App Store payment failed or declined: how to fix it

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"Payment failed" in the App Store is not one error but a group of messages, such as "Your payment method was declined" or "Purchase Not Completed". The usual fix is to correct your billing details, pay any unpaid earlier order, or add a different payment method. If none of that helps, only your bank can say why it refused the charge.

Applies to:iPhone and iPad (App Store)Mac (App Store)iTunes Store
On this page

What it means

There is no single Apple error code behind a failed App Store payment. You may see "Your payment method was declined", "Purchase Not Completed", "Your purchase could not be completed", or a notice about a "billing problem with a previous purchase" or "verification required". In practice they mean the same thing: the charge to your Apple Account did not go through.

Apple says it does not know why a particular payment method was declined. The bank or card issuer has to explain that. So the work is a short checklist: rule out what you can see yourself (billing details, an unpaid order, the wrong country), then ask the bank about the rest.

If the message mentions a previous purchase, deal with that first. While an unpaid order exists, new purchases, subscriptions and even free app downloads can be blocked.

Symptoms and causes

You are likely dealing with this problem if:

  • A message saying your payment method was declined when you buy an app, an in-app purchase or a subscription.
  • "Purchase Not Completed" with a Continue button that leads to a purchase review.
  • A notice about a billing problem with a previous purchase, or that verification is required.
  • "Your purchase could not be completed" with no further detail.

The usual causes, most common first:

Declined, expired or mismatched payment method
The card was declined or has expired, or the name and billing address on your Apple Account do not match the bank's records.
An unpaid earlier order
A previous purchase that could not be charged blocks new purchases and free downloads until it is paid.
The bank is blocking the charge
The issuer may refuse international purchases, or ask for verification by app or SMS that was not completed.
Payment method does not suit the account's country or region
A payment method has to be valid in the country or region your Apple Account is set to.
Local law changes
Apple links pages about payment changes in Australia, Brazil, Europe and Japan on its declined-payment page.
Purchase flagged for review
Apple can treat a purchase as suspicious. You then see "Purchase Not Completed" and must submit a review.
Family Sharing
With purchase sharing on, the family organizer's payment method is charged, so a bad organizer card blocks members too.
Other possible factors (third-party source)
One third-party blog also lists Screen Time restrictions, an item not offered in your country, a locked or disabled Apple Account, and too many linked payment methods.

How to fix it

Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and move to deeper repairs; stop as soon as the problem is gone.

1.Check your name and billing address

Easy

A mismatch between your Apple Account billing details and what the bank has on file is a common reason for a decline.

  1. Open your payment settings (see the next fix for the exact menus) and compare the name and billing address with what your bank has on file for the card.
  2. Correct anything that differs, then try the purchase again.

2.Pay an unpaid earlier order (iPhone or iPad)

Easy

If the message mentions a previous purchase, the unpaid order is what blocks everything else, including free downloads.

Before you start: Gift cards are not available in every country. Apple's page gives these steps for iPhone and iPad only, not Mac.

  1. Go to Settings, tap your name, then Payment & Shipping.
  2. Tap Fix Payment Information, update the details, then tap Try Again.
  3. If that fails, add a new valid payment method and remove the old one. The new method is charged automatically for the unpaid order.
  4. Alternatively, redeem an Apple Gift Card or App Store Card. Then go to Settings, tap your name, Media & Purchases, View Account, Purchase History. Tap the order showing Amount You Owe and choose Pay with Apple Account Credit.

3.Add a different payment method and remove the old one

Easy

This rules out a problem with the specific card and refreshes the details Apple holds.

  1. On iPhone or iPad: go to Settings, tap your name, Payment & Shipping, Add Payment Method, fill in the details and tap Done.
  2. Still on iPhone or iPad, tap Edit, tap the red delete button next to the old method, then Remove.
  3. On Mac: open the App Store, click your name in the sidebar, click your name again, then Payment Methods, Add Payment Method, and Done.
  4. On Mac, then use Edit and Remove Payment Method on the old one. Retry the purchase.

4.Ask your bank or card issuer

Easy

Apple does not know why a payment method was declined. The issuer is the only one who can tell you.

Before you start: Contact the bank through the number on your card or its official app or website, not through a link in an unexpected message. Never share one-time codes with anyone who contacts you first.

  1. Ask why the charge was refused.
  2. If the purchase is international, ask them to allow international purchases.
  3. Complete any verification they require, by their app or by SMS, then retry the purchase.

5.Confirm your Apple Account's country or region

Easy

The payment method has to be valid for the country or region of your Apple Account.

Before you start: Do not change the country or region on a guess. Contact Apple Support first if it looks wrong, since a change can affect existing purchases and subscriptions.

  1. Check that your payment method is one that works in the country or region your Apple Account is set to.
  2. If the region looks wrong, contact Apple Support through Apple's official support site before changing anything.

6.Complete the purchase review for "Purchase Not Completed"

Easy

Apple may hold a purchase it considers suspicious until you submit a review.

Before you start: Apple Support cannot submit the review for you or speed it up.

  1. Go back to the item and try to buy it again.
  2. When the message appears, tap Continue and follow the on-screen steps to submit the purchase review.

7.Sort out Family Sharing payments

Easy

With purchase sharing on, the organizer's payment method is the one charged.

  1. If you are the organizer, change your own payment method.
  2. If you are a member, add your own valid payment method, ask the organizer to change theirs, or redeem a gift card to pay the unpaid order.

8.Check Screen Time restrictions

Easy

Restrictions on in-app purchases or the App Store can stop a purchase. This step comes from a third-party blog, so menu wording may differ on your iOS version.

  1. Go to Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  2. Set In-app Purchases to Allow.
  3. Make sure iTunes & App Store purchases and the related allowed apps options are enabled.

9.Contact Apple Support

Easy

If the specific fixes above did not work, Apple Support can look at your account.

  1. Contact Apple Support through Apple's official support site.

Check that it worked

  • The purchase, download or subscription completes without a decline message.
  • The "billing problem" or "Amount You Owe" notice no longer appears in your account.
  • Free apps download again if they were blocked before.

If it still fails

  • Ask your bank for the exact decline reason and try a different card or an Apple Gift Card.
  • If a purchase review is pending, finish the on-screen steps. Apple Support cannot do it for you.
  • Contact Apple Support through Apple's official support pages. Beware of messages or calls claiming to be Apple that ask for passwords or codes.

Questions

Why does Apple not say why my card was declined?

Apple says it does not know the reason. The bank or card issuer made the decision and can explain it.

Why can I not download free apps?

An unpaid earlier order can block free downloads as well as new purchases. Pay that balance first.

Sources

  1. If your payment method is declined in the App Store or iTunes StoreOfficial · Apple Support
  2. If a message says 'billing problem with previous purchase' or 'verification required'Official · Apple Support
  3. Fix "Your Purchase Could Not Be Completed" in iPhone App Store · iDownloadBlog

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