How To Reset Your App Store Balance on iPhone

How to Reset Your App Store Balance to Zero Before Changing the Country or Region

When trying to switch your Apple ID’s country or region, this has tripped up a lot of people. The most common Holdup? That stubborn app store balance hanging around. Apple won’t let you change regions unless the balance is zero. Honestly, this was a bit of a minefield for me, mostly because the balance isn’t always where you expect it to be, and the menus are kinda confusing, depending on your device and OS version.

Why Is Resetting Your App Store Balance a Big Deal?

Everyone’s run into this—it’s the classic “you can’t change your country, because you still have funds left.” That balance can be leftover from gift cards, unspent store credit, or subscriptions. Apple’s pretty firm about blocking changes if there’s any money left in the account. The frustrating part? Sometimes, the balance isn’t easy to find or spend. It might be hidden, or only appear when you try to buy something, or when you’re on the web. So, you gotta clear out that cash first.

Here’s what finally worked for me—how to clear that balance

First off, the main trick is to use the App Store app itself to spend or zero out your remaining funds, then attempt the region change. The general idea is:

Open the App Store app on your device. Make sure you’re signed in.
Tap your profile icon at the top right, then select View Apple ID. You might need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your password.
Once in, find Country/Region. This can be buried under Media & Purchases, or sometimes lying in the Personal Information section—depends on your device or iOS version. It’s not always obvious.
Here’s the key—if you have any leftover balance, spend it. You can do this by buying an app, subscription, or adding a gift card with that balance. Sometimes, the balance shows up in Wallet & Apple Pay area, so check there too.
If you can’t spend it directly, adding a gift card with that specific remaining balance to your account then redeeming it on the device can be a workaround to zero the funds out.

Important note: Clearing your balance is critical before changing your account’s country or region. Otherwise, Apple will block you from making the switch until that balance is gone. Just a heads-up: If your balance is tied up in pending refunds or unspent gift cards, clearing it might take some time—sometimes a day or two, especially if there are refunds processing.

Alternative Method: Using the Apple Website

If fiddling with the app doesn’t do the trick, sometimes going through the Apple website actually works better. On my older iPhone and even on newer Macs, I found some menus hide the balance info—really sneaky. So, here’s the online route that helps clear things up:

Head over to getport.apple.com. Yeah, this isn’t some hacking site, just the official Apple portal for managing your account and subscriptions.
Scroll down to Billing and Subscriptions. Sometimes it’s tucked under a menu called Misc or hidden away in a corner, but it’s there.
Tap or click on Manage Subscriptions. This is super important—your balance is often linked to active or paused subscriptions.
Look for any subscriptions you’ve paid for or used your balance on. If you find any, manage or cancel them. Especially if the subscription was paid via account balance, canceling it will free up any remaining funds.
If you see subscriptions from third-party providers, they might redirect you outside of Apple’s ecosystem, so handle accordingly.

Once you cancel or manage all subscriptions using your balance, the remaining funds should clear out after a bit of processing time. Sometimes, waiting 24-48 hours is needed for Apple to fully update your account. Trust me, patience here makes a big difference.

Getting Help from Apple Support

If this still feels like hitting a dead end, don’t sweat it. Apple Support can actually do internal resets for you, especially if your balance just refuses to go away. Just be prepared to verify your identity—they really check.

Visit support.apple.com.
Click or tap Get Support, then select Apple ID & Billing.
Choose your preferred contact method—chat or call. Explaining that you need to change the country or region but your account balance is blocking the switch usually prompts them to assist further.
Have your Apple ID info ready, along with details of your current balance and recent purchases. They might need to verify ownership before they can do anything.

Honestly, support has been surprisingly helpful in these scenarios if you give them the right info and a bit of patience.

Some Extra Tips & Things to Watch Out For

Spend your balance: Even a small purchase—like a song, or an inexpensive app—can help clear it out. Yes, it’s annoying, but it works.
Check subscriptions: Ensure there are no active subscriptions, especially free trials that may have automatically turned into paid ones. Cancel or wait for them to expire—these can hold funds or block your change.
Be patient: Changes don’t always happen instantly. Sometimes restarting your device after the adjustments helps. Or just give it a few hours or a day—Apple’s servers need time to sync.

Wrapping Up

Changing your country or region in the Apple ecosystem can be surprisingly complex if you’ve got remaining funds. The main thing I learned? Spend or cancel any subscriptions tied to your balance; then wait it out or get support involved if necessary. The menus can be frustratingly hidden, and the balance sometimes appears where you least expect it, but persistence usually pays off. Double-check account region, balance, and active subscriptions before making the switch. Honestly, it’s a bit of a headache, but once you get through, it’s all smooth sailing.

Hope this saved someone else a boatload of frustration—I spent way too long figuring this out, so maybe this makes the process a little easier for someone else. And remember: support teams are your friends here—don’t hesitate to reach out if needed!