Changing your Apple, Google, Amazon and PayPal country when you move

Key rules

• Google Play country: You can change your Google Play country only once a year, and the change can take up to 48 hours.
• Apple subscriptions: Cancel active Apple subscriptions and spend your store credit before you change country.
• Play balance: Your Google Play balance cannot be moved to the new country, so spend it first.
• PayPal: A PayPal account cannot change country, so you open a new account in Spain.
• Purchases: Apps and content you bought usually stay in your library, but some may be unavailable in Spain.

The short version

Apple and Google let you change country, but only after you clear subscriptions and balances. Amazon mostly works across Europe with a new address. PayPal does not let you change country at all: you open a new account. Do the prep first, because some steps cannot be undone.

Apple: change the country of your Apple ID

Prepare before you change anything:

• Cancel active subscriptions. Apple will not change the country while they run.
• Spend any store credit. It cannot normally be transferred or refunded.
• Wait for pending pre-orders, rentals, memberships and refunds to finish.
• If you are in a Family Sharing group, leave it unless everyone is in the same country.

Then change the country on your iPhone. Have a Spanish payment method and a Spanish billing address ready, because Apple will not accept the change without them. Apple may ask for extra verification, and the menus can differ slightly between iOS versions. The checklist below has the exact taps.

Google Play: change your Play country

Google Play needs a payment profile in Spain and a Spanish payment method. The new country only shows up once Google detects that you are in Spain.

You can change your Play country once a year, and the change can take up to 48 hours. Because of the yearly limit, make the change when you are really settled in Spain.

Your remaining Play balance stays with the old country and is not converted. Spend it first. Existing subscriptions may need to be cancelled and bought again after the switch.

Amazon: keep your account, add a Spanish address

One login covers the main EU stores, including the official website, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr and Amazon.it. The UK and US stores are separate accounts, so if you used one of those, you will probably need to start using a Spanish-store account.

Add a Spanish delivery address on the official website. Prime is tied to your account and country, so check what applies to delivery and Prime Video after you move. For Kindle and other digital content, the country in Content and Devices needs an address in the new country. Content from another region may stop being available. Amazon customer service can confirm the rules for your store.

PayPal: open a new account

PayPal does not allow you to change the country of an existing account. Updating your address does not change it either.

1. Open a new PayPal account in Spain with a Spanish address and a Spanish bank account or card.
2. Withdraw the balance from the old account and deal with open items such as disputes and pending payments.
3. Close the old account once it is empty.
4. Update the PayPal payment method with any shops and subscriptions you pay this way.

Confirm the current policy with PayPal support before you close anything.

Will you keep what you bought?

Apps and content you already bought generally stay in your library, because purchases belong to the account. You can usually download them again after the change. There are limits. If a developer removes an app from the Spanish store, or content is restricted by region, updates or re-downloads may fail. Some films, TV, music and books may be licensed only in the original country. Availability depends on each developer and rights holder.

The checklist and FAQ below cover the steps and common questions.

Checklist

• Cancel your active Apple subscriptions before you change the Apple ID country.

• Spend any Apple store credit, and wait for pending pre-orders, rentals, memberships or refunds to finish.

• Leave your Family Sharing group if you are not in the same country as the others.

• Open Settings, tap your name, then Media & Purchases, View Account, and Country/Region to change it. Accept the terms and add a valid Spanish payment method and billing address.

• Change the Play country in the Play Store app under Settings, General, Account and device preferences, Country and profiles, once Google detects you in Spain.

• Spend your Google Play balance first, because it cannot be moved to the new country.

• Update the country in Content and Devices on Amazon using a Spanish address if you use Kindle.

• Withdraw the balance and settle open items on your old PayPal account, then close it.

Frequently asked questions

Will my apps and films still work after I change store country?

Yes, apps and content you already bought usually stay in your library, but some may stop being available. Purchases belong to your account, so you can normally re-download them. If a developer removes an app from the new country's store, or a film, music or book is licensed only in your old country, updates or re-downloads may fail.

Can I keep using my Amazon account in Spain?

Yes, if your account is on an EU Amazon store, because amazon.de, .fr, .it, .es and .nl share one login. UK and US accounts are separate, so you would need a new account for the official website. Kindle content depends on the country set in Content and Devices, and changing it needs an address in the new country.

Can I move my PayPal balance to a Spanish account?

Not directly, because PayPal does not let you change an account's registered country. Open a new account with a Spanish address and bank account or card. Then withdraw the balance from the old one and close it once open items are settled.

References

1. amazon.es