Google customizes the content you see in the Play Store based on your geographic location. If you want to change your country in the Google Play Store due to relocation or simply to access content in another region, here’s how to do it:
You may also want to access the Play Store of another region from where you are. This guide walks you through how to change the country in the Google Play Store on your desktop, Android phone, or best Android tablet.
Before You Start
There are a few important things to keep in mind before changing your country in the Google Play Store:
- Google allows you to change your Play Store country once a year. After the change, you cannot return to your previous region for a year.
- You’ll need to use a payment method from your new country because your old payment method won’t work with your new account.
- Some content, such as books, movies, TV shows, games, and apps, may not be available in your new country, so you may lose access to them.
- Your Google Play balance in your old country will not be accessible in your new region. If you return to your old country, your balance will be available again.
- Changing countries will cause you to lose your Google Play Points and your level will not carry over to your new region.
- If you’re a Google Play Pass subscriber, your subscription will only transfer to your new country if the service is available there. Otherwise, you won’t be able to install additional Google Play Pass games and apps.
Changing Your Google Play Store Country on Desktop
To change your country on Google Play, you will create a new profile. This requires you to be physically present in the desired country, have an active IP (Internet Protocol) address associated with that location, and have a valid payment method from the new country.
If you meet the above-mentioned requirements, follow the steps below to change your Google Play Store country using your desktop.
To change your Google Play Store country on your desktop, follow these steps:
- On your desktop, go to your Google Pay Settings.
- Under the Payments profile, click the Edit icon (looks like a pencil) next to Country/Regions.
- You will be asked to create a new payments profile for your new country or region. Click on “Create new profile”.
- Select your new country on the next page.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to provide a new address and a payment method. The first payment method must be from the same country or region as your new profile. Once you create your new profile, you can add payment methods from other countries or regions.
- After adding a new payment method, the Google Play Store will automatically change to your new country or region in less than 48 hours.
Changing Your Google Play Store Country on Mobile
You can use your mobile phone to change your geographical location in the Google Play Store. Follow the steps below to learn how.
You can also change your Google Play Store country from your mobile device. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
- Tap the profile icon in the upper right corner.
- Tap “Settings” and then select “General”.
- Select “Account & device preferences” and then tap “Country & profiles”.
- If Google detects that you are in a new location, you will see the option to change your country. Follow the on-screen instructions to provide an address and payment method for the new country.
Using VPN to Change Your Google Play Country
If you are not physically located in the country you want to set as your new country, you can use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide your real IP address. This allows you to trick Google into thinking you’ve moved to a new country.
Best VPN services, allows you to spoof your geolocation and trick Google into thinking you’ve moved to a new country. VPNs connect you to servers around the world and obtain IP addresses from those regions.
However, it is important to note that changing your country with a VPN has some limitations:
- Once you change your country, you cannot change it again for a year.
- Google may prevent you from downloading some apps that were previously available in your old region.
- Some applications may not work when using a VPN and therefore may not be downloaded.
To change your country to a VPN, follow these steps:
- Connect to a VPN server in the country you want to switch to.
- Go to your Google Pay settings in your desktop browser.
- Click the pencil icon next to “Country/Region” and select “Create new profile”.
- Select the country that matches the VPN server you are connecting to.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to enter an address and payment method for the new country.
- Your country will change automatically within 48 hours.
Note that while changing your Google Play Store country can be useful, it’s important to be aware of the potential limitations and restrictions that come with this change.
Look beyond the Google Play Store
Most of Play Store on android phone is the go-to app store. You can use it to download new apps or update your existing Android apps. But Play Store is not that good for discovering new and exciting apps. Best Google Play Store alternativeshelps you discover more apps that appeal to your personal and professional interests.