Transfer gift card money to PayPal

• You can add a gift card to your PayPal account to use as a payment method.
• However, the gift card has to be a prepaid gift card from brands like Visa, American Express, MasterCard, or Discover in order to use it on PayPal.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

One of the obvious perks of the holiday season is gift cards galore.

Prepaid gift cards sold by credit card companies are a particularly great gift, because you can put the balance toward just about anything — including your PayPal account.

And adding a gift card balance to your PayPal account might be a good idea if you often use PayPal. 

It's also a great way to eliminate the possibility of forfeiting your funds before you've even had a chance to splurge — a lot of us are prone to losing physical copies of things. 

Here's how to add a prepaid gift card from Visa, American Express, MasterCard, or Discover to your PayPal account.

How to add a gift card to PayPal

1. Go into your PayPal Wallet on a desktop computer.

2. Click "Link a debit or credit card."

3. Tap "Link a card manually" if given the option to link manually or through a bank.

4. Enter the gift card information.

5. Tap "Link Card."

Sometimes, you might run into an error trying to add a gift card to your PayPal account as a payment method because gift cards lack personal identifiers, unlike traditionally-issued credit cards. 

If you run into this kind of trouble, register your gift card — there should be instructions on the card that will direct you to a website for registration.

Additionally, there are also ways to exchange non-credit card gift cards for money in your PayPal account, but the cost of the transaction is significant — usually a minimum of 10% of the value of the gift card.  

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to delete your PayPal account on your Mac or PC

• How to link your PayPal account to your Twitch channel so viewers can donate to your page

• How to check your PayPal balance on desktop or mobile

• 'Does PayPal have fees?': Yes, but not for all transactions — here's how you can avoid fees on PayPal

Emma Witman is an Asheville, NC-based freelance journalist with a keen interest in writing about hardware, PC gaming, politics, and personal finance. She is a former crime reporter for a daily newspaper, and has also written extensively about bartending for Insider. She may or may not judge your drink order when behind the bar. Follow her on Twitter at @emwity.

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Hello everyone!

I just wanted to pop in and provide a little clarity here.

If you're adding a pre-paid card, you want to try to add it like a regular credit card, not send yourself money.

Why?

Well, for one, you can't pay yourself in PayPal.

For two, using a card to send yourself funds is actually a violation of your agreement with the card company, and is considered "cash advancing fraud." 

For your safety, please don't commit fraud or ask others to commit fraud. 

Thanks!

Adrian

Was my post helpful? If so, please give me a kudos!

Did my post solve the issue? If so, please accept it as a solution!

Using prepaid gift cards wherever PayPal is accepted can be a fantastic way to get all of your shopping needs addressed. Transferring a Visa gift card balance to your PayPal account might sound daunting. However, it can provide you with additional benefits for all your purchasing needs and a wider variety of possibilities.

With only a few simple steps, you can have your Visa gift card balance in your PayPal account and ready to use in just a few minutes. Whether you are looking for adventure, shopping, or consolidating all of your financial assets into one place, PayPal is a great medium to utilize for all your needs. 

PayPal became one of the biggest companies in online payment and services after it was purchased by eBay in the early 2000s. Since eBay’s multimillion-dollar acquisition of PayPal, the company only grew faster and more efficient. Now, PayPal is ideal for businesses and everyday consumers alike.

Because of this massive growth, PayPal is the perfect place to transfer funds from a Visa gift card for safekeeping, spending, and utilization. The benefits of PayPal include shining customer reviews, skilled customer service, and sophisticated cybersecurity and risk prevention measures to keep you and all your finances safe online.

Steps for Transferring a Gift Card Balance to PayPal

The steps for transferring your Visa gift card balance to a PayPal account are easy and can take less than ten minutes. First, you must log in to your PayPal account and maneuver to the PayPal wallet section.

When the wallet section of your PayPal account is on your screen, you can begin linking your Visa gift card balance in these easy steps:

• Click the button labeled “Link a debit or credit card.”
• Proceed with the option to “link a card manually.”
• Enter the gift card number and security code on the back.
• Click on the button that reads “link card.”

Following these steps can have your Visa gift card information plugged into your PayPal account and be immediately ready to use. You will then be able to spend your Visa gift card balance by using your PayPal account wherever PayPal is accepted.

You may encounter trouble going through these steps, and that is okay. You may call PayPal’s fast and secure customer service line for assistance. 

Customer service is available through phone calls, messaging systems, or on the thorough Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. The FAQ page will have an endless amount of information for you to peruse and apply to your situation and circumstances.

Additionally, the PayPal community page has information, questions, and answers from other users like you.

Related: Can I Transfer Money From Google Pay to PayPal?

Why You Should Use PayPal

Not only is PayPal incredibly easy-to-use, but its consumer-facing platform enables you to acquire help if needed. 

PayPal is a perfect way to send and receive money from friends and family because of its straightforward user interface. Additionally, many businesses use PayPal to issue payments to employees. PayPal for business and work needs can help consolidate all of your finances into one place.

PayPal also offers a platform for security spending with fraud protection services. The information to your linked bank account will be encrypted at all times, keeping your personal and private information inaccessible to hackers or those with malicious intent.

There are no fees for sending money to your friends and family with PayPal. This fee-free option will make going to dinners, gatherings, and outings easier.

Alongside fee-free transactions to family and friends, PayPal offers purchase protections to help buyers feel safe with returns and refunds on their purchases.

PayPal offers more than security concerns, account protection, and encrypted information. Using PayPal will also enable you to leave your wallet at home and pay with your phone or PayPal password, cell phone, or smartwatch. This payment medium means you no longer run the risk of losing your ID cards and other data somewhere inaccessible.

Additionally, PayPal offers flexibility for paying bills and building credit with their services. PayPal Credit is a great way to boost your credit score with comfort and security, knowing that your information is safe. Having your bank information and credit account in one place can also reflect immediate payment for bills, which makes balancing accounts a smoother process.

Conclusion

PayPal is a leader in safe, online finances and boosts efficiency and security above all other values. While the company has had a lot of growth and development, PayPal is always looking to adopt principles and values that help them serve business and everyday consumer needs alike.

Transferring your Visa gift card balance to your PayPal account can be done in just a few simple steps and with only a few minutes of your time. Doing so enables you to spend your money without security concerns and allows you to leave your card at home, knowing you have access to your balance at any time through your cell phone or smartwatch.

Related: How to Transfer Money from Netspend to Cash App

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