Transfer iTunes Credit

iTunes credits are store points you can use to purchase songs, albums, and videos on iTunes. Store credits can be bought from iTunes in various denominations, depending on your choice. These credits, or iTunes Gifts, can be transferred from one person to another. iTunes doesn’t permit users to purchase credit for another by using gift credit.

Steps

Preparing Your iTunes

  1. Check your computer’s specifications. Not all computers can run the iTunes program. All Macs have the program installed automatically and PCs can download the application for free. The only computers that have trouble running iTunes are some Linux machines and Chromebooks.
  2. Download and install iTunes. To send iTunes Credits or Gifts, you need to download and install iTunes onto your computer. The download time depends on how quick your machine operates and your internet connection.
    • Check out https://www.apple.com/itunes/download to download and install iTunes.
  3. Set-up an Apple ID. After installing iTunes, click on the application’s desktop icon to launch it. If this is your first time using iTunes you’ll be prompted to sign in or register for an Apple ID. The Apple ID is Apple’s system for logging users in and storing credit card information.
    • You'll need to provide billing information before completing this process.

Sending iTunes Credit Through Email

  1. Go to the iTunes Store. Click on “Store” on the menu bar at the upper-left section of the screen. The store is where you buy items from iTunes electronically through your Apple ID.
  2. Access the Gift window. On the homepage of the iTunes Store, look at the right side of the window and you’ll see the “Quick Links” panel.[1] On the Quick Links panel, click on “Send iTunes Gifts” and the small Gift window will appear.
  3. Enter recipient and credit information. You should be asked to setup the recipient's information and other details about the credit you’re sending. On this window, set the following information for sending iTunes Gift credits:
    • Type in the email address of the user you want to send the Gift credit to.
    • Type in a name you want to use in the “Sender” field, and include an optional message on the text field provided below.
    • Select the gift credit amount you wish to send. You can choose from $10, $15, $25, $50, $100, or any specific amount.
    • Choose when to send the gift. You can choose to send it right away or opt for a later date. If you set a specific date to send it, the gift credit will be forwarded to the recipient even if you’re offline.
    • Click on the “Next” button to continue.[1]
  4. Select a theme. On the following window, you can choose the theme for the gift card. The theme adds to the aesthetic side, offering colors to the virtual gift card. When you’re finished, click on the “Next” button again to proceed.
    • It is not required to add a theme, but it might zest up your email.
  5. Confirm the gift credit. The last window will display the overview of the gift. If you don’t want to change anything, you can go ahead and click “Buy Gift.” You might be prompted to login to your Apple ID, or provide your billing information to your Apple ID account.[1]
    • A confirmation will appear on the iTunes window, telling you that the gift was successfully sent to the recipient.
    • You should also receive a confirmation email through the email you used for your Apple ID account.

Setting Up an iTunes Allowance

  1. Access the gift card menu in iTunes. Click on “Store” on the menu bar at the upper-left section of the screen within iTunes. Then click on “Allowances” and “set up an allowance now.” The allowance credits an Apple ID account with a determined amount each month.
  2. Setup the recipient's info. Now you’ll be prompted to enter the recipient’s name and amount for the monthly allowance. You can also choose to send the allowance now or wait till the first of next month.[2]
  3. Sync the recipient’s Apple ID. If the recipient already has an Apple ID setup, you can send the allowance to that account by entering their email synced to that account. If they do not have an Apple ID, you’ll need to create one for them.[2]
    • This is also where you can write a personal message like, “Happy Bat Mitzvah Alice! Now you can enjoy iTunes credits all year long."
  4. Confirm purchase. On the confirmation page you’ll see an overview of the allowance. You can edit any information about your purchase here before sending it. Once everything looks good to you, confirm the purchase by clicking “Buy.”
    • You should also receive a confirmation email through the email you used for your Apple ID account.
    • You can also edit or cancel the allowance through the “Allowance” section under “Gift Cards” in the iTunes store.

Transferring Gift Credit Through an iPhone

  1. Launch Apple store. All iPhones come with this software installed to the phone. The app looks like a shopping cart and inside the cart is Apple’s logo. If you can’t find it, search for it by swiping down on the main screen to access the search bar.[3]
  2. Select a gift card. It is easiest to use the search bar within the Apple store to locate the gift card section. Type in the search bar, “gift cards,” and you should see several results. You can either purchase a gift card through email, or buy a physical gift card that will ship to the recipient.
    • To transfer funds directly to someone, it is quicker to send a gift credit through email.
    • Some like physical gift card that they can open through the mail.[3]
  3. Continue to checkout. Once you’ve made your selection and included information about the recipient, you’ll be brought to the checkout screen. In the checkout section you will be able to review your purchase before pulling the trigger.
    • Spend a minute to review the provided email address or physical address to the recipient. It would be a shame to send the credit to the wrong person.

Tips

  • iTunes gift credit doesn’t expire, so you can use it whenever you feel like using it.
  • To redeem the iTunes Credit you sent, the recipient needs to log into the email account you sent the Gift credit to, open the email message from Apple, and click on “Redeem Now” to open the iTunes Store and redeem the iTunes Gift credit.

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Sources and Citations