How to Change Location on Spotify in 2026: Step-by-Step
Key takeaways:
- Free users must be physically present in the new country to change their location, while Premium users must issue a valid local payment method.
- Premium users need to update their payment method manually in the account settings, while free users must log in and manually select their new country in the “Edit Profile” menu.
- Licensing agreements and geo-restrictions mean that your available music library may change when you update your country setting.
Adomas Šulcas
4 min read
Listening to music or podcasts should be easy, yet moving to a new place can interrupt your access. You might need to learn how to change location on Spotify to keep your library working.
Why Spotify Uses Your Location
Spotify checks your location for several important legal reasons. First, some artists and record labels sign agreements that only allow their work in specific places. Therefore, the music available in the United States might differ from the music available in Japan. These rules create geo-restrictions that block certain content.
Furthermore, subscription prices depend on local currency and economic conditions. A Spotify Premium plan in one country sometimes costs more than in another. Additionally, the ads you hear on the free tier target specific regions.
Consequently, Spotify verifies your location to ensure you are eligible for the local plan, show the correct content, and apply regional pricing.
Step-by-Step: Change Spotify Country for Premium Users
If you have a subscription, updating your details requires a few manual steps. You must have a valid payment method for the new region. The system will not allow you to switch if your billing information doesn’t match the new country.
- Log in to your Spotify account. Open a web browser on your computer or mobile device. Go to the Spotify website and log in. You cannot do it inside the mobile app.
- Go to account settings. Click on your profile picture in the top corner. Select "Account" from the dropdown menu. It holds all your account settings.
- Update the country. Scroll down to the “Your plan” section. Unlike free accounts, you cannot change your region via a dropdown menu. Instead, you must click “Update” next to your payment method to initiate the change.
- Add a local payment method. Spotify will automatically detect the card's region and switch your account location to match the billing address.
- Save changes. Once the payment method is verified, your Spotify location updates immediately.
How to Change Location on Spotify Free
The process is different if you don’t pay for a subscription. Users on the free plan don’t need to update a payment method. Instead, the app detects your new location based on your internet connection, but you must manually confirm the switch in your profile settings.
However, you must be physically present in the country. When you travel, you can listen to music for 14 days without changing. After that time, the app will ask you to update your location.
To do it, simply log in to your account while connected to the internet in the new place. Go to your account overview and click on “Edit Profile” to find the country or region label. Select the new country from the list. It should solve the issue and restore your access to music.
How Spotify Determines Your Location
Spotify uses technology to see where you are. Your IP address provides the main clue about your physical spot. Consequently, a virtual private network (VPN) can sometimes mask it, but Spotify has strict detection systems in place.
They also look at your payment method. If your billing address is in London, the system requires your IP address to be in the UK when you subscribe or update your card, though Premium users can later travel without the restriction.
Moreover, your internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) assigns you a public IP address, which Spotify uses to identify your general physical region. The app uses these signals to ensure your Spotify region matches where you actually live, which prevents users from accessing lower prices or different country libraries improperly.
Why Your Spotify Location Isn’t Changing
Sometimes, you might follow the steps and still face errors. Several factors can block the update. First, your payment method might be invalid or from the wrong bank. The system rejects any payment method that doesn’t match the selected region.
Second, a VPN service might be interfering. If you use a virtual private network service to appear in a different country, Spotify might detect it and block the change. Additionally, shared family plans can cause conflicts.
If you’re a member of a Family or Duo plan, your location is locked to the manager's, and you must leave the plan and revert to a Free account before you can change your region.
Finally, your browser cache might hold old data. The stored information can make it look like you are still in the old location. Therefore, the country or region option might not appear even if you are there.
How to Fix It
You can try several fixes if the region settings remain stuck.
- Log out & back in. It refreshes your Spotify account data.
- Clear cache. Remove browser history and cookies to delete old location data.
- Use Private/Incognito mode. Log in via a web browser in Incognito mode to ensure your specific location is detected without interference from old cache data.
- Check plan type. Ensure you’re not on a family plan managed by someone in a different country.
- Verify payment. Double-check that your payment method is active and local.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a VPN to change Spotify's country?
For Premium users, a VPN service is insufficient because you need a local payment method. However, Free users can use a VPN to change their location settings, as they only require an IP address that matches the new region.
Does Spotify ban accounts for changing location?
Spotify rarely bans users just for moving. However, they might suspend access if they detect fraudulent activity or suspicious use of a VPN. The safest way is to move physically and update your country setting.
Why is my Spotify country wrong?
Your Spotify location might be wrong if you recently traveled or used a proxy. If your payment method expires, you drop to the Free tier of your current region. The location setting won't change automatically, and you must manually update it in your profile or add a new card. Check your account settings to see the registered location.
Does Changing Location Affect Your Playlists?
Yes, it can. Because of geo-restrictions, some songs in your playlists might turn gray and become unplayable. It happens when the music rights aren’t available in the new region.
Why is my Spotify region locked?
If you’re on a Premium Individual plan, the country selector is hidden because your location is tied to your billing address. If you’re on a Family plan, the option is locked entirely until you leave the plan.
Author
Adomas Šulcas
Chief Operating Officer at Growth Bite
Adomas is a technical writing expert who founded Growth Bite, a digital marketing company, focused on providing high-value SEO and content marketing services to SaaS companies.
Related articles
4 min read
Ethernet vs Wi-Fi: Which One is Better?
Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the two main ways to connect your computer to the internet. While Wi-Fi has received significantly more attention in recent years, especially among consumers, due to its simplicity and flexibility, ethernet is still widely used in various other applications.
Even if Wi-Fi is significantly more popular, it isn’t strictly better. Both methods have their benefits and drawbacks. Wi-Fi’s popularity comes from its ease-of-use and flexibility, but an ethernet connection can be much more useful in certain scenarios.
Adomas Šulcas
5 min read
How to Change Chrome Proxy Settings: The Ultimate Guide
A proxy server is an easy alternative to a VPN that can perform most of the functions of the latter. It’s a server that stands between your device and the destination server, taking your connection requests and forwarding them in your name.
Destination servers in almost all cases see the proxy server as the originator of the request. As such, proxies are widely used in various, mostly business-related applications whenever privacy, security, location changing, and several other factors are at play.
Guoda Šulcaitė