How do I change region on Android (including in Play Store)?
Last updated: 2026-09-01
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Changing the region on an Android device can be useful when you move to another country, need access to region-specific settings, or want apps and services to reflect your current location. Android itself provides several regional settings, including language, time zone, date format, measurement system, and sometimes regional preferences that affect how content is displayed.
However, changing the device region does not always change the country associated with your Google account, Google Play profile, subscriptions, or individual apps. These services may use separate country settings. Understanding the difference is important because simply changing your phone's language or location may not make region-restricted apps or content available.
Change the region through Android Settings
On many recent Android devices, regional preferences are located within the system's language settings. The exact menu names can vary depending on the Android version and manufacturer, but the general process is similar.
- Open the Settings app on your Android device.
- Tap System, or look for General management on some devices.
- Select Languages or Language and region.
- Tap Region or a similar regional-preference option.
- Select the country or region you want to use.
- Review the available regional preferences and confirm your selection.
The new setting may change formats such as temperature units, the first day of the week, number formatting, or date presentation. If your phone does not display a region option, search Settings for terms such as “region,” “regional,” or “language.”
Change the Google Play country separately
If your main goal is to access apps, games, books, movies, or other Google Play content from another country, changing Android's regional preference alone may not be enough. Google Play uses a separate country or region associated with your Play profile.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Open Settings.
- Go to General, then look for Account and device preferences or the relevant country and profile option.
- If Google offers a new country option, review the requirements shown on screen.
- Select the new country and follow the instructions to update your Play profile.
Google may require you to be physically located in the new country and may require a payment method associated with that country. Country changes can also affect available apps, prices, payment options, and content, so this should not be treated as a temporary switch.
Adjust location, language, and time zone settings
Sometimes what appears to be a region problem is actually caused by another setting. For example, incorrect language or time-zone settings can make websites, applications, calendars, and notifications appear inconsistent with your current country.
- Open Settings and check Language and region.
- Open Date & time and enable the appropriate time zone.
- Check Location if an application needs your physical location.
- Review your preferred language and regional formatting.
- Restart affected apps after making major changes.
Keep in mind that GPS location and region preferences are different. Turning on location services does not necessarily change your Google Play country, while changing a region setting does not physically change your location.
Understand app and account restrictions
Even after changing your Android region and Google Play country, some applications may continue to show the same content. Developers can independently control availability based on account country, billing information, IP address, licensing agreements, or other eligibility requirements.
For services with their own country settings, check the application's account or profile settings. Avoid repeatedly changing countries simply to bypass restrictions, because doing so may affect purchases, subscriptions, payment methods, or account functionality.
Troubleshoot region changes that do not work
If the new region does not appear immediately, first restart the relevant application and check whether the device has synchronized its settings. For Google Play issues, clearing the Play Store cache can sometimes resolve outdated display information.
- Restart the Android device.
- Update Android and Google Play services if updates are available.
- Check that your Google account country information is correct.
- Verify your payment profile if changing Google Play country.
- Give regional changes some time to propagate.
- Do not delete important account data merely to force a region change.
Things to consider before changing your region
Before changing a region permanently, consider how the change may affect your apps, subscriptions, payments, media libraries, and locally available services. Some content may disappear when its licensing is different in the new country, while existing balances or subscriptions may have limitations when moving between Play countries.
If you have genuinely moved to another country, updating your region can make your device more consistent with your new environment. If you only want to access one region-specific application temporarily, however, changing your account country may create unnecessary complications.
In most cases, start with Android's built-in language and regional settings, then separately review Google Play if your objective involves app availability or purchases. This approach helps you identify which layer is actually controlling the regional information you want to change.
Ultimately, there is no single “region” switch that controls every aspect of an Android device. Device preferences, Google Play, individual applications, location services, and payment profiles can all use different information. Checking the relevant setting first is the safest way to make the change without disrupting your existing apps or accounts.
