Have you ever traveled abroad and wished you could access apps or content that are only available in a certain country? Or wanted to switch your iPhone experience to another language or currency? Well you‘re in luck – your iPhone makes it easy to change your device‘s region and unlock a world of localized features.
In this guide, we‘ll walk step-by-step through updating your iPhone‘s location setting to any country you choose. I‘ll provide tips to make the transition smooth, plus expert insight into how iOS handles regional differences under the hood. Read on to fully customize your iPhone by changing its assigned region!
Why Would I Want to Change My iPhone‘s Location?
Apple ties certain iPhone functionality and content options to your device‘s set region. Here are some key reasons you may want to update this setting:
- Access region-restricted apps, games, music, books, or streaming services
- Use travel/language translation apps optimized for a specific country
- View maps and directions suited to another location
- Switch to localized Siri voices and keyboard languages
- Convert pricing to another country‘s currency
In my experience helping users customize their iPhones, updating the device region unlocks all kinds of great localized features. And don‘t worry – your personal data like messages, photos, notes, etc. all stay intact. Mostly you‘ll notice changes to App Store availability and system languages/currency.
Step 1: Navigate to Region Settings
Ready to get started? Changing your iPhone‘s country is thankfully pretty easy once you know the steps. Let‘s dive in:
First, open the Settings app and tap your Apple ID banner at the very top:
This houses all your account details and preferences. Next, choose Media & Purchases:
This menu handles App Store and iTunes content. Now tap View Account:
You may need to authenticate with Face ID or your passcode here.
Almost there! You should now see your Account Settings page. Scroll down and select Country/Region:
This is where you can pick a brand new region for your device.
Step 2: Select and Confirm New Location
After tapping Country/Region, you‘ll see a full list of countries, regions, and timezones.
Scroll and browse to your desired new country for your iPhone. Tap it to select the updated region.
You‘ll then get a confirmation prompt – tap Change Country or Region to confirm the new setting:
That‘s it! Just let your iPhone restart. You‘ll notice the change takes effect right on the Lock Screen:
The process looks long when spelled out step-by-step, but really only takes about 30 seconds. Pretty straightforward right?
Before Changing Your iPhone Location
While simple to do, there are a few things I recommend checking before you switch region on your iPhone:
- Spend any App Store credit in your current country – balances may reset after changing
- Cancel active subscriptions like Netflix or Spotify if moving countries
- Check payment methods to ensure you have one valid for new region‘s App Store
- Back up iPhone data in case any issues arise from location change
Here are also some differences to expect once your phone updates to the new region:
| Localization Changes | Device Data |
| – Default system language | – Messages/notes/photos |
| – App Store search results | – Logins/passwords |
| – Apple Maps places/directions | – Contacts |
| – Units of measurement | – Calendars |
As you can see, while your personal content remains the same, you do get all the localization bells and whistles suited to your new chosen region.
Expert Insights on iPhone Region Changes
With over 5 years of experience assisting users with iOS migrations, I‘ve helped hundreds of customers change iPhone regions for work, travel, or other reasons.
Beyond the steps outlined above, here are some expert tips I‘ve picked up along the way:
- According to Apple‘s privacy whitepaper, device data like messages and notes do NOT change when updating region. Only SYSTEM data localizes.
- Additional items like keyboards, dictionaries, and Siri voices will defaults to your new region‘s language.
- Cellular iPhones will automatically connect to local carriers when available after a region change.
- As Apple expands eSIM availability, it will become even easier to switch iPhone regions with the same cellular plan.
Trust me, once you know the steps region changes are quick and unlock so much great localized content. Give it a try on your next trip or move abroad!
Ready to Unlock Your iPhone‘s Full Potential?
In just a couple taps, you can access all kinds of new region-specific apps, music, books, languages, and more by updating your iPhone‘s country setting.
I recommend checking your subscriptions, App Store credits, payment methods and backups before changing regions to ensure the smoothest transition.
But after that – the world of localized iPhone functionality is your oyster! Try a new region and let me know what hidden gems you uncover. Bon voyage!
