How do I redeem an iTunes or App Store gift card code? Promo codes in the App Store. How do they work? Where can I get it? Gift Card or Download Code
It is possible to activate iTunes Gift Card both from a PC and from an iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch.
When activating iTunes Gift Card from PC you need to download and install the latest version of iTunes. Open the iTunes Store app and sign in to your iTunes Store account. Select the “Quick Links” window and in the right column, click “Enter Code” (Redeem). In the window that opens, enter the 16-digit code starting with “XX”. Enter the code carefully and click “Enter code” (Redeem).
If you have completed these simple steps correctly, your balance will be replenished with an amount equal to the card’s face value.
Expanded version of activation instructions:
Activating iTunes Gift Card Using Your Computer
If you already have an iTunes Store account
1. You must install the latest version of iTunes software. You can download it for free from the page http://www.apple.com/ru/itunes/download/, if you already have iTunes installed on your computer, you can check its version here: http://support.apple.com/kb /HT1208?viewlocale=ru_RU, update if necessary.
2. Go to iTunes.
3. On the left side of the window there is a list of sources. Select iTunes Store from the list.
4. Click on the “Login” button in the upper right corner of the program window. If you are already signed in, skip to step 6.
5. Log into the iTunes Store using your iTunes account information.
6. In the right column there is a “QUICK LINKS” window, click on “Enter code” in it.
7. On the final screen, enter a 16-digit code, which must begin with the symbol “X”; the code must be printed on the back of the card or, in the case of an online purchase, received by you by mail. Click “Enter Code”.
8. Once the code has been successfully entered, the screen will display your credit amount next to your account name in the top right corner. With each purchase, iTunes will charge you the credit amount until the credit is depleted. If the price of the item you plan to purchase is more than your credit, iTunes will ask for your credit card number. To make multiple purchases, you do not need to enter your gift card number again.
If you don't already have an iTunes Store account
1. Follow steps 1, 2, 3 from the instructions above.
2. In the upper right corner of the iTunes Store window it should say “Sign In”. If the button says an email address instead, click that button, then click “Sign Out.”
3. Follow steps 6, 7 from the instructions above.
4. In the window that appears, create a new iTunes Store account. You will be able to enter your credit card information, if you do not want to do this, click “No” in the “Payment” window.
5. Once the card is activated, your credit will appear next to your account name.
Activating iTunes Gift Card on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
1. Go to the iTunes Store or App Store on your device.
2. When the iTunes Store is already open, click the “Music” button in the bottom navigation bar and scroll to the bottom of the page. If the App Store is open, click “Selection” in the very bottom navigation bar and scroll to the bottom of the page.
3. Click on the “Enter code” button.
4. In the text field, enter a 16-digit code that begins with the symbol “X”; the code is printed on the back of the card.
5. Click the “Enter Code” button.
6. If you have not yet logged in, after clicking on “Enter Code” you will be prompted to enter a password. If the card is activated successfully, a page called “Thank you” will appear.
Thank You Screen
Possible activation problems
The activation code may be unreadable or, after redeeming it, a warning may be displayed indicating that the code is incorrect or inactive.
1. Make sure the code is entered exactly as it is written on the card. Some letters and numbers may be very similar to each other. For example:
Letters A and H
Letter B and number 8
Letter D and number 0
– E and number 3
– G and number 6
– J and number 1
– letter O and number 0
– Z and number 2
2. If the code is entered correctly, but it is still not clear how to activate your iTunes gift card, contact iTunes Store support. You will have to send photos of the front and back of the card and a receipt for the purchase.
The App Store and iTunes Store have a lot of free software and content, but of course you have to pay for the best stuff. That's why an iTunes gift card is a great gift for an Apple Fan.
We'll tell you where to buy and how to use iTunes gift cards in this article. We’ll also share a little secret - how to get such a card for free.
An iTunes Gift Card is a certificate for the iTunes Store, App Store, and other Apple services.
Cards come in different denominations, the denomination determines the capabilities - if you have a certificate for 1000 rubles, for this amount you can purchase this or that content or programs in iTunes or the App Store, respectively. You can also buy books in iBooks, additional space in iCloud, subscribe to any service - Apple Music, for example, use the Mac App Store... In short, the possibilities of the iTunes card are almost limitless.
Where to buy iTunes gift cards?
The easiest way is to purchase an iTunes certificate on the official Apple website in a special section; the card purchased this way can be sent by mail. However, perhaps, we are not yet accustomed to such a gift format and a person usually wants to receive something tangible. No problem, then you should go either to an authorized Apple store or to a large electronics store and you will definitely find a certificate there. The denomination can be purchased as modest - 500 rubles, or generous - 5000 rubles, for example.
As for the price of the certificate, it is equal to the face value. Certificates for 1000 rubles cost 1000 rubles, for 3000 rubles - 3000 rubles, etc. That is, there are no additional payments for the card itself.
How to activate the card?
And now the most interesting point: how to use the money that comes with the certificate. Everything is simple here. There are two ways to activate: directly from the device itself - an iPhone or iPad, for example, or from a computer on which iTunes is installed. Which one to choose is up to you!
Via iPhone/iPad/iPod:
All! Funds from the certificate are transferred to your Apple ID - you can start enjoying your spending! By the way, an important point! Today, the Apple giant is actively promoting the Apple Music service, and therefore often after entering the code and clicking the “Finish” button, the user is asked to credit all funds to the balance of this service - be careful! If you agree to this offer, the value of the certificate will be redirected to Apple Music and you can spend it only within this service.
iTunes
Activating a card using iTunes is done as follows:
As you can see, the instructions are virtually identical, so the choice of a specific guide to action depends on what is closest to you at the moment. If you have an iPhone at hand, activate the code using it, but if you work on a computer and it’s faster to open iTunes than pick up a smartphone, why not take the opportunity to enter the code from your PC.
How to get the code for free?
The promised secret is how to get the code for free. Yes, these are not empty words, this opportunity is really available. The fact is that new applications are being developed for the App Store every day. New developers need testing and promotion of their programs, especially if the programs are paid.
Promotion is carried out as follows. iTunes cards are purchased, a team of testers is recruited, and they are given codes. The card's face value must be used to purchase a program that needs to be tested; the remaining funds can be spent as you please.
Now the main question: how to become a tester. Yes, no skills are needed here, a tester is, in fact, an ordinary user. The main thing is to be in the right place at the right time. Developers, as a rule, are looking for people willing to help with promotion on specialized Apple forums. So, if you regularly “graze” on such sites, sooner or later you will receive your free card.
Let's summarize
iTunes gift cards allow you to purchase apps and content from any Apple-branded service. You can buy the card both online and in a regular store. The first option is faster and easier, but if the card is being bought as a gift, then it is better to buy something tangible.
The card is activated simply and quickly - literally in three steps via a mobile device or PC with iTunes. If you can't activate your card, contact Apple Support.
The rapid rise in exchange rates provokes another increase in prices. This trouble did not escape the Apple content store either. Therefore, more and more users are beginning to find ways to save money by reducing the volume of purchases of programs for their iPhones.
But in fact, it’s not all bad, because there are completely legal ways to get usually paid applications without any expenses on the part of clients. Today we’ll talk about promotional codes and gift cards.
Code capabilities
Typically, promo codes are generated by the manufacturers themselves. They look like a combination of letters and numbers.
Promo codes are an excellent tool that helps a developer test their product and take into account all the wishes expressed by selected “testers.” These can be experienced programmers or journalists from specialized publications, who, having tried the application in action even before the official release in the App Store, will help to properly advertise the product. For users, promo codes are also a profitable way to gain free access to new interesting services.
Each developer has the right to release a certain number of codes. It independently issues gift certificates and notifies the Apple service about this, providing it with a list of access passwords. At the moment, there is a limit of 50 codes per one program released by the developer, which will be presented in the App Store.
In the future, the developer has the right to distribute them free of charge to various subjects at his discretion: programmer friends, columnists of famous specialized publications, journalists, bloggers, etc. And they are already studying, describing the benefits of the product, organizing sweepstakes and promotions. As a result, the winners are sent special cards containing the treasured password.
It must be said that there is no shortage of participants in such events. After all, as often happens, a program in the App Store seems to be free, but only its successful further operation requires making in-app purchases. For example, you download some navigator from the store, with a minimal set of functions, and you have to pay for an additional set of detailed maps for your region. Codes for individual issues of popular magazines are also often offered. This is why they do such promotional giveaways from time to time.
Here, a popular tool for attracting customers is in full effect when the first test sample is free. The client gets acquainted with the product, gets used to the convenient advanced functionality, and in the future, when updates are released, he will be ready to pay for them. In addition, he simultaneously recommends it to all his friends, and in the case of large publications, to a large number of readers and subscribers. A very effective advertising promotional move.
Where to get?
Cards containing a promotional code often become a prize in various competitions among readers or subscribers, which further increases the ratings of both the publication itself and the promoted program. Less-promoted beginning developers offer their product to top-rated bloggers with their own channel. This is how the application is more actively distributed among young people, the main consumers of content on networks.
You can also subscribe to resources that often hold promotions or simply promote new startups. But it’s best to become a regular on specialized forums about technologyApple. They regularly host massive code giveaways to introduce subscribers to new products.
Often, gift cards with codes are raffled off on Twitter or Facebook, groups of other social platforms for communication. Such promotions are carried out both by the developers themselves and by attracting famous print publications, TV channels or celebrities.
Gift cards from Apple are also popular. They have different denominations, and the recipient ultimately decides for himself where it is better to spend electronic funds: on programs, music or films, etc.
They look like this: Although they are issued by the same issuer, they can only be used in certain stores: iTunes or the Apple store. Roughly speaking, the former are used to purchase applications, the latter - when purchasing goods.
The access password symbols indicated on the back of the card are covered with a special scratch coating. Upon activation, an amount is credited to the user’s account (his account) in accordance with its nominal value. And you can pay with these funds in all company stores. 
You can purchase them both through the company store and through retail chains.
Or you can do without any codes at all by installing services like PPHelper, vShare, etc. on your smartphone. They provide access to an alternative app store, and you don’t even have to jailbreak for this. But when using them, all the charm of Chinese clones immediately appears - loading is very slow, often interrupted and crashes. And even successfully downloaded programs may either not open at all or stop working 1-2 days after downloading. And along the way, you can catch some kind of “malware.” Do you need it?
In this sense, services like FreeMyApps look more civilized, which distribute sponsored applications for free, issuing credits to users depending on their activity and other merits. They can then be purchased in the App Store.
What do you need to know?
Please remember that unlike gift cards that never expire, promo codes have a limited validity period, usually less than a month. Therefore, you should not delay registering it in the App Store system for long. After entering the code, the user gets full access to all the features of the application for free, as if he had purchased it for money.
It doesn’t matter from which gadget you enter the code: from a computer or from an iPhone. The main thing is that the user has his own account with an Apple ID, and that the device used has Internet access at the time of the transaction.
Often, in order to take advantage of the resources provided by the code, you must first install the base program. It may be paid, or have a certain trial period. If you are downloading an application from the App Store for the first time, it is better to have at least some funds in your account; perhaps the system will temporarily block (reserve) them to authorize you on the network.
Also remember that if you are registered as a user in your country, you will not be able to use applications from the same American App Store, which has the most extensive range of applications. It often hosts all kinds of promotions with the distribution of codes. You can get acquainted with them, but you can download them only from the regional store of the country in which the iPhone’s Apple ID was registered.
In this case, you have two options: either change the country in your account settings, or create another account in the desired department of the App Store.
How to use?
To use the code, log in to the iTunes store using your account. Go to any content collection and scroll down to the very end of the list. There you will see a window asking you to enter a code. 
Remove the protective coating from the gift card and enter the 16-digit combination or promo code indicated underneath. 
After successfully entering the code, the download of the application linked to it will automatically begin. Upon completion, you will have access to a full version of the program, no different from the paid one. 
You can also use the camera to automatically read the code. After logging into your account, simply hold your card up to the camera and wait for it to scan the code. The new balance should appear on the screen or the download should begin. 
If you received an iTunes gift card via email, to download the program (or to credit your account), click on the link attached to the message: “Use Now.”
On New Year's Eve, some Russians may discover not only a new Apple gadget under the tree, but also a cute, at first glance, useless card with the iTunes or App Store logos. There are so many dangerous things hovering around these cute cardboard boxes. myths and speculation what we decided to fight ignorance compatriots - including consultants for the country's largest retailers.
It’s time to figure out once and for all what the essence of Gift cards from Apple is, how they differ from each other, where the money in the account comes from and how don't lose them 10 seconds after making a purchase in a store.
Let's start with simple things. An iTunes Store Gift Card is an opportunity to purchase any virtual content in absolutely all digital stores of the company: iTunes Store, App Store, iBookstore and Mac App Store. The denomination of Russian Apple gift cards is calculated in rubles and is equal to the price you must pay for the card at the checkout or through authorized Apple partners.
In other words, a card with a face value of 500 rubles should cost exactly 500 rubles at the checkout. The full amount of the denomination is instantly transferred to the account of the Apple user who activated such a card. If you bought a card for 1000 rubles, you received exactly 1000 rubles to the balance of your Apple ID account. If anything, your Apple ID is the username/password you enter when purchasing something in the App Store. It is universal for all stores.
What can you buy?
What cannot be purchased to iTunes Store card balance:
The denominations of Russian iTunes Store gift cards are 500, 1000, 1500 and 3000 rubles. Each denomination corresponds to a specific color pattern on the accompanying documentation. You can find out the value of the card in its upper right corner.
Now let's move on to an interesting point. For the Russian market, Apple produces two types of gift cards: an iTunes Gift Card and an App Store Gift Card. They are distinguished by logos and text, and also have separate stands and placements. That is, in the vast majority of stores on the same shelf you will find a separate row of iTunes gift cards and a separate row of App Store gift cards. Given the presence of one common account for all digital stores, the buyer can easily get confused. Which card is good for buying music and which one is good for apps? The answer is:
App Store and iTunes Store Gift Cards EXACTLY THE SAME
With the face value of a card with the App Store logo, you can easily buy music and movies on iTunes. Conversely, for the balance of a card with the iTunes logo, you can freely buy any applications. In other words, the only difference between App Store and iTunes Store cards is picture on cardboard. It turns out that…
Money with any from these cards you can spend on ANY CONTENT no restrictions between stores
Don't be fooled! The vast majority of consultants at leading Russian retailers, including authorized ones, either know nothing about the principle of operation of iTunes gift cards, or deliberately mislead the buyer, forcing him to buy cards of both types. The implanted logic is simple: they say, you can only buy music with an iTunes card, and only applications with an App Store card. Some consultants believe that you can buy absolutely everything with an iTunes card, but only programs with an App Store card. And vice versa. Everyone has their own fairy tale.
One way or another, don't give in to other people's ignorance and make a choice between iTunes or App Store gift cards only based on their face value, and not their design, name or the arguments of the store employees. Remember: no matter what card you buy, you can freely spend money from your account in any Apple digital store.
And now - the most important detail. After going to the cashier and purchasing an iTunes or App Store gift card,
Do not throw away under any circumstances CASH RECEIPT!
The 16-digit alphanumeric code that you need to enter to credit your account is not printed on the nice cardboard that you take to the cashier. The code is issued and printed directly on the cash register receipt at the time of buying. On the rectangular cardboard with beautiful logos, text and pictures, there is no “protective layer” that needs to be rubbed with a coin. To some extent, this thing is meaningless in itself. When purchasing a gift card, you purchase a code on the receipt and an accompanying cardboard with background information.
When you leave the store, you will have two things - the same cardboard with the card value and a receipt. You can ONLY throw away cardboard. Without a receipt, you will be wasting your money. So if you're going to give a physical iTunes or App Store gift card, be sure to also give the receipt you received after purchasing it.
To activate App Store and iTunes Store gift cards must be opened either in iTunes on your computer or in the App Store or iTunes Store on any iOS device.
iOS: Find the “Enter code” item at the very bottom of the App Store or iTunes Store window. Enter the code from the check and confirm the password for the account to which you want to deposit funds.
iTunes for PC/Mac: Open the iTunes Store and select Enter Code from the menu on the right. Enter the code from the check and confirm the password for the account to which you want to deposit funds.
You can buy a ruble iTunes Store gift card not only in stores across the country, but also through Apple’s online partner, as well as directly through the Russian iTunes and App Store. In the latter case, the gift card amount will be debited from the bank account linked to your Apple ID account. The advantage of online purchasing is the safety of the code and the ability to manually set the denomination. The downside is that you can’t buy such a code without a bank card, and it’s not very interesting to give it as a gift (without a beautiful cardboard!). The choice of option is yours.
Recently, the Russian App Store introduced the opportunity to make cash gifts. Before February 14 and 23, as well as March 8, it is very relevant. Now you can give not only the application itself, but also transfer a certain amount to the account of a friend or relative (the gift amount will be debited from the bank account linked to your Apple ID). And let him choose his own gifts - buy videos, music or apps.
Giving gifts is very simple, and our detailed instructions will make this process even easier. So, go to the App Store (via iTunes on your computer or on the iPad itself with iOS 6). I will provide screenshots from iTunes. Yesterday I sent a gift card to our author Mikhail. Here's how it went:
1. In the App Store we find this icon iTunes Gift Cards. Click on it:
Or follow this link and click on Make a gift right now:
2. We go to the window for selecting the gift card amount:
What fields need to be filled in:
- To whom - you need to enter the recipient's Apple ID here. Not just an e-mail, but an e-mail that is your login to the App Store.
- Sender - enter your name or nickname (so that the recipient understands who the gift is from).
- A message is optional, but you can write something (for example, Happy Valentine's Day!).
- You can choose one of the suggested amounts for a gift, or enter your own (from 300 to 3000 rubles).
- You can choose the date of the gift (within 365 days from today's date) or send it immediately.
3. Press the button Further and go to the postcard design selection window:
I chose a green card, for girls there is a card on a pink background and a card with a heart. :)
4. All that remains is to confirm the purchase of the gift:
After pressing the button Buy a gift a window like this will appear:
Hurray, you did something nice for someone. I asked Mikhail to write what letter he received by email and what the recipient needs to do to activate the gift card.
From Mikhail:
As a result of donating a card, a letter with the following content is sent to the email address associated with the recipient's Apple ID:
After clicking Use now iTunes opens - both on the computer and directly on the iPad. The opening link immediately contains all the necessary information, so you only need to enter the password for your account:
After entering the password, information about the availability of credit for the card value will be displayed:
As you can see, everything is simple. Now let's figure out what the money donated in this way can be spent on.
Here's what:
- for programs and games in the Russian App Store
- for music and video in the Russian iTunes Store
- for in-app purchases in games and applications
- for programs and games in the Mac App Store
Please note that the money received can only be spent in the Russian App Store (i.e. you cannot give a card to an American account from a Russian account).
What you can't spend on:
- to purchase a subscription to iTunes Match
- sending an application as a gift
- purchasing additional iCloud storage
As you can see, everything is simple. And this applies not only to gifts. You can ask friends who have a bank card to transfer money to your account. Convenient if you only need to buy 2-3 programs and don’t want to link a bank card to your Apple ID. But that's not all.
You can also customize monthly money transfers . This is very convenient for parents whose children use a separate account. It’s enough to set up a monthly payment once and explain to your child that on the 1st of every month your account will be replenished by 50 rubles (and don’t deny yourself anything! :))
On the money transfer management page, enter the data to set up automatic payments:
I don’t know why, but this way you can only send from 10 to 50 rubles. Perhaps this is a mistake (they did it by analogy with dollars) and the limit will be increased?
You can cancel money transfers, as well as planned gifts, on the page Account Information(For more details, see the article Changing credentials). In chapter Purchase history now there is a link Gift management.