Engadget guide: download purchases and clear balances before switching your Apple Account country

Engadget reports that downloaded content likely cannot be transferred between devices after it becomes inaccessible, so users should confirm that everything they want is already available locally. Apple also requires a valid payment method for the new location before it will confirm a country change, and its support page lists which payment methods each region accepts. If a user cannot add the new payment method, the guide says they may have to wait until they are physically in the new country or region, where they can create a new Apple Account under the local settings. Apple now permits digital purchases to be transferred between accounts, though Engadget notes that some limitations still apply.

Users are advised to empty their Apple Account balance, because it may not be transferable after the country change. Apple does not offer cash refunds unless the user lives in a region where such refunds are required by law, so the balance should instead be spent on App Store products or Apple services; in some countries it can be applied to products or accessories. If the amount is too small to buy anything, Apple Support can clear it outright. The balance can be checked in the App Store by tapping the profile photo or initials.

Many subscriptions cannot be retained when the country setting changes, although Apple generally allows a subscription to be cancelled if it is blocking the change. To cancel, users go to Settings, tap their name, open Subscriptions, select the subscription and tap Cancel Subscription; a red expiration message means the subscription has already ended.

Pending transactions should be completed before any account change, according to the guide. Changing settings too early can cut off access to certain memberships, pre-orders, Season Passes and movie rentals. A pre-order can be cancelled in the App Store by selecting the account and opening the Pre-orders menu beneath Subscriptions. Members of a Family Sharing plan may be unable to change country at all and would need to leave the group first. If the change still fails, Apple suggests working through all of the above settings before contacting support.

On an iPhone, iPad or Apple Vision Pro, the process runs through Settings, the user's name, Media & Purchase and then Country/Region, where the new residence is selected and the Terms & Conditions accepted before payment details and a billing address are entered. On a Mac, the same options appear under Account Settings in the Apple Music or Apple TV app. Windows users open the Apple Music or Apple TV app, click their name in the bottom sidebar and choose View My Account followed by Change Country or Region. The setting can also be reached online at account.apple.com under Personal Information.

The guide was published by Engadget and is based on Apple's account and support documentation.

Editor's Summary

Engadget has published a step-by-step guide on changing an Apple Account's country, stressing that purchased content should be downloaded, balances spent or cleared, and subscriptions cancelled beforehand. Apple requires a valid local payment method and will not carry over all content, balances or memberships. Users in Family Sharing groups may have to leave the group before the change can be made.