Learn How to Redeem Amazon Gift Cards

What Amazon Gift Cards Are and How They Work

Amazon gift cards are prepaid vouchers that hold a specific dollar amount you can spend on Amazon.com or through Amazon apps. When you redeem one, that dollar value gets added to your Amazon account as store credit. Think of it like loading money onto a gift card at a grocery store — except this money works across millions of products on Amazon instead of just one store's inventory.

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Amazon offers several types of gift cards. Physical gift cards arrive in the mail or come as cards you can hold in your hand, similar to a Visa or MasterCard but specific to Amazon. Digital gift cards, also called e-gift cards, arrive via email and contain a unique code you enter into your account. There are also special-occasion cards sold in retail stores like Target, Whole Foods, or Best Buy. Corporate gift cards exist for businesses wanting to give gifts to employees. All of these work the same way once redeemed — the balance appears in your account and you can spend it on anything Amazon sells.

The balance on a redeemed gift card stays in your account indefinitely. Unlike some store gift cards that expire after a certain time period, Amazon gift card balances don't disappear if you don't use them right away. You can let the balance sit for months or years and spend it whenever you want. This matters because it means there's no rush to spend the money once you redeem the card.

One important detail: gift card balances are separate from other payment methods. If you have a $50 gift card balance and buy something that costs $75, Amazon won't automatically charge your credit card for the remaining $25. Instead, the purchase won't go through. You'd need to either find a cheaper item or add another payment method to cover the difference. Understanding this distinction helps you plan your purchases after redeeming a gift card.

Practical takeaway: Before you start the redemption process, know what type of gift card you have (physical, digital, or retail store card) and where the code or card details are located. This makes the actual redemption steps faster and smoother.

Finding Your Gift Card Code or Number

The first step in redeeming an Amazon gift card is locating the code or card number. Where this appears depends on which type of gift card you received. For digital gift cards sent by email, look in your email inbox (or spam folder) for a message from Amazon with the subject line mentioning a gift card or gift. The email contains a clickable link and also displays the code as a long string of letters and numbers. You can either click the link in the email, which takes you directly to Amazon's redemption page, or manually copy and type the code yourself.

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Physical gift cards have the code printed on the back of the card, usually near the bottom. The code appears as a 14-character string that starts with "X" followed by letters and numbers. You'll also see a barcode. The code is what you need for redemption — the barcode is just for retail store scanning. Some physical cards have the code hidden under a scratch-off panel similar to lottery tickets. Scratch off this panel gently to reveal the 14-character code underneath. Be careful not to damage the letters and numbers when scratching.

Gift cards purchased at retail stores come in two versions. Some have a code printed directly on the card back. Others, called "stored value" cards, require you to check your email because the actual code is sent to your email address after you purchase the card. The receipt from your store purchase usually has instructions about how to access the code via email. Keep the receipt until you've confirmed you received the email with the code.

If you received a physical card as a gift but the code is unclear or damaged, Amazon allows you to contact their customer service with the card details. Have the card itself available along with any packaging it came in. Customer service can sometimes help verify the code or issue a replacement. This process takes longer than a standard redemption, so it's worth checking that the code is legible before assuming there's a problem.

Practical takeaway: Gather your gift card information before starting redemption. For digital cards, save the email. For physical cards, find the code on the back or under the scratch panel. Write it down or have it visible on your screen so you can enter it accurately in the next steps.

Redeeming on a Computer or Web Browser

To redeem your gift card using a computer, start by going to Amazon.com and signing into your account. If you don't have an account yet, you'll need to create one first using your email address and a password. Creating an account takes about two minutes. Once you're signed in and on the Amazon home page, look for the "Account & Lists" menu in the top right corner of the screen. Click on this menu and a dropdown will appear with several options.

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In the dropdown menu, find and click on "Your Account." This takes you to your account information page. On this page, look for the section called "Gift cards" or "Gift card balance" — it's typically on the left side of the page in a menu. Click on "Gift cards." You should see a page with the heading "Your Gift Cards" or similar text. On this page, there's a button or link that says "Redeem a Gift Card" or "Redeem." Click this button.

A text box appears where you can enter your gift card code. Type or paste the 14-character code into this box. Make sure you enter it exactly as it appears — the system is case-sensitive for some letters, so check that capital and lowercase letters match. If you're copying and pasting the code from an email, be careful not to include any extra spaces before or after the code. After entering the code, click the button labeled "Redeem" or "Apply Gift Card."

The system processes your code in a few seconds. If the code is valid, a confirmation message appears stating the amount that was added to your account. Your gift card balance is now available to use on purchases. The amount shows in your account under "Your Account" > "Gift cards" so you can see your remaining balance anytime. If an error message appears saying the code is invalid or already redeemed, this might mean the code has been used before, entered incorrectly, or is damaged. In this case, check that you typed it correctly and try again.

Practical takeaway: Redeeming through a web browser on a computer is straightforward: sign in, go to Account, select Gift Cards, click Redeem, enter your code, and confirm. Keep the code visible as you type to avoid mistakes.

Redeeming Through the Amazon Mobile App

The Amazon shopping app on your phone or tablet offers a similar redemption process to the web version. Start by opening the Amazon app and making sure you're signed into your account. If you see a profile icon or menu button in the bottom right or top left corner of your screen, tap it. Different versions of the app place this button in different locations, so look for an icon that resembles a person's silhouette or three horizontal lines (called a "hamburger menu").

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Once you open the menu, look for an option that says "Account," "Your Account," or "Settings." Tap on this option. Scroll through the menu options until you find "Gift cards" or "Redeem a gift card." Tap on this option. The app takes you to a page where you can enter your gift card code. Just like on the website, you'll see a text box where you paste or type your 14-character code. Make sure the entire code is entered without extra spaces.

After entering the code, tap the "Redeem" button. The app confirms that your code was processed and shows the amount added to your account. The process works the same way whether you're using an iPhone, Android phone, or tablet — the interface looks slightly different depending on your device type, but the steps are identical. Your redeemed balance is now part of your account on both the app and the website, so you can use it for purchases on whichever platform you prefer.

One advantage of redeeming through the app is that you can do it anywhere with an internet connection. You don't need to be at a computer. Some people find it easier to tap buttons than to type codes, especially if they're on a smaller device. However, if your code is very long or complicated, typing it on a tiny phone keyboard might be frustrating. In that case, you could copy and paste the code from your email into the app's text box, which is usually faster and more accurate than typing it manually.