How To Switch App Store Countries While Maintaining Your Remaining Balance

How to Change App Store Region on Your iPhone or iPad

Okay, so here’s where I got stuck. Thought it’d be a quick tap-tap change, but no—turns out, switching regions on the App Store isn’t exactly smooth sailing. If you have any lingering balance, active subscriptions, or payment methods linked, Apple kinda locks you out. It’s a bit of a pain, but with a bit of prep, it’s doable. I’ll try to lay out what I learned from messing around late at night trying to get this done without losing my mind.

Why Changing App Store Region Gets Complicated

Honestly, the reason it’s such a headache has to do with Apple’s policies. If there’s any remaining money—like store credit, gift card balance, or pending refunds—you’re not allowed to switch regions. It’s like trying to change your country on a visa without settling dues first. The system enforces this to try and keep things legit, but it often trips people up. In Media & Purchases > View Account, you’ll usually get a warning or error if your account isn’t “balanced” for switching. Sometimes it just refuses outright.

Getting Your Account Ready for the Switch

The key is to clear out all that stuff first. First off, check for any balance left in your account. If you have store credit, gift cards, or pending refunds, you’ll need to spend or request a resolution before moving on. This can take some patience—Apple doesn’t always clear refunds instantly, and sometimes a chat with support might be needed. If you don’t do this, the change simply won’t go through.

Also, you need to cancel any active subscriptions tied to your current region—things like Apple Music, iCloud storage, or any other subscriptions billed via your account. These can block the change left and right. To do that, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Payment & Shipping. Remove all your active payment methods—tap Edit, then delete each one. I’ve found that if you don’t do this first, the system just won’t let you proceed.

VPN & Network Settings—Don’t Overlook These

This caught me off guard. Apparently, having a VPN or proxy active can throw a wrench in the works. Apple can detect VPN profiles or proxy settings, and it might mistake your attempt to switch regions as suspicious activity. It’s best to disable any VPNs before starting this process. Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management. If there’s a VPN profile installed, turn it off or delete it. Sometimes, I had to reboot the device afterward because cached VPN data caused hiccups.

And make sure your Wi-Fi connection is solid—flaky or restricted networks might cause the process to hang or error out. I recommend doing this at a stable location with a reliable internet connection, preferably at home or somewhere you trust to stay connected without interruptions.

Removing Payment Methods—The Key Step

This was the most annoying part for me. You need to remove all your payment info from your account before you can change your region. Head to Settings > [Your Name] > Payment & Shipping. Tap Edit, then delete all the methods listed. If you get an error like Unable to Remove Payment Method, check if you still have active subscriptions, refunds pending, or if you’re signed into multiple Apple IDs—sometimes signing out then back in helps.

Yes, I know it’s a hassle because Apple sometimes seems to require a valid payment method to verify your account even if your balance is zero. If that happens, temporarily add a None option or support might suggest adding a new payment method from the country you’re switching to. But I’ve found that just clearing everything out first is the best shot.

Swapping the Country/Region in Your Apple ID Settings

When all that’s done—balance cleared, payment info gone, VPN off—you’re nearly there. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > View Account. Sign in if prompted. Scroll to Country/Region.*If you don’t see the option, it’s probably because there’s still some residual balance, active subscription, or incomplete step somewhere.*

Tap on Country/Region, then pick your new country. You’ll see the usual Terms & Conditions—the usual long, boring legal stuff. Accept those, then you might need to add a payment method from the new region. Sometimes, choosing None is fine if you don’t plan on buying anything immediately. Just keep in mind, some regions might not show None unless all previous payment methods are cleared. That’s a weird quirk, but it’s part of the process.

Once confirmed, tap Done and restart your device. Sometimes it takes a moment to register the change, but in my experience, it updates pretty quick. Be aware, apps or content availability can vary based on your new country, so don’t be surprised if certain apps vanish or appear later.

Final Advice & Troubleshooting

This whole process isn’t always straightforward. I had multiple attempts, rebooted many times, and even had to contact support once or twice when things got stuck. The best tip I can give is to be patient. If something stalls, check if you still have balance, an active subscription, or VPN enabled. Sometimes, a device restart or signing out and signing back in helps reset everything.

Also, always back up before messing around with your account settings—just in case. It’s saved me more than once from losing data or dealing with weird errors.

Anyway, hope this helps someone else avoid the hours of frustration I went through. Once it clicks, it’s not so bad, but it’s definitely a process. Good luck, and may your app store adventures be a little less painful than mine!