How to redeem a gift code for an app
Mac Tip #525, 29 February 2012
You may be lucky enough sometime to get a gift code for an app in the App Store. But if you don’t redeem it before you try to buy you’ll end up paying full price. Here’s how to redeem a gift code for an app and have the app delivered.
The App Store on the day I wrote this Tip. Note the Quick Links section on the right (outlined in yellow).
Quick Start
- Log in to the App Store.
- Click the Redeem link.
- Enter the code you’ve been given.
- Sign in (again) to redeem your code.
- The app downloads.
Want more detail? Read the full Tip below.
Log in to the App Store
The App Store on the day I wrote this Tip. Note the Quick Links section on the right (outlined in yellow).
- Go to the
Applemenu and chooseApp Store…. The App Store opens. Note: the App Store was introduced with Mac OS X Lion. Earlier versions of Mac OS X will not show it. - If necessary enter your Apple ID username and password to log in. If you’re already logged in your username will appear by the
Welcomemessage.
Wrong country’s App Store?
App Store showing New Zealand flag.
The App Store differs from one country to another. To check that you’re using the correct App Store scroll to the bottom of the window and look at the flag in the bottom right corner
Choose another country for the App Store. The page is organised by region.
If you need or want to change the country for the App Store click the flag. A window appears showing a list of all possible countries. Click on the correct country for your purposes.
Click the Redeem link
Look at the right-hand side of the App Store window to see the Redeem link in the Quick Links section. A new page appears where you can enter the code.
The first screenshot in this Tip shows the correct part of the page outlined in yellow.
Enter the code you’ve been given
Enter the code.
Enter the code you’ve been given into the Redeem Code page and then click the Redeem button. You may be asked to enter your username and password again.
Sign in (again) to redeem your code
If necessary, sign in again to redeem your code. Enter your username and password then click the Redeem Code button.
The app downloads
If everything’s in order a message appears to thank you for redeeming the code.
Thank you for redeeming your code.
The app downloads to the Launchpad behind the scenes. Click the Done button to return to browsing the App Store.
Once the app has downloaded find it in the Applications folder on your Mac, or start up Launchpad and look through the pages of apps. See Launch apps quickly with Launchpad for help with that.
Tell us in the Comments online how this Tip helped you.