Every now and then you might need to change the App Store country or region on your iPhone. Whether you’ve moved to another country or come across an exciting iPhone app that isn’t available in your country yet, you’ll need to change location to continue enjoying the App Store without restrictions. But what if you encounter a roadblock on your iPhone or iPad that says you can’t change the App Store country? No worries, there are 6 methods to fix the problem.
Can’t Change Apple ID Country or Region on iPhone and iPad?
There are a few important things to keep in mind before changing the App Store country on iOS. First of all, make sure you have a valid payment method for your new country or region. You can use Apple Pay (subject to availability), most credit and debit cards, credits you get from redeeming gift cards or adding funds to your Apple ID or country/region-specific payment methods.
Not all content types are available everywhere. So, make sure to download your apps, books, TV shows, movies and music so you can access them without any hassle. You can easily back up your iPhone to protect most of your personal information as well.
1. Make Sure You Cancel Your Active Subscriptions
To fix the “Cannot change App Store country on iOS/iPadOS” issue, the first thing you need to do is make sure you cancel all your active subscriptions. Yes, you read it right! Not only do you cancel all your subscriptions, but you have to wait until the end of the subscription period.
iOS allows you to easily manage your App Store subscriptions. So you can keep track of your subscriptions and choose to cancel at your own discretion.
- To cancel a subscription on your iPhone or iPad, go to: Settings app -> Apple ID -> Subscriptions.
- Now select the active subscription and tap on ‘Cancel Subscription’.
2. Make Sure You Cancel Pre-Orders and Movie Rentals
If you have pre-orders, movie rentals, memberships, or any season pass, be sure to wait for them to complete. Otherwise, you won’t be able to change your App Store country on your iOS device.
To cancel a pre-order on your iPhone or iPad App Store -> your photo in the upper right corner of the screen -> Your Name -> Pre-Orders/Arcade Games Coming Soon. Now select the pre-order and then cancel by following the instructions.
3. Leave a Family Sharing Group
If you are using apps that support Family Sharing, you may be part of the Family Sharing group and you may not be allowed to change your country. So make sure you leave the Family Sharing group before trying to change the location in the App Store. Note that any family member 13 or older can remove themselves from a family group. But if you have Screen Time enabled for your account, the family organizer should remove you.
go to: Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Your Profile -> Family Sharing -> Your Name -> Stop Using Family Sharing.
4. Make Sure You Have No Pending Apple ID Balances or Store Credits
Before trying to change the App Store country or region, clearing any pending Apple ID balance or store credit is a must. Currently there is no way to transfer Apple ID balance to App Store or iTunes in another region. So, depending on how much, you should spend all of your outstanding balance upfront. To view your Apple ID balance App Store on your iPhone or iPad -> Your Profile. You should now see your credit under your profile.
Once you have these basics covered, you will be able to easily change the App Store country on your iOS device. simply go App Store -> Your Profile -> Your Name -> Enter your Apple ID password -> Country/Territory.
5. Sign Out of Apple ID and Sign In Again
If you still can’t change the App Store region on your iPhone even after checking all the essentials (mentioned above), sign out of your Apple ID and sign back in. To do this, go to: Settings app -> your profile. Now scroll down and tap on it. Sign out. Then follow the instructions to complete the process.
After that sign in again. Now try changing the App Store country to see if that fixes the issue. You will need to enter your new payment information, billing address and accept the terms and conditions.
6. Update Software
In most cases, you may not need to come this far. However, we’ve all encountered strange iOS issues at some point. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to rule out the possibility of a software bug on your iPad or iPhone that could prevent you from changing the App Store region. So, if none of the solutions mentioned above worked for you, update the software.
Set route to Settings app -> General -> Software Update. Now, download and install the latest version of iOS/iPadOS.
Tips to Fix App Store Cannot Change Country or Region Issue on iPhone and iPad
Hopefully you can now change the App Store country on your iOS or iPadOS device. In most cases, you can avoid problems by paying attention to requirements such as canceling all subscriptions and pre-orders. However, if the problem persists even after ticking these requirements, updating the software along with signing out of the Apple ID and signing back in should help resolve the issue.
Anyway, which of the above tips worked for you in solving the “Cannot change App Store country or region on iPhone” issue? Let us know in the comments below.
