Using the Google Play Store is pretty uncomplicated: you pop it open, search for the app you lot want to download, and install information technology on your device. That's about all there is to it.

But what happens if you motility to a different country? You'll need access to the right regional version of the Play Store for billing information. And Google Play features different apps in various countries, which tin can sometimes allow or block access to certain apps.

Whether y'all've recently moved or want to try accessing another region's Play Shop (which comes with a big caveat), here's how to change your country setting in Google Play.

How to Change Country in the Google Play Shop

Follow the below steps on your Android device to change your Play Store country:

  1. Open up the Play Shop app on your Android device.
  2. Tap your contour motion-picture show at the height-correct of the screen, then cull Settings.
  3. Select General, followed past Account and device preferences.
  4. Under the State and profiles department, you'll meet your proper name alongside your electric current Play Shop land. If your telephone detects that you're currently in a different state, you lot'll see a Switch to the [region] Play Store option below.
    1. If this option doesn't appoear, encounter below for more info.
  5. Under the Switch to the [region] Play Store header, tap ane of the options to add a payment method for your new country. This will vary past region; most should at to the lowest degree have the Add credit or debit carte option.
  6. When you tap the new method, a alert will appear (which we hash out further below). Review the alert prompt and striking Proceed if yous're OK with the terms.
  7. Continue through the prompts to add together a new payment method for the country you're switching your Play Store to.
  8. Once you've switched countries, you're at present able to browse the Play Store for that region. The modify may take up to 48 hours to go into effect.

The option to alter your Play Shop country won't appear for everyone. It only shows up if you were previously in a different country than yous are now (based on IP address). This means you tin't but switch your Play Shop to any country that you feel like. In the above example screenshots, we used a VPN to change our location to Argentina.

If yous've previously changed your country in the Google Play Store, you'll have the option to switch between your one-time and new accounts, if yous wish. This is helpful if you moved abroad for a few years and then returned home.

If yous apply the Google Play Family Library characteristic, you too won't see the pick to change your Play Store region. Unfortunately, unless Google comes up with a meliorate workaround, y'all'll likely need to dissolve your current family group and start a fresh one in your new region (if it'south supported there).

Warnings About Irresolute Your Google Play Store Land

When you modify your Google Play Store region, you must be aware of a few of import points.

Outset, you cannot use your onetime payment method with your new account. You lot'll have to use the one from your new country. Continue in mind that you lot might lose access to some apps and other content if they aren't available in your new country.

After swapping Google Play to a new country, you lot tin't spend your Google Play balance from the one-time land. That includes any souvenir cards you've added merely non spent yet, also as credit earned from Google Opinion Rewards. If you e'er switch back to the old account, you volition regain access to that balance, however.

You will as well lose admission to Google Play Points when you switch countries, and your level will not transfer to the new region. If you subscribe to Google Play Pass, that subscription will transfer to your new country if the service is available there. In the issue that Play Pass isn't bachelor in your new land, you won't exist able to install any more than apps from Play Laissez passer in your new region.

Importantly, you can just change your Play Shop country in one case per year. You won't run across the choice to alter your country if it's been less than a year since your last modify.

Because of all this, we recommend changing countries in the Play Store only if yous've actually moved countries, have a permanent payment method for the new country, and program on staying for at least a twelvemonth. While you tin can play tricks this by using a VPN, or might want to access another country's store while visiting, information technology's non worth doing for short-term access to a few new apps.

You'll exist locked into a Play Store exterior your actual region for quite some time, which will be a big pain. That assumes you'll be able to get a payment method for the country you desire to switch to, as well.

If You Can't Change Your State in Google Play

If you want to change your country later on reading all the above warnings, only the option won't appear, make sure you haven't changed the country recently. In case the option still won't appear or fails, you should outset try updating the Google Play app.

To do this, tap your profile picture at the top-correct of the Play Shop, choose Settings, and go to About. Tap Play Store version once here; it volition either kickoff an update or show a notification that you're already upwardly to date. Afterward a few minutes, close the Play Shop app, and then try again.

If this doesn't work, try immigration cache and data for the Play Store app.

Change Your Play Store State or Try Another Store

Now you know how to modify your Play Store country. It's an easy process as long as you've actually moved countries and have a valid payment method at that place, simply make sure y'all know what you're getting into.

Meanwhile, if you want to access new apps without switching Play Store regions, you'll find lots of alternative places to download Android apps that aren't available on Google Play.

The 4 All-time Google Play Alternatives for Downloading Android Apps

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Ben Stegner (1807 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Chief at MakeUseOf. He left his It task to write full-time in 2022 and has never looked back. He's been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over eight years.

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