Have you ever searched for one of your favorite apps in the App Store, only to be told "This app is not available in your country or region"?
As a tech specialist who analyzes App Store data, I‘ve helped many friends gain access to restricted apps by changing their assigned region. Apps on the App Store can vary significantly across locations due to publisher and licensing restrictions.
But with just a few taps, you can easily switch to a different App Store country and unlock all kinds of new apps not available in your home country.
In this guide, I‘ll show you step-by-step how to change regions on an iPhone, iPad or Apple computer. Follow along as we access some amazing hidden apps!
Overview of Changing App Store Locations
Before we jump into the steps, let me provide some quick background…
The App Store automatically assigns you a "home" region based on your device settings and Apple ID country. This limits the apps you see to just those approved for sale in your country.
But you aren‘t stuck with just your home region! You can manually switch to a different App Store country to browse and download apps limited to that location.
For example, switching your region to the United States will show you different apps than if you were assigned Italy or Japan as a home country.
It only takes a couple minutes to change locations, but doing so lets you install all kinds of cool apps not normally available to you.
Limitations to Keep in Mind
- You may need to enter valid payment details for the new country selected. Many regions require local credit cards or gift cards.
- Switching locations too frequently can disrupt pending downloads or subscriptions.
- A small number of apps may still detect your physical location and not work properly even after a region change. But this is rare!
As long as you‘re aware of those limitations, switching regions is an awesome trick for any Apple device owner.
Now let‘s get right into the step-by-step guide! I‘ll explain each tap and click needed to access and install hidden, region-locked apps in just a few minutes.
Step 1: Launch the App Store
First, open the App Store app on your iPhone, iPad or preferred Apple device. You should see the familiar blue icon below:
When launched, you may get a popup asking you to sign in with your Apple ID. Go ahead and enter your account credentials if needed.
This ensures we have full access to modify your App Store settings coming up.
Step 2: Navigate to Account Settings
From the App Store home page, tap on your Apple ID profile icon in the top right corner:
This will open a menu – go ahead and select your name/email address under the Account section:
Selecting your Apple ID info opens the full Account Settings menu. This is where we can view and adjust your App Store region.
Step 3: Select Country/Region
Scroll down and tap on the Country/Region option. On most iOS versions, it‘s the third menu item as seen here:
Tapping this will open a full list of countries and regions you can switch the App Store to assign you.
Pro Tip: Make sure you‘re on a stable wifi network before changing regions. The App Store will reload completely and needs a reliable connection!
Step 4: Choose and Confirm New Region
Scroll through the country list until you find your desired new region. I‘ll select Japan (🇯🇵 ) for this example:
With your new country chosen, tap the blue Change Country or Region button to confirm selection.
A terms and conditions prompt will appear. Agree to the small legal confirmation so we can fully assign your App Store to the new location.
Almost there! The App Store will now reload with Japanese apps tailored specifically for that region. Cool hidden gems not normally visible to you will now be unlocked!
I suggest browsing the Top Charts section to discover interesting Japan-exclusive apps. Or you can search for specific apps you always wanted but got the "not available in your country" message on before.
Have fun exploring your new regional App Store!
Reverting Back to Your Home Region
If you ever want to return back to your original App Store location, just repeat the steps above.
Most Apple devices will remember your home country and allow you to switch back without having to reenter payment details again.
I don‘t recommend constantly flipping between regions as this can disrupt active downloads. But feel free to experiment with App Store locations to see what hidden gems each country offers!
And that‘s it! Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions on accessing restricted apps through region changes. I‘m always happy to help friends unlock cool new software in their App Store.
