My mother-in-law lives in Canada and bought my son a $250 CAD Apple Gift Card because the store didn't carry Roblox cards. Canadian Roblox cards had worked on his account before, but this Apple Gift Card is region-locked and can't be redeemed on his U.S. Apple Account. The retailer said the funds had already been transferred to Apple and couldn't be refunded, while Apple said purchases made through a retailer weren't eligible for a refund or conversion. We don't have Canadian relatives who could use it, and my mother-in-law rarely buys anything with her phone. Is there any legitimate way to recover some of its value, or can it be used for purchases shipped to the U.S.?
3 Answers
Adding the card to your mother-in-law’s account won’t solve the region problem. Apple Account balances generally can’t be shared through a family group, transferred to another account, or used to buy items for someone else. Retail Apple Gift Cards also typically can’t be converted into hardware purchases or shipped internationally from a different storefront.
Apple Gift Cards are tied to the country or region where they were purchased. A Canadian card generally requires a Canadian Apple Account, and the balance can’t simply be transferred or converted to U.S. dollars. The most practical options are returning it to your mother-in-law so she can use it, or finding a trusted buyer in Canada.
You could try a reputable gift-card resale or exchange service, but expect to receive less than the $250 CAD face value. Be careful with informal buyers, since gift-card scams and payment reversals are common. Don’t share the redemption code until the payment is secure.
That matches what Apple support told us: once it’s redeemed, the balance stays on that account, and family sharing doesn’t make the funds available to other members.