How to get the free Lion Upgrade without a Credit Card?

[groove-agent]

I have a friend who recently bought an iMac which I guess was older stock - it still had Snow Leopard. Sure, he gets a free upgrade but it requires an Apple ID. An Apple ID requires a credit card (lame!). He doesn't own a credit card.

Taking it back isn't an option. So how does one upgrade without a credit card? He's pretty mad that he needs one for a "free" upgrade.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Macman45]

Only Thing I Can Think Of

I have a friend who recently bought an iMac which I guess was older stock - it still had Snow Leopard. Sure, he gets a free upgrade but it requires an Apple ID. An Apple ID requires a credit card (lame!). He doesn't own a credit card.

Taking it back isn't an option. So how does one upgrade without a credit card? He's pretty mad that he needs one for a "free" upgrade.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Is to borrow a card from a relative to create the account. You could explain to Apple and they MIGHT give him a free USB copy of Lion to install.

It's worth a shot.

 

[The13thDoctor]

I have a friend who recently bought an iMac which I guess was older stock - it still had Snow Leopard. Sure, he gets a free upgrade but it requires an Apple ID. An Apple ID requires a credit card (lame!). He doesn't own a credit card.

Taking it back isn't an option. So how does one upgrade without a credit card? He's pretty mad that he needs one for a "free" upgrade.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Its possible to create a Apple ID without a credit card

 

[Macman45]

Yes Yes!!

Its possible to create a Apple ID without a credit card

Doh......Buy vouchers from any supermarket / retail outlet and off you go

Good information there......SO used to living on plastic

 

[jlc1978]

I have a friend who recently bought an iMac which I guess was older stock - it still had Snow Leopard. Sure, he gets a free upgrade but it requires an Apple ID. An Apple ID requires a credit card (lame!). He doesn't own a credit card.

Taking it back isn't an option. So how does one upgrade without a credit card? He's pretty mad that he needs one for a "free" upgrade.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

If I remember correctly, the Apple ID works across the app store and iTunes store. In that case, setup an account on iTunes store by downloading a free app or going o a US start bucks and getting the app or song of the week, no CC is needed since the app is free; then go to the App store and log in.

I have not tried that but I have helped people setup iTunes accounts without a credit card; it's at least worth a try.

 

[groove-agent]

I found a couple articles on how to create apple IDs without a credit card, but that's for the app store. When you upgrade to Lion there's a separate stage beyond the apple ID creation which asks for your credit card so the free app technique will not work in this situation.

 

[Macman45]

I Still Think

I found a couple articles on how to create apple IDs without a credit card, but that's for the app store. When you upgrade to Lion there's a separate stage beyond the apple ID creation which asks for your credit card so the free app technique will not work in this situation.

You can do it with iTunes gift vouchers, unless Apple have changed things you should be able to create an account and then "Redeem" the vouchers. I may be wrong, but I will do some digging around.

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I found a couple articles on how to create apple IDs without a credit card, but that's for the app store. When you upgrade to Lion there's a separate stage beyond the apple ID creation which asks for your credit card so the free app technique will not work in this situation.

You can do it with iTunes gift vouchers, unless Apple have changed things you should be able to create an account and then "Redeem" the vouchers. I may be wrong, but I will do some digging around.

It seems you can still do it:
http://www.macworld.com/article/159068/2011/04/itunes_no_credit.html

 

[acron1]

Can't you use a pre-payed debit card like the ones you can get from AAA or a major bank and create an account with it?

 

[ibuyufo]

Go to the apple store and have them do the work.

 

[TheKnowledgeGuy]

Again, including all the other prepaid things there's the prepaid iTunes Gift Card, works like a charm. You can buy the $50 one or a combo of $20 and $15, or just $15x2 and you've got the basic Lion. Two $20s and you have Lion Server.

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

Again, including all the other prepaid things there's the prepaid iTunes Gift Card, works like a charm. You can buy the $50 one or a combo of $20 and $15, or just $15x2 and you've got the basic Lion. Two $20s and you have Lion Server.

?? The upgrade to Lion is free in this situation...

 

[DayOfChaos]

There is a workaround, but it can not be done with an existing Lion machine. Do you happen to have another Lion machine?