Earlier, Apple had separate gift cards for their various products. You had:
- iTunes Store card
- App Store card
- App Store & iTunes Store gift card
- Apple Music gift card
These had a specific purpose and couldn’t be used for anything else. In 2020, the company introduced a universal Apple gift card that was available for “everything Apple.” This has created confusion among users as to how you can redeem the gift card and where you could use it online.
In this article, we’ll show you how to add an Apple gift card to your wallet and what you can use your balance for. We’ll also explain how Mode Mobile can help you earn various free gift cards, including Fortnite, eBay, and Amazon ones.
Apple Wallet vs. Apple Pay
Before we explain how you can redeem your Apple gift card, we need to establish the difference between an Apple wallet and Apple Pay.
Apple Pay is a digital wallet that allows you to store your credit card information and pay with your phone. The app is particularly handy if you use multiple credit cards as you can scroll through them. You can select which one you want to use and pay the same way—through the app.
Apple Pay works with real credit cards and money. Since Apple gift cards are not exchangeable for cash, you can’t use the funds on your gift card that way and subsequently can’t add your gift card to Apple Pay.
Instead, you need to redeem the gift card, and the funds will appear in your Apple wallet, i.e., your Apple ID balance. Then, the funds on the gift card will be available for usage, but you will be able to use them only for a limited set of purchases.
How To Add a Gift Card to Apple Wallet
Regardless of whether you’ve received a physical or a digital gift card, the redemption process is the same. The difference is that physical gift cards come with redemption codes on the back of the card, usually covered by a scratchable covering. With digital cards, you’ll receive all the necessary information via email.
The redemption process differs based on the device you’re using to redeem your card. You can use Apple devices, as well as an Android phone or a Windows PC.
How To Add Gift Cards to Apple Wallet With Apple Devices
The process is slightly different if you use a Mac or an iOS device, as shown in the table below:
| Device Type | How To Add a Gift Card to Apple Wallet |
| iPhone, iPad, and iPod | Open the App Store on your Apple deviceClick on your account icon (located at the top-right corner of the Today or Featured screen)Sign in to your account (if you haven’t already)Click on Redeem Gift Card or CodeChoose between Use Camera or Enter Code ManuallyScan the gift card code with a camera or enter it manually |
| Mac | Click on the Apple icon at the top-left corner of your screenSelect App Store from the drop-down menuHit your profile name at the bottom-left corner of the storeClick on Redeem Gift Card towards the top-right of the screenSign in with your Apple ID if promptedScan the code using your PC’s camera or enter it manuallyHit Done to finish |
How To Add an Apple Gift Card Using Non-Apple Products
While Apple gift cards do work with non-Apple devices, you still need an Apple product (an app or a program) installed on those devices for the redemption process to work. The process differs for Windows and Android users—check the following table for more details:
| Device Type | How To Add a Gift Card to Apple Wallet |
| Android phones | Open the Apple Music appClick on the menu button (the three vertical dots)Tap on AccountSelect Redeem Gift Card or CodeType in the 16-digit codeHit Redeem |
| Windows PC | Open the iTunes app for WindowsClick on Account from the menu bar at the topSelect RedeemFeed the redemption code via camera or manually as promptedClick on Done |
Bear in mind that if you redeem your gift card via a Windows PC or an Android phone, the usage of those funds is limited to the iTunes and Apple Music apps. For example, you can use an Android-redeemed gift card only for Apple Music content and subscriptions.
Ref: How To Add an Apple Gift Card to Your Wallet—A Brief Guide – Modephone