How to Check Your Apple Gift Card Balance (2026 Guide)
A verified, step-by-step walkthrough to view your Apple Account balance on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows, check the value of an unredeemed Apple Gift Card online, redeem a 16-digit code, and avoid the region-mismatch trap that locks a card to the wrong country's store.
Check your balance on iPhone or iPad
Once an Apple Gift Card, App Store Card, or App Store & iTunes Gift Card is redeemed, its value becomes your Apple Account balance โ one pooled amount tied to your Apple Account, not to the individual cards. The fastest place to see it is the App Store:
- Open the App Store app.
- Tap your photo, initials, or the sign-in button at the top of the screen. You might be asked to sign in to your Apple Account.
- If you have a balance, the amount appears under your name. If you don't see an amount, your balance is zero โ Apple hides the line entirely rather than showing $0.00.
Check on a Mac or Windows PC
The same Apple Account balance is visible on the desktop:
- Mac: Open the App Store. Click your name โ or the sign-in button โ at the bottom of the sidebar. If you have a balance, the amount appears below your name.
- Windows PC: Open the Apple Music app or the Apple TV app, then click your name at the bottom of the sidebar. You might need to sign in to your Apple Account first.
- Any browser: There's no simple account-balance web page, so on a borrowed machine the unredeemed-card checker in Step 3 (for cards) or the App Store on a signed-in device remains the way to go.
Remember the balance is per Apple Account. If your family shares devices but uses separate Apple Accounts, each account has its own balance โ and with Family Sharing, family members can't spend yours.
Check an unredeemed card online
Unlike Amazon or Steam, Apple actually lets you look up the value of a card before redeeming it โ useful when you're not sure whether a card from a drawer was ever used:
- Go to Apple's official balance checker: secure.store.apple.com/shop/giftcard/balance (linked from Apple's Check your gift card balance support page).
- Sign in with your Apple Account when prompted.
- Enter the PIN from the back of the card. On physical cards you may need to peel or gently scratch off the label to reveal it.
- The card's remaining value is displayed โ without redeeming it or locking it to your account.
Redeem a gift card (optional)
Ready to add the card to your balance? Grab the 16-digit code on the back (peel or scratch the label if it's covered), then:
- iPhone / iPad: App Store โ tap your photo or the sign-in button โ Redeem Gift Card or Code โ Use Camera (or Enter Code Manually) โ Redeem.
- Mac: App Store โ click your name in the sidebar โ Redeem Gift Card โ use the camera or enter the code manually.
- Windows PC: Apple Music or Apple TV app โ click your name at the bottom of the sidebar โ Redeem.
- Digital card by email: Open the email and tap Redeem Now โ no typing needed.
The value is added to your Apple Account balance instantly and appears in the App Store (and in Wallet, where available) right away.
Where an Apple gift card balance can (and can't) be spent
Since 2020 Apple has sold one universal Apple Gift Card (โfor everything Appleโ), and a redeemed balance goes surprisingly far โ including physical hardware in the countries where the card is sold. The quick reference:
| Use | Covered by Apple Account balance? |
|---|---|
| Apps, games, and in-app purchases (App Store) | Yes |
| Music, movies, TV shows, and books (iTunes Store, Apple TV app, Apple Books) | Yes |
| Subscriptions โ Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple TV, iCloud+, app subscriptions | Yes |
| Apple hardware and accessories at apple.com, an Apple Store, or the Apple Store app | Yes โ in countries where the Apple Gift Card is available |
| Sending gifts or buying other gift cards | No |
| Starting an AppleCare+ recurring plan | No โ though renewals can draw from the balance if another payment method is on file |
| A different country's storefront | No โ balance is locked to the account's country |
| Purchases by Family Sharing members | No โ your balance is yours alone |
Note that some purchases may still require a credit card on file even when the balance covers the full amount โ Apple uses it as a backup payment method.
Troubleshooting
โI don't see a balance at allโ
If no amount appears next to your name in the App Store, your balance on that account is zero. Two common explanations: the card was redeemed to a different Apple Account (a second personal account, or a work account), or it was never redeemed at all โ in which case the Step 3 checker will show its value.
โMy balance looks wrongโ
Apple's own fix, in order: sign out of the App Store (or Apple Music / Apple TV app on Windows), sign back in, and check again. If it still looks off, review your purchase history โ an app purchase, in-app purchase, or a subscription renewal quietly drawing from the balance accounts for most โmissingโ funds, since Apple charges your balance before any card on file.
โThis code is not valid in this countryโ / region mismatch
Apple gift cards only redeem on the storefront of the country they were issued for, and your Apple Account balance is held in that country's currency. A US card cannot be redeemed on a UK, German, or Polish Apple Account โ and there is no cross-region conversion. Apple also requires your balance to be fully spent (zero) before you can change your account's country or region, so an unspent balance can block a region switch entirely.
โThis card has already been redeemedโ
If a brand-new card reports as already redeemed, keep the receipt and contact Apple gift card support (800-275-2273 in the US โ say โgift cardsโ). For cards bought from unofficial resellers, contact the reseller first; pre-drained codes are a known risk outside official retail channels.
Someone asked you to pay them with an Apple gift card
That is a scam, full stop. Apple gift cards can only buy things from Apple โ no government agency, utility, hospital, or tech-support line accepts them as payment. Never read the numbers from the back of a card to someone over the phone; once shared, the funds are typically spent within minutes. Apple documents the pattern on its gift card scams page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check an Apple gift card balance without redeeming it?
Use Apple's official checker at secure.store.apple.com/shop/giftcard/balance: sign in with your Apple Account and enter the PIN from the back of the card. It shows the remaining value without redeeming the card.
Do Apple gift cards expire?
No. Apple Gift Cards and Apple Account balances have no expiration date and no dormancy fees โ the value keeps until it's spent. The only exception is promotional cards, which state their expiry in the promotion's terms.
Can I use a US Apple Gift Card in another country?
No. Apple gift cards are locked to the country they were issued for, and redeem only on that country's storefront. For international recipients, always buy a card issued for their country โ this is exactly what trips up companies sending Apple cards to a global team.
Can I transfer my Apple Account balance or turn it into cash?
No. A redeemed balance can't be transferred to another Apple Account, sent as a gift, or converted to cash โ except where a cash refund is required by local law, in which case you can request one from Apple Support.
What's the difference between an Apple Gift Card and an App Store & iTunes Gift Card?
The App Store & iTunes Gift Card is the older card, valid for digital content and services only. The universal Apple Gift Card (sold since 2020) covers everything โ apps, subscriptions, and hardware at apple.com or an Apple Store. Both redeem into the same Apple Account balance; in countries where the Apple Gift Card is sold, that combined balance can be spent on products and accessories too.
About the author and reviewer
Maciej has worked in the digital gift card and rewards industry for over 5 years, with hands-on experience integrating and testing balance-check, top-up, and redemption flows for 5,000+ brands โ including Apple โ across 150+ countries. He re-verified every step in this guide against Apple's official support documentation and the App Store redemption flow in July 2026.
- Apple โ Check your gift card balance (verified July 2026)
- Apple โ Check your Apple Account balance
- Apple โ How to redeem your Apple Gift Card
- Apple โ What you can buy with your Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance
- Apple โ Change your Apple Account country or region
- Apple โ About gift card scams