Where to find and change your region setting

Your iPhone's region setting controls which language appears in system menus, how dates and numbers display, and which App Store you access. To change it, open Settings, tap General, then scroll down and tap Language & Region. At the top, you'll see Region — tap it to see a list of countries and territories. Select the one you want, and your iPhone will restart to explore the change.

The region you choose doesn't have to match where you live. You can set your iPhone to any country's region, which is useful if you're traveling, want access to a different App Store, or prefer how another region formats dates and currency. The change takes effect when ready after your phone restarts.

Key Takeaways

  • Region settings control your App Store location, system language formatting, and which apps and content are available to you.
  • Changing your region in Settings > General > Language & Region takes effect after your iPhone restarts.
  • Your region and your Apple ID country can be different, but changing your App Store region requires updating your Apple ID location first.
  • Some apps, subscriptions, and in-app purchases may not work if your region and Apple ID country don't match.
  • Changing region does not affect your phone number, carrier, or cellular service.

How region affects your App Store and available apps

When you change your iPhone's region, the App Store shows you apps available in that country. Some apps are region-locked — they only appear in certain App Stores. If you switch to a region where an app isn't sold, you won't see it in search results, though you can still use it if you already installed it.

Changing your region alone doesn't change which App Store you access. To actually switch App Stores, you need to change the country or region associated with your Apple ID. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > Account, tap View Account, then scroll to Country/Region and tap Change Country or Region. You'll need a valid payment method from that country and may need to update your billing address.

If your region and Apple ID country don't match, you may see apps in your regional App Store that you can't read because they're not available in your Apple ID's country. This mismatch can also cause problems with subscriptions and in-app purchases.

What changes when you switch regions

Your iPhone's region setting controls how the system displays information. Dates will shift from MM/DD/YYYY to DD/MM/YYYY or another format depending on the region. Numbers may use commas or periods as decimal separators. Currency symbols, temperature units (Fahrenheit vs. Celsius), and distance measurements (miles vs. kilometers) all change to match the region you select.

System language is separate from region. You can have your iPhone's language set to English but your region set to the United Kingdom, France, or Japan — the menus stay in English, but the formatting changes. If you want both the language and the regional formatting to match, you can change both in Settings > General > Language & Region.

Your region also affects which keyboard layouts are available and which dictionaries the spell-checker uses. If you set your region to France, you'll have access to French keyboard layouts and French spell-checking, even if your system language is English.

Changing region doesn't affect your phone service or number

Changing your iPhone's region setting has no effect on your cellular service, phone number, or carrier. Your carrier is determined by your SIM card and your account with that carrier, not by your iPhone's settings. You can change your region to any country without losing service or your ability to make calls and send texts.

If you're traveling internationally and want to use a local SIM card, you can change your region to that country's region setting without any impact on your ability to use the new SIM. The region setting is purely a software preference on your phone.

Why you might want to change your region

The most common reason to change region is to access apps or content available only in a specific country's App Store. Some games, streaming apps, and services are sold only in certain regions due to licensing agreements. If you want to read an app that's only available in another country's App Store, you need to change both your region setting and your Apple ID's country.

You might also change region if you're moving to a new country and want your iPhone to display dates, times, and measurements in the local format. Some people change region temporarily while traveling to see local apps and services, then change back when they return home.

Another reason is preference — if you prefer how another region formats numbers or dates, or if you want access to a specific keyboard layout or dictionary, changing your region gives you that without affecting anything else on your phone.

Potential issues when your region and Apple ID don't match

If your iPhone's region and your Apple ID's country are different, you may run into problems. Some apps won't let you make in-app purchases if there's a mismatch. Subscriptions you buy in one region's App Store may not work if you switch to a different region. Some services check your region and Apple ID location and will block access if they don't align.

To avoid these issues, keep your region and Apple ID country in the same place, or at least in countries where the app or service you're using operates. If you need to change your Apple ID's country, you'll need to remove any payment methods from the old country first, then add a valid payment method from the new country.

Switching back to your original region

If you change your region and want to switch back, the process is the same. Open Settings > General > Language & Region, tap Region, and select your original country. Your iPhone will restart and return to the original formatting and App Store region.

If you also changed your Apple ID's country and want to change it back, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Media & Purchases > Account > View Account, scroll to Country/Region, and tap Change Country or Region. You'll need a valid payment method from your original country to complete the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my region without changing my Apple ID country?

Yes. Your region setting and your Apple ID country are separate. You can change one without changing the other. However, if they don't match, you may have trouble downloading certain apps or making in-app purchases, so it's usually best to keep them aligned.

Will changing my region affect my iCloud data or backups?

No. Your iCloud account and backups are tied to your Apple ID, not your region setting. Changing your region won't affect your photos, contacts, messages, or any other data stored in iCloud. Your backups will continue to work normally.

What if I change my region but want to keep my current App Store?

Change only your region setting in Settings > General > Language & Region, and don't change your Apple ID's country. Your App Store will stay the same, but your system formatting will match the new region. Keep in mind that some apps may not work properly if your region and App Store don't match.

Can I use apps from a different region's App Store without changing my region?

Only if you already installed the app before. Once you change your Apple ID's country to access a different App Store, you can read apps from that store. But if you change back to your original country, you won't be able to read updates for apps that aren't available in your home country's App Store.

Does changing my region affect my warranty or AppleCare coverage?

No. Your warranty and AppleCare coverage are tied to your device and your Apple ID, not your region setting. Changing your region won't affect your coverage or your ability to get support from Apple.