Apple has stopped payment processing for the App Store and other Apple services in Russia starting April 1, which means users can no longer make new purchases or renew subscriptions unless they already have funds in their Apple Account balance, and this change affects a wide range of digital services tied to Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple confirmed the update through a support document, where it explained that users in Russia can still use any remaining balance in their Apple Account to continue purchases and renew subscriptions, while also allowing redemption of previously purchased App Store codes.
Services affected
This restriction applies across multiple Apple services, including:
- Apple Arcade
- Apple Fitness+
- Apple Music
- Apple Podcasts subscriptions
- Apple One
- App Store purchases and subscriptions
- Apple TV purchases and subscriptions
- iTunes Store purchases
- iCloud+
- Ringtone and tone purchases
Users will still have access to apps and content they already purchased, and in many cases, they can continue updating those apps, while active subscriptions will end automatically if Apple fails to process payments due to this restriction.
At the same time, Apple confirmed that iCloud data will remain accessible even after an iCloud+ subscription expires, so users can still manage storage and download their files without losing access.
This move follows pressure from Russian authorities after Apple removed certain local apps due to sanctions, and it directly impacts how users in the region access paid digital services on Apple platforms.
