How to Change Country on My Google Account
Using the Google Play Store is pretty simple: you pop it open, search for the app you want to download, and install it on your device. That's about all there is to it.
But what happens if you move to a different country? You'll need access to the proper version of the Play Store for billing information. And Google Play features different apps for various regions, which can sometimes allow or block access to certain apps.
Whether you've recently moved or want to try accessing another region's Play Store (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 Store
Follow the below steps on your Android device to change your Play Store country:
- Open the Play Store app on your Android device.
- Slide out the left menu and select Account.
- On the Preferences tab, you'll see a Country and profiles section at the bottom with your account's current country. If your phone detects that you're now in a different country, you'll see a Switch to the [region] Play Store option below. If you don't see this option, skip below for more info.
- Under the Switch to the [region] Play Store header, tap one of the options to add a payment method for your new country. This will vary by region; most should at least have the option to Add credit card. Review the warning prompt and hit Continue.
- Proceed through the prompts to add a new payment method for the country you're switching to.
- Once you've switched countries, you're now able to browse the Play Store for that region. The change may take up to 48 hours to go into effect.
The option to change your Play Store country won't appear for everyone. It only shows up if you were previously in a different country than you are now (based on IP address). This means you can't just switch your Play Store to any country that you feel like. In the above example screenshots, we used a VPN to change our location to Brazil.
If you've previously changed your country in the Google Play Store, you'll have the option to switch between your old and new accounts, if you wish. This is helpful if you moved abroad for a few years and then returned home.
If you use the Google Play Family Library feature, you also won't see the option to change your Play Store region.
Warnings About Changing Your Google Play Store Country
When you change your Google Play Store location, you must be aware of a few important points.
First, you cannot use your old payment method with your new account. You'll have to use the one from your new country. Keep in mind that you might lose access to some apps and other content if they aren't available in your new country.
After swapping, you also can't spend your Google Play balance from the old country. That includes any gift cards you've added but not spent yet, as well as credit earned from Google Opinion Rewards. If you ever switch back to the old account, you will regain access to that balance, however.
You will also lose access to Google Play Points when you switch countries. If you subscribe to Google Play Pass, that subscription will transfer to your new country if the service is available there. In case Play Pass isn't available in your new country, you won't be able to install more apps from Play Pass in your new region.
In addition, you can only change your Play Store country once per year. You won't see the option to change your country if it's been less than a year since your last change.
Because of all this, we recommend changing countries in the Play Store only if you've actually moved countries and plan on staying for at least a year. While you can trick this by using a VPN, it's not worth it just to get access to a few different apps.
You'll be locked into a Play Store outside 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 want to switch to, as well.
Change Your Play Store Country or Try Another Store
Now you know how to change your Play Store country. It's an easy process as long as you've actually moved countries and have a valid payment method there, but make sure you 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.
Image Credit: bloomua/Depositphotos
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About The Author 
Ben Stegner (1788 Articles Published)
Ben is a Deputy Editor and the Onboarding Manager at MakeUseOf. He left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He's been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over seven years.
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How to Change Country on My Google Account
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