ZeroLeftWhere to see your balance
On iPhone, iPad or Apple Vision Pro, open the App Store and tap your photo, initials or the My Account button. If you have a balance, it appears below your name. On a Mac, open the App Store and look at the bottom of the sidebar. On Windows, open the Apple Music or Apple TV app and click your name at the bottom of the sidebar. Apple adds that in some countries or regions you might be able to check it in the Wallet app on iPhone.
Write down the exact figure, including cents. Everything else depends on it.
If the number looks wrong
Apple suggests signing out of the App Store, Apple Music or Apple TV, signing back in and checking again. It also suggests checking your purchase history to see whether a subscription renewed. In the App Store that is your photo, then Apps & Purchase History, then Purchase History. You can also use reportaproblem.apple.com. If you know the amount of a charge, you can search for it.
"You have a store credit balance": what the message means
If you try to change your country or region while money is left on your Apple Account, the App Store stops you with a message like: "You have a store credit balance; you must spend your balance before you can change stores." It is not a problem with your account. Apple asks you to spend your remaining balance before you change your country or region.
The fix: wait for any pending refunds or store credit to finish, bring the balance to exactly 0, cancel subscriptions that would block the change, and then try again. The routes below cover every case, including a balance smaller than the cheapest item.
Why a balance gets stuck
Apple's balance article says that some changes to your account require no remaining balance, and it gives the way to clear it: wait for pending refunds, then spend the remainder on App Store items or other Apple services.
The most common trigger is changing your country or region. Apple lists spending any remaining balance as a requirement for that. Balance also does not leave the account as cash: Apple says unused balance generally cannot be redeemed or returned for cash, except where the law requires it.
Balances usually get stuck for one of three reasons. A refund landed after you thought you were finished. A gift card was larger than what you needed. Or what is left is below the cheapest price, so no item can use it. The first can be solved by waiting. The second and third need action.
Routes to zero
The routes below are ordered by how much they ask of you. Each has a longer article on this site.
- Wait for pending refunds to process. Apple lists this as the first step before spending anything.
- Spend the balance exactly on App Store items or other Apple services, with no card involved, if your balance is above the cheapest item. See "What can you buy with a small App Store balance?"
- Make one purchase just above the balance with a card, which pays only the difference. This also works when the balance is below the cheapest item: the balance covers part, the card pays the rest, and the balance ends at 0. See "Change your App Store country without a credit card".
- Wait until you are physically in the new country or region and create a new Apple Account, which is Apple's wording for avoiding the payment step.
Then change your country
Once the balance is zero and nothing else is pending, the change on iPhone is: Settings, your name, Media & Purchases, Country/Region, choose the new location, Continue, review terms and tap Agree, enter a payment method and billing address, then Done. Apple's page also covers Mac, Windows and the web at account.apple.com.
Before you start, check subscriptions, Family Sharing and content availability. The article "Changing your Apple Account country: what happens to your apps, subscriptions and Family Sharing" covers each point with Apple's own wording.
Where ZeroLeft fits
Disclosure: ZeroLeft is made by the author of this site. ZeroLeft is an iPhone app for one job in this list: spending a leftover balance exactly, using App Store prices for your country, paid only from the balance when an exact combination exists. When none does, it shows the cost of one purchase with a small card charge. When the balance is below its cheapest pack, it plans one purchase of that pack: the balance covers part, the card on file pays the rest, and the balance ends at 0. If you have no card and the balance is below the cheapest pack, ZeroLeft cannot bring it to 0. It is not made by Apple and is not affiliated with Apple.
You do not need it. The same result is possible by hand with careful arithmetic or a single card purchase. The app saves the arithmetic.
A short checklist
Read your balance with cents. Check purchase history for renewals. Wait for refunds. Decide which route fits your amount. Cancel blocking subscriptions and wait out the period. Check whether you are in a Family Sharing group. Change the country. Redownload the content you need.
Questions
Where do I see my App Store balance?
On iPhone, open the App Store and tap your photo, initials or the My Account button. The balance appears below your name if you have one.
Why is my App Store balance stuck?
Usually because it is lower than the cost of a single item, or a refund is still pending. Apple says to wait for refunds and spend the remainder. If it is below the price of one item, one purchase where the balance covers part and a card pays the rest brings it to 0.
Can I withdraw my App Store balance?
Apple says unused balance generally cannot be redeemed or returned for cash, except where the law requires it.
Do I need to reach zero to change country?
Apple lists spending any remaining Apple Account balance as a requirement before changing your country or region.