YouTube lets you change your country in account settings, and the process takes about two minutes
Your YouTube country setting controls which videos, ads, and content recommendations you see. It also determines which YouTube features are available to you—some tools and payment options only work in certain regions. You change this setting through your Google Account, not through YouTube itself, and the change takes effect when ready across all your devices.
The country YouTube shows you is usually set to wherever you are right now, based on your internet connection. If you have moved, are traveling, or want to see content from a different region, you can override this by updating your Google Account country. This is different from changing your language—language and country are separate settings.
Key Takeaways
- Your country setting is stored in your Google Account, not in YouTube, so you change it through your account settings rather than the YouTube app.
- YouTube detects your country by your IP address, but you can manually set it to any country where you have a valid payment method or address.
- Changing your country may affect which videos are available to you, which ads you see, and whether certain YouTube features work in your region.
- The change takes effect when ready on all devices signed into that Google Account, including phones, tablets, and computers.
- You can change your country setting as often as you want, but some features like YouTube Premium pricing will update based on your new country.
Steps to change your country on a computer
Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with the Google Account you use for YouTube. On the left side of the page, click Personal info.
Scroll down until you see Country/Region. Click on it. A dropdown menu will appear with a list of countries. Type the name of the country you want, or scroll through the list to find it. Click the country name to select it.
Google will ask you to confirm the change. Click Update or Save (the button name varies slightly depending on your browser). The page will refresh, and your new country will appear in the Country/Region field. You are done—the change is now active on your YouTube account.
Steps to change your country on a phone or tablet
Open the Google app or go to myaccount.google.com in your phone's web browser. Sign in if you are not already signed in. Tap Personal info at the top.
Scroll down and tap Country/Region. A list of countries will appear. Tap the country you want to move to. Tap Update to save the change. The change takes effect when ready, and you will see your new country listed in the Personal info section.
If you use the YouTube app on your phone, you do not need to do anything else—the app will use your updated country setting the next time you open it. You may need to close and reopen the app to see the change reflected in your recommendations and available features.
What happens when you change your country
Your video recommendations will shift to reflect content popular in your new country. Videos that were blocked or restricted in your old country may now be available, and videos available before may become restricted. This happens because content creators and copyright holders set different rules for different regions.
YouTube Premium pricing will change to match your new country's local currency and rates. If you have an active YouTube Premium subscription, your next billing date will show the new price. Some YouTube features—like YouTube Music, YouTube TV, or certain monetization tools—may not be available in all countries, so changing your country can turn these features on or off.
Ads will also change. YouTube shows different ads based on your country setting, so you may see ads in a different language or for products and services available in your new region. This does not affect how many ads you see, only which ads appear.
Requirements before you change your country
Google requires that you have a valid reason to change your country. The most straightforward reason is that you have moved or are relocating. If you are traveling temporarily, you can change your country, but Google may ask you to change it back if the account shows signs of unusual activity.
You will need either a payment method (like a credit card) or a physical address in the country you are moving to. If you are changing to a country where you do not have either, Google may not allow the change, or it may revert after a few days. If you have a payment method registered in your new country, add it to your Google Account before you change your country setting—this makes the process smoother.
Your Google Account must be in good standing. If your account has been flagged for suspicious activity or policy violations, you may not be able to change your country until the issue is resolved.
Troubleshooting: Your country change is not working
If you try to change your country and the change does not save, first check that you are signed into the correct Google Account. Some people have multiple Google Accounts, and you may be signed into the wrong one. Sign out completely, then sign back in to the account you use for YouTube.
If the country dropdown is grayed out or will not let you select a country, your account may not meet Google's requirements. Add a payment method or address in the country you want to move to, wait 24 hours, and try again. Sometimes Google needs time to process account changes before you can update your country.
If your country reverts back to your old country after a few days, Google may have detected that you are still in your original location based on your IP address. This is a security measure. If you have genuinely moved, contact Google Support through your account settings and explain your situation. They can review your account and help you make the change permanent.
Why YouTube might show a different country than you set
YouTube uses two pieces of information to determine your country: your account setting and your IP address. Your IP address is your internet connection's location, and it usually matches where you physically are. If you set your account to one country but your IP address shows a different country, YouTube may display content based on your IP address rather than your account setting.
This is most common when you use a VPN (virtual private network) or proxy service. These tools change your IP address to make it appear as though you are in a different location. If you use a VPN, YouTube may ignore your account country setting and use the country of your VPN instead. To fix this, either turn off your VPN or set your account country to match your VPN's location.
If you are not using a VPN and YouTube is still showing the wrong country, clear your browser's cookies and cache, then sign out and back into your YouTube account. Sometimes old location data gets stuck in your browser's memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my YouTube country if I am just traveling, not moving permanently?
Yes, you can change your country temporarily while traveling. However, if you change it back and forth frequently, Google may flag your account as suspicious and lock you out of making further changes for a few days. If you are traveling for a few weeks or months, it is fine to change your country for that period and change it back when you return.
Will changing my country affect my YouTube watch history or subscriptions?
No. Your watch history, subscriptions, playlists, and all your saved content stay exactly the same. Only your recommendations, available videos, and regional features change. You will still see all your old subscriptions and can watch videos you have already watched.
What if I do not have a payment method in my new country?
You can still change your country without a payment method if you have a physical address there. Add the address to your Google Account first, then change your country. If you do not have either a payment method or an address, Google may not allow the change, or it may revert after a few days.
Does changing my country affect my YouTube channel or videos I have uploaded?
No. If you are a content creator, your channel, videos, and upload history are not affected by changing your country. Your channel will still be there, and your videos will still be live. Only the content you see as a viewer changes, not the content you create.
How long does it take for my country change to take effect?
The change takes effect when ready in your account settings. However, your recommendations and available videos may take a few hours to update as YouTube's servers process the change across all your devices. Clearing your browser cache or restarting the YouTube app can speed this up.