When you first signed up for your iTunes account, you supplied a credit card Apple would automatically charge as needed (which usually happens when you reach about USD $40 of purchases). In this tutorial, we will show you how to update the credit card iTunes has on file for your account, and how to use PayPal as your payment method for iTunes items. We will also show you how to remove or delete a credit card from your iTunes account, and how you can purchase from the iTunes Store without a credit card on your account. And all this can be done right from within iTunes! (Edit credit card payment information from your iPad)
Update your iTunes credit card information
The quickest way to access your iTunes account is to click on the Store menu, and choose "View My Account (Your Apple ID)". Otherwise, if you are already inside the iTunes Store, just click on your Apple ID, visible at all times in the right, inside the navigation bar (your Apple ID is the email address associated with your iTunes account).
iTunes will always ask for your password at that stage, to prevent unauthorized access to your account. Supply it, and the "Apple Account Information" page of the iTunes Store will load. This page contains everything you may want to customize about your profile and account, including changing your credit card.
Edit Payment Information for the iTunes Store
The second "line" of your iTunes account displays the last four digits of the credit card currently on file and the credit card type; click on the Edit Payment Information button displayed at the end of this line.
iTunes currently accepts payment by Visa, MasterCard, American Express ("Amex"), Discover, and "PayPal" - these are the credit cards accepted by the US iTunes Store, and what you see will vary based on the country store you use.
Enter the information for your new credit card, and make sure that the billing address matches the credit card you are changing to; once you are finished, review the information, and click Done to save your new payment information. To keep your old credit card information, simply click Cancel, and the iTunes Store will ignore anything you typed, and keep using the old credit card.
Use PayPal with the iTunes Store
If you choose to use PayPal instead of an actually credit card, iTunes will redirect you to a temporary page: "To validate your PayPal account and verify that you'd like it to be used for iTunes Store purchases, click Continue".
Do so, and iTunes will open a PayPal login window in your default web browser. Login to PayPal, and choose a payment method - either a credit card, debit card, or bank account you have on file with PayPal, that you want to associate with your iTunes account.
Delete the credit card associated with your iTunes account
The procedure to remove your credit card from your iTunes account is the same as updating your payment information: follow the steps we outlined above, but when it comes to choosing a credit card, simply pick "None". Note that, of course, if no credit card is associated with your iTunes account, you will no longer be able to make any purchase until you reactivate that credit card, or enter a new credit card for your profile.
Purchase from the iTunes Store without credit card
Whatever the reason for removing your credit card, an option you might want to consider is purchasing gift cards you can use with iTunes Store. This gives you a way to purchase content from the iTunes Store without credit card.
When you run out of money, you simply purchase a new gift card: iTunes Store gift cards can either be purchased in brick-and-mortar grocery stores, Apple stores, or ordered online through the Apple.com website: aside from fixed-amount gift cards, Apple lets you create custom gift cards (tutorial update: Apple now offers the ability to customize your gift cards on the main iTunes gift card page, linked below) for amounts ranging from USD $25, to as high as USD $5,000 (this is for the United States, and may be different for your country). For iTunes gift cards of a greater amount, you need to call the Apple reps (1-800-MY-APPLE).
Purchase a gift card online from Apple (using your credit card).