If you are relocating to another country and own an iPhone, you must remember to change the country of your Apple App Store. When you change your billing address and payment method, these are a few things to keep in mind. For starters, it is possible that your previously installed apps will not be available in your new country. Subscriptions and credit balances will be impacted, and you may end up paying more as a result of the new currency. So, here’s how to make the switch and a couple of things to remember before you do.
How to Change Country on iPhone: Short Answer
To change your App Store country, go to your iOS device’s iCloud settings. Navigate to Media & Purchases > Account View > Country & Region. Change the country and then click Agree. Open the Music app on a MacBook, then go to Account > Account Settings > Change Country or Region.
How to Change Country on iPhone: What You Should Know
There are a few things you should think about before changing your App Store country.
- If you have a Family Sharing plan and live in a different country than the other members of the plan, you will be unable to change your App Store country.
- Some apps are only available in specific countries or geographical regions. This means that if you change App Store countries, those apps may cease to function, vanish entirely from your device, or cease to receive future updates. This holds true for books, music, TV shows, and music.
- You must cancel all active paid subscriptions and wait until the subscription period ends. All memberships, pre-orders, movie rentals, and Season Passes must be completed first, as well as any pending store credit refunds.
- Changing to a different country will almost certainly imply switching to a different currency, which may result in a higher price than you are accustomed to paying. On the other hand, if you’re lucky, you might end up paying less.
- You must enter a valid billing address and a valid form of payment for the country to which you are switching. Foreign payment methods will almost certainly be refused. Paying with a PayPal balance is one option. Apple is unlikely to notice if the PayPal account is registered in a different country.
- Any remaining credit balance on your iCloud account will be forfeited. As a result, use it up before switching countries.
How to Change the Country of Your Apple App Store Account
This will be covered on both an iOS device and a MacBook. We’ll show an iPhone for the iOS device, but it’s the same on an iPad.
iOS
- Tap on your name at the top of the screen to access Settings.
- Select Media & Purchases. This will cause a menu to appear at the bottom of the screen. Choose View Account. You will be prompted to sign in.
- Select Country/Region now. If you have any active subscriptions, it will advise you to cancel them first. Then choose the country to which you want to switch.
- Read the Terms & Conditions before clicking Agree.
- Fill in your new billing address and payment information. Exit after saving your changes.
MacBook
If you prefer to do this on your MacBook, launch the Music app. After that, navigate to Account > Account Settings. You will be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID.
Change Country or Region can be found under Account Information.
The rest is identical to the iOS method. Cancel any active subscriptions, switch to a different country, accept the terms and conditions, and enter your new address and billing information.
How to Change Country on iPhone Online
- Go to appleid.apple.com and sign in.
- Click Personal Information
- Click Country/Region
- Follow the instructions on the screen. A valid payment method for your new country or region must be entered.
If You Can’t Change Your Country or Region
- If you are unable to change your country or region, ensure that you have cancelled your subscriptions and spent your store credit. Follow these steps before attempting to change your country or region.
- You may not be able to change your country or region if you are a member of a Family Sharing group. Discover how to exit a Family Sharing group.
- Contact Apple Support if you are still unable to change your country or region, or if you have less store credit than the cost of a single item.
How to Change App Store Country Without a Credit Card – Using an Apple Prepaid Card
Using an Apple Prepaid Card is the only way to change the App Store country without paying. The Apple Prepaid Card, also known as the Apple Gift Card, is typically used to purchase goods and services from Apple Stores, apple.com, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Books, and other Apple properties.
When you are about to move or have recently moved to a new region and are unable to provide a valid payment method and billing address based in that country in a timely manner, redeeming the Apple Prepaid Card can solve your problem of needing new country services without a credit card in a timely manner.
- Step 1: On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, launch the App Store app.
- Step 2: At the top of the screen, tap the sign-in button or your photo.
- Step 3: Tap the Redeem Gift Card or Code button and manually enter the 16-digit code found on the back of the card.
- Step 4: Finish the redemption by following the on-screen introductions.
Why Can’t I Change the Country of My Apple App Store Account?
If you are a part of a Family Sharing plan, you may not be able to make any changes on your own. It must be done by the plan’s owner. If you have a Family Sharing plan and the others are in a different country than you, you may be unable to change anything.
Do I need to change the country of the Apple App Store on all of my devices?
No, only one needs to be changed. Assuming that all of the devices are signed into the same iCloud account, the App Store change will be synced over immediately.
Can I have an Apple ID in more than one Apple App Store country?
Yes, but each account must have a billing address and a payment method for the country in question. You must also log in and out of each account (you cannot be logged into both at the same time). App updates will not be downloaded or installed until you log in to your account.
Will any of my apps disappear if I change my Apple App Store country if they are not available in that country?
No, they will not leave. However, in order to receive future updates, you must create a second account in the country where you downloaded the app.
Helpful Tips
- Spend any remaining balance on your Apple ID. Check your Apple Account balance if you’re unsure whether you have a balance.
- Cancel your subscriptions and wait until the subscription period is over.
- Wait for any pending store credit refunds and memberships, pre-orders, movie rentals, or Season Passes to complete. A pre-order can be canceled.
- Ascertain that you have a payment method in place for your new country or region. Examine the payment options available to you.
- Redownload your apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books on any future devices that you intend to use to play or read them. Some content may be unavailable in your new country or region.
How do you get an app that isn’t available in your country?
You can change your App Store country to the country in which that app is available. In that country, you can also create a second Apple ID, sign in, and download the app to your device.
How do I set my iPhone’s location to the United States?
To enter your Apple ID account, go to Settings on your iPhone and click your name at the top of the screen. View Account > Country/Region > Media & Purchases Change the country or region to the United States from the country list. After reviewing the Terms & Conditions, click Agree and Next.
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How to Change Country on iPhone: References
