YouTube uses your location to show you regional content, ads, and recommendations
YouTube determines your location from your IP address, device settings, and account information. Changing your location tells YouTube where you are, which affects what videos appear in your recommendations, which ads you see, and which content is available in your region. The steps differ depending on whether you want to change your device location, your account location, or both.
Your device location is what your phone or computer reports. Your account location is what you set in your YouTube or Google account settings. YouTube prioritizes your account location when both exist, so changing your account location is usually the more direct route.
Key Takeaways
- Your YouTube account location is set in Google Account settings under "Personal info" and controls what regional content and ads you see.
- On mobile devices, you can change your device location through Settings, though this affects all apps, not just YouTube.
- YouTube may not let you change your location if you have active YouTube Premium or other paid services tied to your current region.
- Changing your location does not hide your actual IP address or make you appear to be in a different country for privacy purposes.
- Some videos are blocked by region regardless of your location setting, because the copyright holder restricted them to certain countries.
Change your location in your Google Account settings
Open your web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with the Google account linked to your YouTube channel. Click Personal info in the left menu, then scroll down to find Country/Region.
Click the country or region field and select your new location from the dropdown list. Click Save. YouTube will update your location within a few minutes, though it may take longer for recommendations and ads to fully adjust.
This method works on any device — phone, tablet, or computer — because it changes your account setting, not your device. Once you save, YouTube will use this location across all your devices when you are signed in.
Change location on an Android phone
Open Settings on your Android device. Tap Location, then turn on Location Services if it is off. Tap Location Services again and select Google Location Accuracy or Improve Location Accuracy (the exact name varies by phone model).
Toggle on Improve Location Accuracy to let your phone use GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks to pinpoint your location. This tells all apps, including YouTube, where you physically are. If you want to set a specific location without GPS, you can use a mock location app, though this requires enabling Developer Options — a more technical step that most users do not need.
For most people, turning on Location Services and letting your phone use GPS is enough. YouTube will then see your device location and adjust content accordingly.
Change location on an iPhone
Open Settings and tap Privacy, then Location Services. Turn on Location Services if it is off. Scroll down to YouTube and tap it, then select While Using the App or Always to let YouTube access your location.
Your iPhone will now share your location with YouTube based on GPS, Wi-Fi networks, and cell towers. YouTube uses this information to show you region-specific content and ads. If you want to change your location without using GPS, you cannot do so on iPhone without jailbreaking, which is not recommended.
The simplest approach on iPhone is to change your account location in Google Account settings instead, which works across all your devices and does not require location permission.
What happens when you change your location
YouTube will start showing you videos and ads relevant to your new region. Recommendations will shift to include more content popular in that location. If a video is blocked in your old region but available in your new one, you may now be able to watch it — and vice versa.
Your search results and the YouTube homepage will reflect regional differences in what is trending. Some channels and playlists are region-locked, meaning they only appear to viewers in certain countries, so your feed may change noticeably.
Changing your location does not change your upload history, subscriptions, or watch history. Your personal data stays the same; only what YouTube shows you changes.
When YouTube will not let you change your location
If you have an active YouTube Premium subscription, YouTube may not let you change your location because your subscription is tied to your current region. You would need to cancel your Premium membership first, change your location, then resubscribe in your new region.
The same applies to YouTube Music Premium and other paid YouTube services. Contact YouTube Support if you want to move your subscription to a different region; they can sometimes transfer it without requiring cancellation.
If you recently changed your location, YouTube may lock you out of changing it again for a set period — usually 30 days — to prevent fraud. If you see a message saying you cannot change your location right now, wait and try again later.
Changing location does not hide your IP address or provide privacy
Changing your YouTube location setting does not mask your real IP address or make you appear to be in a different country to websites or your internet provider. YouTube still knows your actual location from your IP address; changing your account location only tells YouTube which region you want to see content from.
If you want to hide your actual location or appear to be in a different country, you would need a VPN (virtual private network), which is a separate tool that YouTube does not provide. A VPN changes your IP address; changing your YouTube location setting does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set my YouTube location to a country I do not live in?
Yes, you can set your location to any country in the dropdown list, regardless of where you actually live. YouTube will show you content and ads for that region. However, if you have paid services like YouTube Premium, YouTube may restrict location changes to prevent subscription fraud, and you might need to cancel and resubscribe in your new region.
Why is a video still blocked even after I changed my location?
Some videos are blocked by the copyright holder in specific countries, and changing your YouTube location setting does not override those restrictions. The video owner or their rights holder decided which regions can watch it. If a video is blocked in your new location, you cannot watch it through YouTube, even with a location change.
Will changing my location affect my YouTube channel or uploads?
No. Changing your location does not affect your channel, videos, subscribers, or upload history. It only changes what content YouTube recommends to you and what ads you see. Your channel remains the same across all regions.
How long does it take for YouTube to update after I change my location?
Your account location updates when ready in Google Account settings, but YouTube may take a few minutes to a few hours to fully adjust your recommendations and ads. In some cases, it can take up to 24 hours for all regional content to reflect your new location.
Can I change my location on the YouTube app without going to Google Account settings?
The YouTube app does not have a direct location setting. You must change your location either in Google Account settings or through your device's location settings. Using Google Account settings is faster and works across all devices.