There are millions of apps available on Google Play Store, but some of them are restricted to specific regions. Every country has its own version of the Google Play Store and the content that you can download depends on your location. This means that you may be missing out on some great apps, games and more. Thankfully, it is possible to change the country of your Google Play Store so that you can access the apps you want, even if they are not available in your location. In order to determine your location, Google relies on your IP address and your Google wallet settings.
If you have moved to a different country, you can change the Google wallet to get access to the new Google Play Store, but if you haven’t moved and only want to unblock content that is subject to geographical restrictions, you have to change your IP address. You can change your Google Play Store location without having to leave your current home. All you have to do is to change your location virtually with the help of a VPN. In this guide, you will learn how to change your Google Play Store location with a VPN so that you can get access to apps that are not available in your country.
Clean your cached location
Google checks your location using your IP address and then saves the information related to you and it uses it in future visit. Your location details are usually cached in your app data so the first step you need to complete in order to change your Google Play Store location is to delete the location details that are cached in your app data.
- Go to Settings on your Android device
- Go to Downloaded Apps
- Select Google Play Store
- Once you open the App settings, select Force Stop
- Select Clear Data
This will get rid of your cached information, making sure that there is no data about you in Google Play Store. This will allow you to start a new connection without hassle.
Use a VPN
For the next step, you need to use a VPN so that you can access geo-restricted content. A VPN allows you to do this because it reroutes your traffic through a remote server and it also encrypts your data to keep it secure from online threats. For the purpose of changing your Google Play Store location, a VPN is essential since it makes you appear as if you were in the country where the content you want to access is located. Once you connect to a VPN server in the country of your choice, you will get an IP address from that location. This is the IP address that the Google Play Store will see and it will grant you access to the content that is available in the country associated to that IP. For instance, if you connect to a server in the United States, you will be able to access content that is available in that location.
It is important that you check the server locations of the VPN provider that you are considering. If you are interested in accessing content from an specific country, you need to make sure that the VPN have servers there. Having access to servers in a wide variety of countries will allow you to enjoy a more versatile experience on Google Play Store. Once you have signed up for a VPN service, you will be able to download and run the VPN client on your device. Once the VPN is connected, you need to select a server located in the country where the app or game you want to download, is available. Once you connect to the VPN server, your traffic will be routed through that location and you will get an IP address based there.
Launch Google Play Store again
Now that you are connected to a VPN server in the country of your choice, you can reload the Google Play Store app. Now you should see content from the country where the VPN server is located in. If you want to set a different country after you have already connected to one, you have to clear your data in Google Play Store again.
How to change Google Play Store Location using PC/Mac
If you want to download content to your Mac or Windows computer using your browser, you can follow the below steps.
- Set up your VPN on the computer and connect to a server in the country of your choice.
- Go to Google Play Store using the browser. You should get access to the country related to the country of the server you are connected to.
- Look for the Android app you want to download and then click Install.
- Google Play Store should now sync your computer with your mobile device so the installation will start automatically.
If the above method doesn’t work, the alternative is to remove the Google account from your phone before you start the entire process. This will ensure that even the details stored in your Google Services account will be removed. It is possible to connect to a VPN server location and then you can enter your Google Play information. This will unblock Google Play Store for any country you wish to access. One thing to keep in mind is that if the app you are trying to get is not free, you may have to have a payment method from the country where the app is based.
VPN services to change your Google Play Store Location
The below services can help you to change your IP address effectively and since they offer great speeds and a wide variety of servers, you will be able to access content that is generally not available in your location.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has servers in over 90 countries and it is one of the fastest services available. They also protect your internet traffic with strong encryption.
PureVPN
Based in Hong Kong, PureVPN is a great option for anyone who wants to access content from other locations. They have servers in 141 countries.
NordVPN
Security is one of the best things about NordVPN since this provider has features that will allow you to keep your internet traffic protected. They also have servers in over 60 countries so you can defeat restrictions easily.
VPNArea
This is another fast and reliable solution to bypass geo-restrictions and keep your online activities secure.
