How to Send a Starbucks Gift Card on iPhone & Android

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: October 2, 2024 Fact Checked

Want to text a friend or family member a free drink at Starbucks? If you have an iPhone, you can use the Messages app to text Starbucks gift cards to anyone! If the recipient also has an iPhone, they'll see the gift card in the message instantly. If they have an Android, they'll receive a link to the gift card instead of an image. And although Android users can only send Starbucks gift cards via email, we found an easy workaround that still lets you send gift cards via text from any Android. Read on to learn how!

How do you send a Starbucks gift card through text?

When you install the Starbucks app on your iPhone, you'll be able to send gift cards via text directly from the Messages app. The Starbucks app for Android doesn't give you the option to text a gift card, but you can send it as an email instead.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Sending on an iPhone or iPad

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1
Install the Starbucks app from the App Store
. If you haven't done so already, you'll want to download the Starbucks app so you can easily text gift cards in Messages.^{[1]
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- Buying a Starbucks gift card in the Messages app uses your default Apple Pay payment method. If you've added multiple payment methods to Apple Wallet, you'll have the chance to choose a payment method before purchase.
If you don't already have a conversation with the person you want to gift, just tap the New Message icon at the top-right corner of your Messages list to create one.

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Tap the Starbucks Gifts icon in the Messages app. It's the green-and-white Starbucks logo on the row of icons above your keyboard. If you don't see it, just swipe through the icons until it appears.^{[2]
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- If you don't see a row of icons above your keyboard, tap the App Store icon (the "A") to the left of the typing area to bring it up.
Once you tap a design, you'll see three possible denominations appear on the card.^{[3]
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The options are $5, $10, and $25. There aren't too many denominations available when sending gift cards through text, but they'll all work for buying someone a quick drink.^{[4]
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This displays your default Apple Pay payment information and asks you to confirm your payment method.^{[5]
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Confirm your payment. If the selected payment method is not the one you want to use, tap to select a different method. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to confirm your payment.
- Once your gift card is sent, you'll receive an email confirmation for your purchase. Once the recipient taps the gift card or link in the message, you'll receive another email letting you know the card was delivered.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Sending on an Android

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1
Install the Starbucks app from the Play Store
. If you haven't done so already, you'll want to download the Starbucks app so you can buy and send gift cards from your Android.
- While the Starbucks app doesn't let you send gift cards over text, you can easily send gift cards via email.
- If you don't know the person's email address or just really need to get the gift card to them via text, you can get around the restriction by emailing the gift card to yourself and sending a screenshot of the gift card to your friend.
Once you launch the app, you'll see a gift box icon at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down to check out all of the available options. You can also check out even more options by tapping See all next to any of the categories.^{[6]
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Select a gift card amount from the menu. Tap the "Gift amount" menu and choose a denomination from $5 to $50. If you want to enter a denomination that isn't on the menu, tap Other at the bottom and enter an amount between $5-100.^{[7]
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- Want to personalize your gift card with a message? Tap the "Add a message" box to type up to 160 characters. This message will be included along with the gift card.
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Enter the recipient information. As you can tell, there's nowhere to enter a phone number—just an email address.
- Emailing the gift card is quick and easy, so if you know the person's email address, it's your best option.
- If you absolutely must send the card via text, just enter your own email address into the field—you'll be able to screenshot the gift card once you receive it, then send it to your friend.
You'll see this button at the bottom of the screen.
If you've already used the Starbucks app to make purchases, you'll see your default payment method here. If not, you can add one now, or select a different payment method from the menu.
This deducts the gift card amount from your payment method and sends the gift card via email.^{[8]
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If you need to send the gift card via text, you'll be the one to receive the gift card via email. Once you receive it, click or tap the link to display the gift card, along with instructions for redeeming it.
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Take a screenshot of the gift card. Make sure the bar code and all numbers on the gift card are visible on the screen, then press your Android's screenshot buttons to capture a screenshot.
- You'll usually capture a screenshot by pressing the Power and Volume Down buttons (or Power and Volume Up) at the same time, but the screenshot process depends on your model.
- The gift card may open in the Starbucks app instead of on the web. If it does, you might have to tap the card again to bring up the bar code, gift card number, and security number.
Just open a text message to your friend, tap the photo icon (you might have to tap a + to see it) to launch your gallery, and choose the screenshot you just captured.^{[9]
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Research source} Then, tap the Send icon (it usually looks like a paper airplane) to send your text.

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Tips

Once the recipient receives the gift card via text, all they'll need to do is tap the link for instructions on redeeming the card.

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To redeem the gift card in a store, the recipient will need to tap the link (or open the screenshot) of the gift card to display the bar code. The Starbucks barista will then scan the gift card directly from the phone.

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You can easily check the balance of your gift card from any device, including your computer, by visiting https://starbucks.com/gift in a browser. Just select Check balance near the middle of the page and enter the card number and security code.

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