How to Change Your App Store Location and Access Apps Worldwide (iOS 16-18 Guide)

Your App Store is geographically locked based on your Apple ID’s billing address, preventing access to region-specific apps and services worldwide. This guide shows you exactly how to change your App Store location in six simple steps and access apps available in other countries.

What is App Store Region Locking?

Apple restricts app availability based on your device’s registered location, determined by your Apple ID’s billing address and payment method. This regional limitation prevents access to apps designed for specific countries, local services, or markets outside your region. The App Store is available in 175 countries and regions globally, but each region has its own app catalog—meaning not every app you see in one country appears in another. This system helps developers comply with local laws and distribute content appropriately, but it also means you may miss out on useful apps available elsewhere. [Current as of: iOS 16-18 — 2025]

Why Change Your App Store Location?

• Access Region-Exclusive Apps: Download apps designed for specific countries that aren’t available in your current region, including local services, government apps, and region-specific versions of popular applications.
• Find Better Pricing: Some apps cost less in different regions. By changing your location, you can purchase at lower regional prices.
• Try Apps Before They Launch Locally: Access new apps in other countries before they roll out to your region, giving you early access to emerging services.
• Support Regional Developers: Access and purchase from app developers primarily targeting markets outside your country, expanding your discovery of quality applications worldwide.

Important Requirements and Limitations

• Payment Method Must Be Local: You’ll need a valid payment method (credit card, debit card, or mobile billing) issued by a bank in your new country. Billing address must match exactly with your financial institution’s records and the country you’re selecting.
• Cancel Subscriptions First: You must completely cancel all existing subscriptions (Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud+, etc.) before changing regions. After the change, you can resubscribe at your new region’s pricing, which updates automatically.
• Possible Waiting Periods: While Apple’s official documentation doesn’t specify a mandatory cooldown, some users report experiencing a 90-day limitation between region changes. This appears to be variable rather than a published policy, and the restriction isn’t guaranteed for all accounts.

How to Change Your App Store Location in 6 Steps

Step 1: Open Your Apple ID Settings On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app and tap your name at the top of the screen. This takes you to your Apple ID profile where all account settings are managed.

Step 2: Find Media & Purchases Look for ‘Media & Purchases’ in the menu (note: this is different from ‘iCloud’ or ‘Name, Phone Numbers, Email’). Tap on it to access App Store payment and region settings.

Step 3: View Your Account Details Tap ‘View Account’ at the top of the Media & Purchases screen. You may be prompted to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password. This ensures only you can modify your account region.

Step 4: Change Your Country/Region Scroll down to the ‘Country/Region’ section and tap to edit. Apple will display a list of available countries (175 in total, according to Apple Support). Select your new country from this list. Note: You cannot select a region where you don’t have a valid payment method.

Step 5: Update Your Payment Method Apple will prompt you to add or confirm a valid payment method for your new region. You can use:

• Credit or debit card issued in your selected country
• Apple Pay (available in select countries only)
• Mobile billing (supported carriers only in certain regions)
• App Store & iTunes Gift Cards (note: these cannot be used as your primary payment method for this step)

Enter your card details or select your preferred local payment method. Your billing address must match exactly what’s registered with your financial institution.

Step 6: Confirm Your Billing Address Your billing address must match both your payment method’s registered address and the country you’ve selected. Enter or update your billing address carefully, ensuring spelling and formatting match your financial institution’s records. Tap ‘Update’ to save all changes. Apple may require several minutes to sync your new App Store location across all services.

Download Your First App From Your New Region After updating your App Store location, search for the app you want in the App Store—it should now appear in search results if it’s available in your new region. Tap ‘Get’ to download and complete authentication. Note: Your device may require up to 24 hours to fully sync the new App Store location across all Apple services, though most changes take effect within minutes.

Troubleshooting When Apps Still Don’t Appear

The app you want still isn’t showing? Try these solutions in order:

1. Sign Out and Back In: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out, then sign back in with your Apple ID. This refreshes your account information across all services.

2. Clear the App Store Cache: Delete the App Store app from your home screen (press and hold > Remove App > Delete App), then reinstall it from the App Store. This clears cached region information.

3. Wait for Apple’s Servers to Sync: If you changed regions very recently, Apple’s servers may not have updated everywhere yet. Wait 24 hours and try again—this typically resolves itself automatically.

4. Check App Availability: Not every app is available in every region. Visit Apple Support’s complete App Store country list (https://support.apple.com/en-us/118205) to verify whether your target app is actually available in your new region.

5. Verify Your Setup: Return to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > View Account and confirm your Country/Region displays correctly. If it still shows your old region, repeat the change process.

Important Note on Cooldown Periods: If you’ve changed regions multiple times recently, you may encounter a temporary restriction preventing another change. While Apple’s official documentation (https://support.apple.com/en-us/118283) doesn’t specify a mandatory waiting period, some users report experiencing restrictions. If you encounter this, wait at least 2 weeks before attempting another region change.

Changing your App Store location opens access to millions of apps available worldwide, letting you download region-exclusive software and discover new services. Remember to cancel subscriptions before switching regions, ensure your payment method matches your new country, and be patient while Apple’s servers sync your changes—most users gain full access within 24 hours.