I live in France but want to access iTunes in English?

My iTunes is an English language version of the software (v10.6.3.25), and the preferences are set to English, but all the UI from the French iTunes store is in French. Even the dialog boxes all appear in French.

In order to purchase from the U.K. iTunes Store, you need a) a valid billing address in the U.K., b) a credit card billed to that address or a gift card purchased in the U.K. and c) to be physically located in the U.K..

If you are using the French iTunes Store, the language will be in French. The language of the iTunes Store is always in the official language(s) of that country and can't be changed.

1. iTunes (the application on your Mac) can be in English - it generally follows what your Mac's preferences are.

2. iTunes store or App Store (where you buy apps, music, films etc) - by default you will be sent to the French store if you are geographically connecting from France. This is only in French (except for the outer level menus) and priced in euros and has different stuff available for purchase or rent than the UK or US store.

You can change your account preferences to choose the UK store, but you need a billing address in the UK. Then you can use the UK store. You can browse the UK store without a UK account but you can't buy anything.

So basically if you are English-speaking but living in France, you have no choice but to read French on the site and choose from the few VO and VOST (original version and subtitled) films that are on offer. I believe there are other options as stated above if you have a pre-purchased card.

MikeInOz wrote:

c) No. You don't have to be in the UK. iTunes stores are geo-locked based on credit card not IP address.

The Terms of Sale stipulate that you have to be in the country in which you have the account. Apple says the "may" use various methods to enforce this. It's apparent they don't always. However, it's still a violation of terms you agree to when you purchase if you are outside the country.

You have to watch out for VOST films if the film has additional languages because those will be subtitled in French, not English. A lot of war/spy movies have spoken German and Russian, and if they have spoken French then there is no subtitle. Lord of the Rings has subtitles when Elvish is spoken.

Well they've never stopped me downloading from another country's store. And if I used a web proxy they wouldn't even be able to detect it.

I'm waiting for the day when Apple stops me at the airport for leaving the country with something I've purchased from them. It can't be far away.

In iTunes use Edit in the menu bar, then select Preferences.

In Preferences under General tab at the bottom, you can choose your preferred language.

I live in Belgium (English is not our official language) and I am able to choose English for my iTunes as laid out in my post to the OP.

Even my iTunes Store is in English.

Nice to know they've changed it then. There was quite a kerfuffle in the forums a while back when they changed it to only the official languages.

Well, I am using the iPad 2 since March 2011 and I have always used English for my iTunes since then.

As I said, glad it seems to have changed. 🙂

c) No. You don't have to be in the UK. iTunes stores are geo-locked based on credit card not IP address.

MikeInOz wrote:

Well they've never stopped me downloading from another country's store. And if I used a web proxy they wouldn't even be able to detect it.

That doesn't make it right.