How to Change Apple ID Country or Region on PC & Mac
Do you want to switch regions on your primary Apple ID account used on a Mac or PC? Users who’re moving to a different country would want to do this to unlock iTunes and App Store content in that specific region. Some people tend to just make a new Apple account when presented with this situation, but that’s not necessary when Apple gives you the option to change the account’s country or region settings, right from a Mac or PC.
Whenever you make a new Apple account from scratch, you’re prompted to select your country, which allows Apple to provide localized content on its App Store and iTunes Store. From this point, your Apple account is locked to that particular region in the sense that you’ll need to make payments in the country’s local currency and you’re limited to apps and services that are available in that region. Although Apple does allow you to change the country if you really want to, you may often need to go through additional hoops which we’ll cover in a second.
You can make this change easily from a Mac, Windows PC, or iPhone or iPad. We’ll be focusing on the desktop computer side of things here however.
How to Change Apple ID Country or Region on PC & Mac
The steps are pretty much identical on both PC and Mac except for the fact that you’ll be using the Music app on macOS and iTunes on PC. Here’s what you need to do:
- Launch the stock Music app on your Mac. If you’re on a Windows PC, simply open iTunes instead.
- Now, Mac users need to make sure the Music app is the active window and then click on the “Account” option from the menu bar. PC users will be able to find the menu bar right below the playback controls in iTunes.
- Next, click on “View My Account” located right beneath your Apple ID email address as indicated in the screenshot below.
- You’ll now be prompted to enter your Apple ID login details for verification before you’re allowed to view the account settings. Enter the password and click on “Sign In”.
- Here, you’ll find the Country/Region section below your billing address. Simply click on the “Change Country or Region” hyperlink to access the country selection menu.
That’s it. Now, all you need to do is select the country and agree to the Terms & Conditions.
Once you do this, you’ll be asked to enter your new payment information and billing address for the country you selected. So, make sure you have it ready.
At this point, you might think this process is easy. But, in reality, a lot of users including myself cannot access the country/region selection menu and actually change it. This is because you need to meet certain requirements before you’re allowed to switch regions since your payment data is linked to your Apple ID.
To start off, you’ll need to cancel all your active subscriptions. Not just that, you’ll need to wait until the end of the subscription before you can change your region. Additionally, you need to wait for any pre-orders, movie rentals, or season passes to complete processing. Apart from these two reasons, if you have any credit left in your Apple ID, you’ll need to first spend them and empty your balance. You can learn more about all the requirements and how to fix them right here.
Do you own an iOS or iPadOS device as well? In that case, you may also be keen on checking out how to change the Apple ID country or region on an iPhone and iPad. You can complete all the necessary requirements on your mobile device too.
o you think Apple should make country/region change more straightforward? Or, is it fine just the way it is due to payments being involved? Do let us know your personal opinions and feel free to share your valuable feedback in the comments section down below.
The country-specific app stores are the cause of the problem. There should be ONE. It is insane that it is impossible to add a credit card to an Apple ID unless all three countries for app store, billing address and card issuer are the same.
Card issuers have their own mechanisms for authorising credit card payments either via SMS or an app,but Apple doesn’t use them.
At least for the Mac, you can go directly to the developer website to buy licences. But for iPhones and iPads, you cannot pay for apps and are limited to only getting the “free” ones.
The process is ridiculous. I have a couple TV series that I started to buy a few episodes and then they were pulled from the Canadian store. But they are available in the US store. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could complete the purchase
Someone asked this and I’m curious too. What happens to purchases made in one country if it’s not available and you switch countries?
The process is ridiculous. I have a couple TV series that I started to buy a few episodes and then they were pulled from the Canadian store. But they are available in the US store. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could complete the purchase
The situation is a shame. It is long overdue for Apple to recognise the freedoms we enjoy and take for granted in the EU, namely to move – valid both for people and services.
Also, living in one country and working in another is a standard situation for many. The whole point of having a credit card is being able to use it everywhere, paying for stuff where you are, at home or abroad. It is not for Apple to decide that the country where a credit card is issued to someone is the home country for that person. Moreover, limiting the content of the App Store to a particular country is a bullying tactics similar to geoblocking and this must stop.
What happens to existing purchases?
Especially for ones that would otherwise not be available in the new country?
Hi,
I live in Thailand so apple thinks I speak Thai. I don’t. How can I change the language in the music app and apple in general, to English on a MacBook Pro?
Thanks
I live between NYC and Italy, and prior to the pandemic made on average 5 trips a year back and forth. It is a pain in the butt the way Apple handles this. I have some Italian apps, like for my cell phone, my online banking, my gas and electric bills which you can only get through the Apple Italian App store. I had to go to the Apple Store in Florence to initially make the change and even the tech staff there (several years ago) had trouble doing it. But the changing back and forth is awful because of the hassle of changing my credit card. Actually, your comment about people setting up a separate account makes me think I might do that. However, my Apple Care and all my registered devices — can they be registered to me separately at both accounts?