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I'm travelling to country X. I want to install an application which isn't available in my country, but is available in country X; but I prefer to download and install it in advance, while the data connection is still cheap.

Unfortunately, the Play Stores does not allow me to install this app. Is there any way to circumvent this limitation?

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  • For a starter: our google-play-store tag-wiki has some links on regional restrictions and how to circumvent them.
    – Izzy
    Commented Apr 7, 2018 at 8:35

6 Answers 6

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Try the Market Enabler app (download the APK and side-load it.) It allows you to spoof your region, so that the Market thinks you're in the US.

As an alternative, you may want to see if this app is available via other distribution methods, such as from other reputable markets (e.g. Amazon Appstore, SlideMe.org, GetJar.com, etc.) Also reaching out to the developer can sometimes help.

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    That looks useful, though unfortunately my device is not (yet) rooted, which this application requires... maybe it's time to root.
    – Oak
    Commented Aug 17, 2011 at 13:39
  • its not working now, is there an updated way?
    – user241698
    Commented Oct 25, 2017 at 5:34
  • SlideMe doesn't seem to have had any updates since 2019, and GetJar just seems broken.
    – Flimm
    Commented Jul 17 at 16:41
  • Sumsung phones have access to Samsung's Galaxy Store, and Huawei phones have access to Huawei AppGallery.
    – Flimm
    Commented Jul 17 at 16:43
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Try using a VPN and a Google Play store e-mail address set to the region you want to download an app from (I created one specially for this purpose).

I successfully set up a free one day trial VPN using an Android app. Then I fired up the Google Play store and installed the apps that I wanted. Then uninstalled the VPN app (which disabled the VPN). Now I've got the apps that I wanted and am able to use them in my region.

Aside: The content these apps serve up (Dutch video) is available in my region through the web browser. And, when there are restrictions the apps and the web browser respect the geographic restrictions so I really don't get why these @$!$)&^ apps are region restricted.

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Google Play support says:

  • You can only change your Play country once per year.

  • When you change your country, you won’t be able to use your Google Play balance that you have in your old country in your new country.

So, avoid Google Play and use another market app. I suggest either:

Both allow auto-updating apps.

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I've tried this app which in just one click unlocked the market!

Market Unlocker

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    Looks useful... though it also requires root.
    – Oak
    Commented Mar 18, 2012 at 8:23
  • Have they (Google) patched this yet? I have stock ROM with root and s-off on a HTC Desire. I downloaded and manually installed the APK file of MarketEnabler from the pronject's Google Code page. Tried faking T-Mobile US and Verizon. It had no effect. So I registered with DroidVPN, installed the Tun.ko installer, which downloaded the proper Tun.ko module. I was then able to connect with DroidVPN to their US server FREE number 3. I then cleared data and cache for Play Store. I then tried faking it with MarketEnabler again. Didn't work!!
    – Samir
    Commented Apr 30, 2013 at 20:12
  • The link is completely broken.
    – Flimm
    Commented Jul 17 at 16:38
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I overcame this by creating a new Google account localised to country X. In my case I needed a new phone number too (not associated to my existing Google account), but I already had a local phone number, so this was no issue. No VPN required, though I was already in country X.

After that, I was able to add the new Google account to my phone, switch to this account in the Google Play app, and then I could browse/access apps available in country X.

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Install a VPN app from the store and hide your location play store won't recognize your location if you do that and remember to disable GPS

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