Learning how to change country in the App Store is pretty straightforward. You can simply follow the file path of: Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > View Account > Country/Region > Change Country or Region and follow the on screen prompts. But thats not the only way to switch between countries and regions, it’s arguably not even the best way. Read on as we explain why, and give you a detailed guide on changing countries in the Apple App Store.
Issues With Changing App Store or iTunes Country
Depending on the country associated with an account, your access to the App Store or iTunes will differ.
If you switch your Apple ID from one country to another, you will lose all access to your already purchased content from iTunes and the App Store till you switch back to that region.
Every application on your device is still usable, and installed apps continue to get updated. But, if you want to access your purchases that you have not downloaded yet, you will need to return your settings in iTunes and the App Store to the country where the purchase was made.
One of the primary issues with changing stores is that you need a legitimate payment method in the country you choose for your store.
For instance, you cannot use a European credit card in the United States App Store. Therefore, if you wish to switch to the United States App Store, you need an American credit or debit card if you have moved from Europe to the United States. You then need to switch back to a European credit or debit card if you ever want to use your European purchases again.
If you have permanently relocated to America and the European payment information has expired, it may be impossible for you to get it, which means you may lose the purchases.
You also cannot change App store country while you have an active subscription to Apple TV.
Instead of looking to change the app store location for the current Apple ID, there is one solution to this. You can simply create a new Apple ID.
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For the below guides to work. you may need an iPhone running the latest iOS like these refurbed iPhone 13s
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Advantages of Creating a Secondary Apple ID Account
Sometimes, creating a second Apple ID instead of altering the region or country for your current iTunes and App Store accounts can be helpful. It’s easy to switch between your two accounts.
For example, you could have one account for Europe and the other for the United States, and at any moment, you could switch without changing the payment details. To use your second account, log out of your first account and log in to the second account on your iOS device.
You will be able to access all the local iTunes and App Store data, which includes your purchases. Getting free content from iTunes and the App Store in most countries is possible, even without adding your payment details when creating a new Apple ID.
The drawbacks of this method are that it divides all your purchases across two different accounts and that you need to give both accounts a unique email ID. You can also lose all your purchased content from one account if you lose its access.
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How to Retain App Store and iTunes Purchases From Different Countries
It does not matter from what country or account you bought the apps, music, movies, TV shows, books, or other items from iTunes or the App Store; you can use them if you’ve already installed them on the device. This means that even before you change the app store country associated with your iTunes and App Store accounts or open a different Apple ID, you should install all of the purchases you intend to keep using.
You can also make a PC backup of your iPhone after making any purchases. Make sure to choose the option to back up all the data from the device to your PC or Mac when creating back-ups.
How to Change the App Store Country
You can change the app store country for your account if you’re permanently relocating to a foreign country but only intend to do so once. If not, you should set up a new account to enable you to repeatedly change the country of your iTunes and App Store accounts. This second method is also better if you do not have a payment option for the foreign country you want to use.
How to Change Home Address on iPhone and Mac
Before you can change the country settings of the iTunes and App Store, you should make sure to:
- Cancel any active subscriptions, including Apple Music and Apple TV+.
- Unless you are the family organizer, exit the family sharing group.
- Use any credit that is still in the Apple ID account.
- Download any content you wish to access later, including apps and movies, music, books, TV series, etc.
You must confirm that you are using a legitimate payment method and billing information for the new country.
How to Change Country in the App Store on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Here is how to change country on iPhone:
- Open the Settings.
- Navigate to [Your Name] > Media & Purchases.
- Click on the View Account option.
- Type in the password for your Apple ID.
- Go to the Country/Region option.
- Now click on Change Country or Region option and select your new country.
- Agree to the terms and conditions and enter the payment and billing information.
- After entering your information, click on the Done option.
On Mac
Here is how to change country on app store on a Mac:
- Go to Apple Music Mac App.
- Click on the Account option and choose the Account Settings option in the menu.
- Click on the Change Country or Region option on the Apple ID Summary page and change the country’s name here.
- Now, agree to the terms and conditions and enter the payment and billing information.
- After entering your information, click on the Done option.
How to Change App Store Region Using Another Apple ID
The simplest way to temporarily change the App Store region would be to create a new Apple ID. You can quickly move back and forth between your old and new accounts without requiring another country’s payment method.
Ensure you choose the right country for the second account if you do this. This must be verified by entering a billing address within this country and e-mail address verification. Any mobile number is acceptable, including those from other countries. However, you must use a fresh email address that isn’t being used with another Apple ID.
Here is how to change the region on iPhone using a secondary account:
- Open Settings and click on the [Your Name] option.
- Choose Sign Out.
- Select all the iCloud data that you wish to save on the device,
- Click on Sign Out.
- Open your App Store and click on the Account Option on the screen’s top right side.
- Click on the Create New Apple ID option.
- Here, choose your country and type in your new account’s password and email address.
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How to Change App Store Region in a Browser
You can also change app store region in a browser by signing in with your Appleid the navigating to Personal Information > Country/Region and following the on screen prompts.
Wrapping Up
That should be everything you need to know about how to change country in the App Store. Let us know in the comments if you’re still having trouble and we’ll help you out as soon as we can.
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Chris is a spreadsheet expert and content writer for Productivity Spot and Spreadsheet Point. He has a double Bachelor's Degree in Teaching and has been working in the education industry for over 11 years. His experience makes him adept at breaking down complex topics so that everyone is able to understand.
