I'm about to receive an Apple gift card from Saudi Arabia, but I'm not located there. If I switch my Apple ID to the Saudi region, will I be able to redeem the gift card and access the balance? Once redeemed, can I use that balance for purchases? Additionally, do I need to provide any verification before entering the gift card? Is it safe to do this?
3 Answers
It's possible to redeem it, but you might run into issues with apps if you go back to your original account afterwards. Sometimes, the app functionality can become impaired. Just be aware that frequent switching could complicate things.
You can switch your Apple ID to the Saudi App Store, but keep in mind that it will limit you to apps only available in Saudi Arabia. Also, you'll need to provide a Saudi address to make that change. Ideally, your friend should buy a gift card valid in your own region instead.
My country doesn’t offer any Apple gift cards at all, so that's not an option for me.
I see, so if they’re buying a physical card, do I still need a Saudi address to redeem it or will it show up only after I try to redeem it?
You won't be able to redeem that gift card if your Apple ID is not already set to Saudi Arabia. If you switch back to your original region after redeeming it, you won’t be able to use the balance for purchases. Be cautious! Apple may flag frequent region changes as potential fraud and could lock your account, which could be hard to recover.
What if my region has no gift cards at all? What are my options?
I’ve switched regions before and my games still work fine. Will I be able to keep updating them too?