Gift cards are a popular Christmas present and that's true for video games like Fortnite. The popular shooter uses V-Bucks to let people buy things in the in-game store, which usually consists of skins and other customization elements. When you get a gift card for Fortnite, it's usually in the form of V-Bucks, so you can directly add them to your account and spend them.
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Fortunately, this is an easy task. Fortnite is available on PC, console, and mobile. However, you actually redeem gift cards directly on Fortnite's official website, and it doesn't even require you to have the game installed.
The following tutorial does assume that you have an existing Epic Games account. If you don't, you'll need to sign up for one before proceeding.
Epic Games / Pocket-lint
How to redeem a Fortnite gift card
All gift cards are redeemed directly through Fortnite's official website.
- Go to this webpage and log in with your Epic Games account if you haven't already.
- Hit the bright yellow Get Started button.
- Enter your gift card code in the box provided.
- Hit Next
- Select the platform where you want to use your V-Bucks.
- Note - Only the platforms you have linked to your Epic Games account will be available to select.
- You'll be met with a screen to verify your platform, your Epic Games account, and your balance. Please make sure to verify everything before continuing.
- Important - If you selected Xbox or PlayStation on Step 5, then you'll receive a code that you must enter directly on the PlayStation or Xbox platforms. Don't worry, we'll show you how.
Otherwise, that's it, your balance should be updated on any platform except Xbox or PlayStation.
What do Xbox or PlayStation owners do next?
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Next steps for PlayStation
If you select PlayStation, then you'll receive a 12-digit code from Fortnite that you'll have to redeem in the PlayStation store. Here's how to do that.
- Head to the PlayStation Store, either on your console or the official website. Log in if you haven't already.
- Select Redeem Code from the drop-down.
- Carefully enter your 12-digit code that you received from the Fortnite website.
- Once done, your V-Bucks will be credited to your PlayStation account.
- Note - You can also use the official PlayStation app on your smartphone to redeem codes.
Your V-Bucks will be credited to your account, and you can now launch Fortnite and use them.
Next steps for Xbox
If you select Xbox, you'll get a 25-digit code that you must enter on Xbox in order to get your V-Bucks. There are several ways to do it, but we'll cover the two easiest ones.
Redeem code on your Xbox Series X, S, or Xbox One
- Press the Xbox button.
- Navigate to Store.
- Press the View button on your controller to open the sidebar.
- Select Redeem.
- Enter the 25-digit code, and then follow the prompts to redeem your V-Bucks.
Redeem code on a web browser
- Use this link to go directly to Microsoft's redeem code webpage. Make sure you're logged into your Xbox account before proceeding further.
- Enter your 25-digit code and hit Next.
- Follow the prompts to redeem your gift card to your account.
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What can I spend V-Bucks on?
Basically anything in the Fortnite shop, including outfits, pickaxes, wraps, emotes, and even Fortnite's battle passes. Fortunately, you can't buy your way to wins in Fortnite, so everything is cosmetic.
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Can I transfer V-Bucks between accounts?
Actually, it is possible, although it's not easy. If you haven't spent any of your V-Bucks yet, Epic Games says to use this link to contact the company about getting the full balance transferred to the correct account.
However, if you've spent any of your V-Bucks, there is nothing you can do. All sales are final.
Can I get a refund for unused V-Bucks?
Nope, in this instance, all sales are final. If you don't want them anymore, Epic Games recommends spending them on gifts for your friends.
What to do if your account balance is incorrect:
Fortnite has a contact page here where you can find steps to correct the issue if your account balance is incorrect.
Can I use my V-Bucks on any platform?
Yes and no. You can do it on any platform that supports Fortnite's Shared Wallet. Platforms that do not support that, notably the Nintendo Switch, will not be able to use your account balance.
Epic Games has an article about it here that goes into more details. However, in short, if you purchase V-Bucks for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Android, or cloud gaming services, then you can use it between those platforms. Only V-Bucks specifically purchased on the Nintendo Switch can be used on the Nintendo Switch.
However, if you earn V-Bucks through something like battle pass rewards, those V-Bucks will be available on all platforms, including the Nintendo Switch.
