How to fix when your payment method is declined in iTunes or the App Store (2024)

You know it isn’t a problem with the card — you’ve been using it to buy stuff all week — it must be your Apple ID. So why is iTunes or the App Store saying your payment method was declined? And how do you fix it?

Many users have reported issues in which iTunes or the App Store decline their debit or credit cards. Sometimes this happens with a new card, other times it’s a payment method you’ve always used. It’s so frustrating!

Without a valid payment method, you can’t buy music, movies, apps, books, or iCloud storage from Apple. You can’t pay for your Apple Music subscription and some users can’t even download free apps!

Well, we’re here to show you how to fix it.

Use these quick tips to fix iTunes or the App Store declining your payment method:

• Update your Apple ID payment information.
• Check your Purchase History for unpaid purchases.
• Add a new payment method to use.
• Sign out of iTunes and the App Store, then sign in again.
• Contact your bank.
• Contact Apple.

Related:

• No None option when setting up an Apple ID payment?
• How to check your app download history on your iPhone
• Cannot connect to iTunes Store or App Store
• How to set up and use Family Sharing
• How to create an Apple ID without a credit card?

Problems when your iTunes or App Store payment method is declined

When your payment method doesn’t work in iTunes or the App Store, you might get any of the following error messages:

• Apple payment has been declined please check the error.
• Your credit card was declined please enter valid credit card information.
• There is a billing problem with a previous purchase. Please edit your billing info to correct the problem.
• There is a billing problem with a previous purchase. Click Purchase History to view and correct the problem. If you cancel you will not be able to buy until this billing issue has been resolved.

You can fix all these problems. To do so, just use the steps we’ve laid out below.

1. Update your Apple ID payment information

The first thing to do is check that your payment information for iTunes and the App Store is up-to-date. Something could have changed recently if you moved or got a new bank card.

But even if you didn’t, it’s worth making sure everything is accurate.

So grab your payment card and double-check all the details on it.

How do I update payment information on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod?

1. Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store.
2. Tap on your Apple ID, then tap View Apple ID.
3. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
4. Tap Manage Payments.
5. Update the Card Number, Expiry Date, CVV, and Billing details.
6. Tap Done in the top right.

How do I update payment information on a Mac or PC?

1. Open iTunes on your computer.
2. From the menu bar, go to Account > View My Account…
3. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
4. Under Apple ID Summary, click Manage Payments.
5. Click Edit next to your payment method.
6. Update the Card Number, Expiry Date, CVV, and Billing details.
7. Click Done in the bottom right.

Don’t ignore the Billing Address

Many users have their payment card declined because the billing address doesn’t match what’s on file at their bank.

Make sure you double check the billing address on your Apple ID payment method. Check the name, street address, and phone number are consistent with your bank account.

Some users discovered their ZIP code had “+4” on the end of it with their bank, but not with their Apple ID. Or vice versa.

This small difference was the reason their payment method got declined!

Are you in the right location?

Payment problems often occur if there’s a mismatch between your billing address, App Store, and actual location.

Sometimes this causes problems for travelers. Other times it’s the result of using a VPN on your device.

Disable your VPN or update your payment methods so everything is from the same country or region.

2. Check your Purchase History for unpaid purchases

You can’t update apps or purchase content from iTunes and the App Store if there are unpaid purchases on your account. This happens if you made a purchase and then the payment method was declined.

iTunes and the App Store verify your account at the moment you make a purchase, but they often don’t take the money until a few days later.

This could mean there are pending purchases you thought you’d already paid for.

How do I check my Purchase History on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod?

1. Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store.
2. Tap on your Apple ID, then tap View Apple ID.
3. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
4. Scroll down and tap on Purchase History.
5. Unpaid purchases are listed under Pending.

How do I check my Purchase History on a Mac or PC?

1. Open iTunes on your computer.
2. From the menu bar, go to Account > View My Account…
3. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
4. Scroll down to Purchase History and click See All.
5. Unpaid purchases are listed under Pending.

What can I do if there are unauthorized purchases on my Apple ID?

One of the reasons your payment method may have been declined by iTunes or the App Store is because you don’t have enough balance to cover the purchase.

This can happen if there are unexpected or unauthorized purchases on your account.

If you see any questionable items in your purchase history, tap the arrow or click More. This gives you a more detailed breakdown of the purchase, along with the option to Report a Problem to Apple.

How do I stop family members making purchases on my account?

When you use Family Sharing, purchases made by any family member come off the Family Organizer’s payment method. This can lead to a lot of unexpected purchases.

But you can restrict those purchases by turning on Ask to Buy for family members:

1. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing.
2. Tap the relevant family member’s name (they must be under 18).
3. Tap Ask to Buy.

When this family member tries to make another purchase, your devices will ask for authorization first. You cannot turn on Ask to Buy for adult family members.

3. Add a new payment method to use

It’s possible there’s a problem with the particular payment method you’re trying to use. Perhaps your card has expired, your account has been blocked, or that payment method isn’t available in your region.

Try using an alternative payment method, such as PayPal. If your original payment method was a debit card, switch to a credit card instead. Or vice versa.

Should none of your options work, try putting credit on your Apple ID account with an Apple Gift Card.

How do I add a new payment method on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod?

1. Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store.
2. Tap on your Apple ID, then tap View Apple ID.
3. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
4. Tap Manage Payments, then tap Add Payment Method.
5. Choose the method you want to add and enter the details below.
6. When finished, tap Done in the top right.

How do I add a new payment method on a Mac or PC?

1. Open iTunes on your computer.
2. From the menu bar, go to Account > View My Account…
3. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.
4. Under Apple ID Summary, click Manage Payments.
5. Click Add Payment.
6. Choose the method you want to add and enter the details.
7. Click Done in the bottom right.

Change the order of your payment methods

If there are multiple payment methods on your account, iTunes or the App Store attempts billing them from top to bottom. Return to the Manage Payments screen and re-order your payment methods to put your desired method at the top.

Apple Credit is always at the very top of the list. And it’s always the first payment method iTunes or the App Store takes money from.

But you can choose the order your payment methods are after that.

4. Sign out of iTunes and the App Store, then sign in again

There could be a software problem with your particular device that is causing your payment methods to be declined in iTunes or the App Store.

To fix it, sign out of everything and restart your device. Then sign back in again.

How do I sign out of iTunes and the App Store on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod?

1. Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store.
2. Tap on your Apple ID, then tap Sign Out.

How do I sign out of iTunes and the App Store on a Mac or PC?

1. Open iTunes on your computer.
2. From the menu bar, go to Account > Sign Out.
3. On a Mac: Open the App Store. From the menu bar, go to Store > Sign Out.

5. Contact your bank

Okay, it’s time to start looking at your bank. Start by checking your balance — is there enough to cover all the pending purchases on your account?

If not, that is probably why your payment method was declined.

Even if everything on your bank account looks okay, give your bank’s customer service line a call and explain the situation to them. Tell them you’re trying to make a purchase on iTunes or the App Store and let them know how much it should cost.

Some banks automatically decline small purchases of less than $5. But if this is the case you can normally ask them to change that restriction for your account.

6. Contact Apple

And finally, visit Apple’s Get Support website to raise this problem with them. Explain that you’ve already tried multiple payment methods and contacted your bank, but nothing has worked.

Hopefully they can work out why your payment method is being declined for iTunes or the App Store. And they should be able to fix it, too.

Let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page what they say.

FAQs

Credit cards, billing addresses, pending payments, and all the rest. This is complex stuff and we certainly haven’t covered everything.

If you’ve still got burning questions, hopefully you can find the answers in the FAQs below.

Why does Apple keep saying my payment method was declined on iTunes and the App Store?

If you aren’t trying to buy or download anything, but Apple still keeps saying your payment method was declined it means there’s probably a pending purchase on your account.

Follow our instructions above to take a look at your iTunes and App Store Purchase History. If you see any Pending purchases you know what’s going on.

Update your payment information and pay for your purchase to stop getting messages.

Why does it say invalid payment method on iTunes or the App Store?

There are a couple of reasons this could be happening: the payment information entered could be incorrect, or the payment method selected might be unavailable for your region.

Check out Apple’s website to see what payment methods are available to your region. This relates to the specific iTunes or App Store you’re trying to access — not necessarily the region you’re currently in.

Then follow our instructions above to update your payment information. Take extra care on the card number, expiry date, and CVV to make sure everything is correct.

How do I fix a declined payment on myiPhone?

iTunes or the App Store might declinepayment on your iPhone for a number of different reasons. Perhaps the payment details are wrong, the method isn’t available in your region, or you don’t have enough money in your account.

Our guide to fixing declined iTunes and App Store payments includes specific instructions for iPhone users. Check it out at the top of this post, and let us know how you get on in the comments below.

How do I fix the error, “This payment cannot be processed at this time please try again later?”

Check your payment details for iTunes and the App Store — perhaps the credit or debit card information is incorrect. Be sure to check your billing address matches the records of your bank as well.

If that doesn’t help, try contacting your bank directly. There could be a block on your account if they suspect this is a fraudulent transaction.

And finally, take a look on Apple’s website to see if iTunes or the App Store are down. If there’s anything other than a green circle next to them, the problem is at Apple’s end.

Why can’t I update my payment information on iTunes?

Make sure your Apple ID password is correct, otherwise you can’t edit account information in iTunes. Also, try restarting iTunes or removing and reinstalling it from your computer.

Follow our instructions above if you don’t know where to find payment information in iTunes.

How do I find out why my payment method is invalid or declined?

You can find out why your payment was invalid or declined when you update the information on your account. Look for red text highlighting errors. Review these sections carefully to ensure they are correct.

We explained how to update your payment information above, for any device. If there isn’t any red text, make sure your billing address and name are exactly the same as the account with your bank.

If that didn’t help, contact your bank or Apple to see if they can provide more information.

Let us know your own questions in the comments so we can keep this FAQ updated. By now we hope your payment method works and you’re too busy using it to think about posting a comment anyway!