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change language in mac app store

Is there any way to select the language in the Mac App store without changing your billing country?

Specifically, I am an expat living in Netherlands with a Dutch address but would like to use the App Store in English.

The only option seems to be to change the country to the UK, but if I do that I cannot purchase anything because I have no billing address there.

Posted on Mar 11, 2012 3:39 AM

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Posted on Mar 11, 2012 6:11 AM

Hi ...


You can change the country by clicking the round flag icon bottom right corner of the App Store window.


For purchasing your credit or debit card credentials must be associated with the same country where you reside.


"Although you can browse the iTunes Store in any country without being signed in, you can only purchase content from the iTunes Store for your own country. This is enforced via the billing address associated with your credit card or other payment method that you use with the iTunes Store, rather than your actual geographic location."

From here > The Complete Guide to Using the iTunes Store | iLounge Article



FYI: iTunes and Mac App Stores bililing policies are the same.

32 replies

Oct 5, 2012 6:17 AM in response to gato chavez

Hi Chau,


That would make all purchases done with that ID "invisible", I could not update my purchases or install them. I had to change back to (in my case) "Chinese" (really frustrating... since my App Store was in ENGLISH before !! And now it is just in Chinese, but using a Chinese Apple ID all the time... Credit card/residence in China).


So I know it is possible to shop in an English interface of the App Store but having an Apple ID in another region... I want to change back, too... Any others have any other idea?

Oct 5, 2012 8:28 AM in response to coney61

i did it before updating to iOS6, i hope it works now

on the app store on the ipod/iphone go to featured, the first option of the bottom left, go to the bottom and you'll see your apple id, click on it and sign out, sign in again and its done, it worked for me with iOS5


let me know if it worked, i think i posted before the solution but im not sure

Oct 5, 2012 10:21 AM in response to JVeitch

I saw some activity on this thread so I thought I'd post my eventual solution. In the end I bought iTunes store vouchers from a newsagent while I was back in the 'Old Country' (UK), then used them in the Netherlands with my UK account. If you want a quick workaround, get someone in your desired country to buy some vouchers for you, then send you the codes which will unlock credit when you put them into the store.

In the mean time I started learning Dutch 😉


P.S. Thanks to Dah-veed for at least explaining the rationale behind the lack of this feature, even if there is no proper solution.

Oct 5, 2012 1:15 PM in response to coney61

hi coney


sadly i have no macbook available at this time but you can try the same procedure as i did with the iphone, try to uninstall everything itunes related and, also, change the default language of the laptop to english, then re install itunes in english as default language and re enter your credentials


i'll try to get ahold of c macbook and try to change the appstore language and let you know

Oct 8, 2012 4:58 AM in response to gato chavez

The laptop is English and was bought in the UK.


However, i live in Spain and my ISP is Spanish hence my default App store language is Spanish - i tend to use


my sons app store account because at least the apps download in English. 😀


It's a royal pain in the butt to be honest but I'm at a total loss as to what to do.


thanks for your input though guys, it's appreciated.



gato chavez wrote:


hi coney


sadly i have no macbook available at this time but you can try the same procedure as i did with the iphone, try to uninstall everything itunes related and, also, change the default language of the laptop to english, then re install itunes in english as default language and re enter your credentials


i'll try to get ahold of c macbook and try to change the appstore language and let you know

gato chavez wrote:


hi coney


sadly i have no macbook available at this time but you can try the same procedure as i did with the iphone, try to uninstall everything itunes related and, also, change the default language of the laptop to english, then re install itunes in english as default language and re enter your credentials


i'll try to get ahold of c macbook and try to change the appstore language and let you know

Oct 9, 2012 7:30 AM in response to Dah•veed

Dah•veed wrote:



customers should be able to choose their own language.


How many online stores for major corporations, with virtually world-wide sales of their products, can you point me to which provide that experience?


Amazon does it. All major airlines do it. Even fairly localized companies like Eurostar do it. Apple needs to get in sync with the needs of its worldwide market.


We have the same problem - expats who live in France. I took care to set up my devices whle in the US, but my wife set up her first device (an iPod) while we were in France and now can't seem to change it on that device or her newer ones. It's most frustrating.

Oct 9, 2012 8:16 AM in response to Dah•veed

Dah•veed wrote:


I have an account with Amazon USA, walk me through the steps to view Amazon USA in both French and Japanese, please?


Log in to Amazon.com. Scroll to the bottom. Click France or Japan. If you click Canada, there's a link in the upper right corner to choose English or French. I have one ID at Amazon, and it works on all their sites - even remembers all my shipping / billing addresses and credit cards. But having said that, I do see a warning on a product page if they can't ship that product to my "default" shipping address. When I'm in France, I can still order nearly all the products on the UK site for shipment to my French address.

Oct 22, 2013 1:11 PM in response to JVeitch

I had the same problem on one of my Macs - I'm English and living in Belgium and registered to the Belgian store. The Apple Store on my son's iMac was in Dutch, despite everything else on the machine being in English and the App Store on my other Macs English too...


Anyway, I seem to have solved it by clicking on Store - View my Account - then opening each option (Apple ID, Payment Information etc.), not changing anything, just cancelling, then clicking "Done" at the end.


This put the App Store into English for me.

change language in mac app store

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