observe discounted iTunes gift cards for inexpensive. Only be cautious when browsing gift card deals, as scams are prominent in this expanse. Review some important tips on how to recognize gratuitous souvenir card scams to proceed yourself rubber.

Speaking of safety, yous should know that many common phone scams demand gift cards every bit payment for outlandish claims, such equally overdue taxes or ransom payments. These are never legitimate, so if a caller demands that you buy thousands of dollars of iTunes gift cards for some reason, just hang up.

How to Redeem iTunes Souvenir Cards

To redeem your iTunes souvenir bill of fare on an iPhone or iPad:

  1. Launch the App Shop.
  2. On the Today tab, tap your user icon in the top-correct corner.
  3. Choose Redeem Gift Carte du jour or Code.
  4. Employ your device's photographic camera to scan your gift carte du jour, or enter the code manually.

To redeem your iTunes souvenir menu on macOS Catalina and later:

  1. Launch the Mac App Store and click on your proper name in the left sidebar.
  2. Cull Redeem Gift Bill of fare at the top-right.
  3. Login with your Apple tree ID and countersign if needed.
  4. Employ your webcam to browse the menu or enter the lawmaking manually.

To redeem your iTunes gift card on a Mac or Windows PC running iTunes:

  1. Launch iTunes.
  2. At the top of the screen, cull Business relationship > Redeem.
  3. Sign in with your Apple ID and countersign if needed.
  4. Enter your gift card code to redeem it.

How to Check Your iTunes Souvenir Bill of fare Balance

Your iTunes souvenir carte residuum is also known as Apple ID credit, since you tin use it for many Apple services.

To cheque your iTunes gift card residuum from an iPhone:

  1. Launch the App Store.
  2. On the Today tab, tap your user icon in the top-right corner.
  3. If you have iTunes credit, information technology displays below your proper name.

To check your iTunes gift card residual on macOS Catalina and later:

  1. Launch the Mac App Store and click on your name at the bottom of the left sidebar.
  2. If you accept credit tied to your Apple tree ID, it will show beneath your name.

To bank check your iTunes souvenir card balance on a Mac or Windows PC running iTunes:

  1. Launch iTunes and ensure you're signed in under Business relationship > Sign in. You'll encounter your Apple tree ID at the top of the dropdown listing if you're signed in.
  2. Click on the Store tab and look for your balance in the height-right corner.

If you don't have a balance, y'all won't meet a value in whatever of these places.

When you redeem your iTunes gift card, the residual is transferred to your Apple ID account. If you're non sure if you've used a gift card already, try redeeming it.

What Tin You Buy With an iTunes Souvenir Carte?

Once redeemed, you can spend iTunes credit on these services:

  • Apps and games from the iOS App Store and Mac App Store, including Apple tree Arcade subscriptions.
  • Music, Goggle box shows, and movies from iTunes or the Apple Television app.
  • Books from Apple Books.
  • Subscriptions that unremarkably charge your iTunes business relationship, such every bit Apple TV+ or Apple tree News+.
  • iCloud storage space upgrades.

Tin can Y'all Apply iTunes Gift Cards for Apple Music?

You can employ your iTunes gift card to pay for an Apple tree Music subscription. Redeem your card equally described above, then start an Apple Music subscription using the Music app on your iPhone, Mac, or Android telephone. On a Windows PC, y'all can subscribe to Apple Music using iTunes.

As long equally you accept credit on your Apple ID, your subscription will deduct from that balance. In one case it runs out, you'll be charged on your principal payment method instead.

Can You Use iTunes Gift Cards for In-App Purchases?

Yes. Every bit mentioned in a higher place, all digital purchases you brand with your Apple account volition automatically use your Apple ID balance showtime. This ways you can use your iTunes balance for in-app purchases, including both subscriptions and i-time purchases.

Beware of any in-app purchases that accuse a payment method straight (like ride-sharing apps or food delivery services) since they will accuse the credit card yous accept on file for that particular merchant instead.

How to Use iTunes Gift Cards Instead of Credit Cards

When you sign up for an Apple tree ID, you lot're given the opportunity to add a payment method. Nonetheless, you don't have to add a credit card to your account. If you prefer, skip the step of adding a payment method, then redeem souvenir cards to add together credit to your account instead.

Remember that iTunes and Apple services volition always use your iTunes balance before charging your credit card. There's no style to buy an app or pay for a subscription with a credit card to preserve your iTunes balance.

For example, if you get $100 iTunes gift carte du jour every bit a present and you accept an ongoing Apple Music subscription, your subscription will use that balance over time until information technology's all gone. Once you're out of credit, your subscription volition apply your default payment method once again.

Tin can You Use iTunes Gift Cards in the Apple Store?

No. iTunes souvenir cards must exist redeemed for digital Apple tree services on the App Store, iTunes, Apple Books, and similar. Apple Store gift cards are a separate product used for Apple tree hardware. They are usable at physical Apple Store locations, likewise as Apple's online store.

How to Add Funds to Your Apple ID Without Gift Cards

If you have a credit menu attached to your Apple ID, you don't need to buy gift cards for yourself. You can add together funds to your Apple ID account by charging your payment method.

To do this on your iPhone:

  1. Open the App Shop.
  2. Tap the Today tab, followed past your profile motion picture in the top-right.
  3. Select Add together Funds to Apple ID, choose an corporeality, and complete your buy.

On a Mac or Windows PC:

  1. Open up the App Shop on macOS Catalina. Launch iTunes on an older Mac or a Windows PC.
  2. On a Mac, choose Store > View My Business relationship. On Windows, select Business relationship > View My Account. Sign in again if needed.
  3. Roll down to the Apple ID Account section and choose Add Funds to Apple ID.
  4. Choose the amount you want to add and walk through the steps to consummate payment.

How to Utilize the iTunes Pass

If yous don't take a payment method on file with your Apple ID simply don't want to buy gift cards for yourself, Apple too offers a service called the iTunes Pass. This lets you add together credit to your Apple ID by visiting an Apple Store or other participating retailer.

To create an iTunes Pass:

  1. Open the iTunes Store app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the Music page and tap your Apple ID. Sign in if yous're not already.
  3. Choose View Apple ID.
  4. Select Add iTunes Pass to Wallet.
  5. Yous'll meet a preview of the pass. Tap Add together in the top-correct to ship it to your Wallet app.

Now, you tin can open up the Wallet app to view your iTunes Pass. When it'due south open, prove it to a store employee and permit them know how much you'd like to add to your balance. They'll complete your purchase in the store and y'all'll accept access to the credit right away.

A World of iTunes Entertainment Awaits

Now you lot know what iTunes gift cards let y'all buy, how to utilize them, and where to bank check your balance. In short, since iTunes souvenir cards add credit to your Apple tree ID, they're skilful for pretty much any digital service Apple offers. Whether y'all want to buy paid apps, subscribe to Apple Music or Apple News+, or get more iCloud storage, iTunes gift cards let you pay for information technology.

If you're not sure what to buy, we take yous covered. Bank check out great uses for your iTunes or Apple tree souvenir card, including some hardware ideas if you lot have an Apple Shop card.

What Is Bluesnarfing and How Can You Prevent It?

Did yous know that hackers can admission data on your smartphone or reckoner with but Bluetooth? Hither'south everything y'all need to know nigh bluesnarfing.

Read Adjacent

About The Writer

Ben Stegner (1797 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Chief at MakeUseOf. He left his Information technology chore to write full-time in 2022 and has never looked back. He's been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional person writer for over seven years.

More From Ben Stegner