Home   >   Blog

How to Change Region on PS4 in 2024. Quick Guide

Last updated: June 21, 2021

Home   >   Blog

PlayStation is not just for kids anymore, and it is not just for gaming anymore.

In addition to playing your favorite games, PS4 also offers ways to view the best TV and movie content around.

PS4 TV and movies screen

While there is an abundance of games available on PS4 watching them is not as simple as pushing a “start” button. Your choice of games is restricted depending on your region. All of the different regional PS Stores offer their own library of games and apps, so you may have issues finding the ones you want if you move out of your current region.

To use certain streaming apps, like Hulu, on PlayStation, you will need to have a US PS4 account. If you want to access Hulu on PSN from a country other than the US, or have full access to your choice of games and apps on PS4 from anywhere in the world, the only way to do this is by creating a new user account in the PlayStation Store, or by using a virtual private network (VPN).

It is important to remember, though, that changing your country, address, or postal code can also create issues with credit cards and payment methods, which may also be locked based on your country.

How to Create a Playstation Account for a Different Region

Playstation Network sign in screen

Since you can’t change your PSN region on your current PSN account, the only way to access another region on Playstation is to create a different PSN account, which is pretty quick and easy to do.

(You don’t have the choice to transfer your PS Store credit from one account to a different user.)

Follow these quick steps to create a new PSN user account in no time:

  1. Go to the SONY / PlayStation website and make sure you are signed out of your current PSN account.
  2. Enter an email address not affiliated with an existing PSN user account to create a new user account.
  3. Follow the prompts to enter your DOB and a new password.
  4. Select your region of choice from the PSN region menu, and click submit.
  5. Verify your email address to finalize the new account.
  6. Proceed to set up your new PSN account on your PS4 with your newly-created username and password.
  7. Enter your zip code/postal code that matches your choice of country/region.
  8. Go to the PS Store to make sure that your currency was changed to correspond to your new user region. (i.e., for a US account, it should appear in dollars.)

Even after following all of these steps to change your account region on the PlayStation Store, you will still have issues accessing streaming content if you are not located within a particular region.

Apps like Netflix and Hulu US won’t let users access their content libraries if they are not within that country. It doesn’t matter whether your account was set up in the correct region. You will also have issues buying anything from another region’s PS store.

To bypass this issue, you will need to use a Virtual Private Network.

How to Make Purchases when Using a PSN Account with a Different Region

Unfortunately, the PS Store only lets you make a purchase with a PayPal account or credit card from within the store region that corresponds to your account.

The best method of getting around this restriction is to buy a gift card through Playstation and use it to pay for your PS Store purchases.

Make sure to get gift cards in the currency that corresponds to the country you are planning to access.

After getting the gift cards, go to the PSN Store and enter your gift card voucher code to add the money to your PS wallet.

**Although some people may recommend, instead, creating a new PayPal account or Amazon account that links to the region you want to access, we recommend going with the gift cards option instead of creating these accounts with fake information.

Unblocking Geo-Restricted Content on a PS4 By Using a VPN

If you are trying to gain access to certain blocked streaming services on a PS4, you may be able to access them without creating a new account. In many cases, you can get around these geo-blocks just by using a reputable VPN provider.

A VPN lets you connect to one of its secure servers in your choice of server locations around the world, giving you an IP address that corresponds to that chosen server. So, if you are in the US, but connect to a server in the UK, your ISP and the site you are trying to access will think you are streaming from the UK.

Using this hack, you are tricking geo-blocked sites into thinking you are in the United States, the UK, or a different country, while your activity, location, and identity are completely safe, secure, and anonymous.

This means that using a Virtual Private Network, you can also change your region on Steam and similar platforms.

** If you are using certain apps that require an account and credit card or payment method in the corresponding region, a virtual private network, alone, may not suffice. You may also need to follow the above steps to create another account in the correct region.

Best VPN For Playstation 4

Devices compatible with NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market for unblocking geo-restricted content from all over the globe.

NordVPN has over 5,400 servers in more than 59 countries around the globe — including over 1,900 in the US alone — so you will never have trouble finding a high-speed server in any country you need to access.

Connection speeds with NordVPN are some of the very best around, and this service can easily unblock popular streaming services, like US Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ on any of your devices — Mac, PC, Android, iOS.

This service uses AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data, IP address, and online footprint; and its CyberSec feature provides another layer of protection from malware and annoying ads. NordVPN also offers obfuscated servers that will help you get past any systems that block proxy servers.

NordVPN has a no-logs policy, and, as it is based in Panama — outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance — there is never any reason to worry that NordVPN will compromise its privacy policy.

If you set up NordVPN on your router, you can use it on your Apple TV, Smart TV, Roku, Chromecast, or video game console.

There should never be a problem finding a NordVPN app that is compatible with your device, and you can use up to 6 devices simultaneously with a single NordVPN subscription.

There are always deals and promos going on to get the best NordVPN subscription price around, and you can try it out on your PC (or other devices) for 30 days, risk-free, with Nord’s money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • Very fast streaming speeds
  • SmartPlay DNS feature
  • No-logging policy
  • 30-day refund guarantee
  • 24/7 live-chat
  • Stream up to 6 devices simultaneously

Cons:

  • Speeds can be slower in advanced mode

Can I Use a Free VPN to Unblock Geo-Restricted Content on Playstation

Although you may be tempted to use a free VPN to unblock geo-restricted content on PlayStation, as a VPN expert, I would strongly advise against it.

For starters, free services are often ineffective at accessing geo-blocked content. If they do help you gain access, they often have very slow speeds, which means spotty streaming and lots of buffering.

These free VPNs are also very rarely able to be installed on a router, so this limits your options for connecting a VPN to PlayStation.

It is really important to remember that free VPNs, while they are not making money off of a subscription fee, are still making money off of you. They make their money by allowing annoying ads and pop-ups on your screen, introducing malware to your devices, and by selling user data to third parties — all of which compromise your ID and private information.

Last — one of the most appealing aspects of reputable VPNs is that they encrypt your data and hide your ID. Free VPNs may not offer encryption, may not keep your identity anonymous, and may actually put you at risk. Pay attention to the details if very carefully if you opt to try out a free service!

The only way to maintain your safety online is to use one of the reliable, reputable VPNs.

How to Install a VPN on PS4

There is no way to actually install any VPN directly onto your Playstation console. In order to use your PS4 to stream your content, you will need to install it on your router, or you can also connect your PS4 cable to your PC.

If you subscribe to NordVPN, or any of the top providers, you can access instructions right on their official website that will walk you through the process of connecting your VPN to your router. Some services offer routers that have their software pre-installed.

One of the best benefits to installing a VPN on your router is that, once you have done this, users can connect any number of devices to your wi-fi network, and all will be connected to your virtual private network.

Since not all routers support VPNs, you may need to set up your virtual private network on your PC.

Setting up your VPN connection on your PC is really easy: stream by simply connecting to the Internet on your PC.

The downside of connecting to your PC instead of your router is that you will only be allowed 6 device connections instead of the unlimited connections offered to users who connect via a router.

What You Should Know Before Using a VPN with PS4

There are a few important issues to take into consideration before using your PS4 with a virtual private network.

☑️ Not all games out of your region will be in your preferred language. While some of them offer you the chance to change the language of the subtitles, it may be hard to even find the menu while the settings and information are in a language — especially one with unfamiliar characters — like Japanese. You will need to use Google translate to translate some site text.
☑️ If you downloaded a PlayStation game with one PSN account, and you go to buy downloadable content on your new PSN account that corresponds to another region, you will find that the first game is inaccessible. The same goes for an actual hard copy version of a game that was bought in a region different from the one your new account is in.

Streaming on PS3/4 with a VPN

PSN streaming platforms

If you want to maximize your PlayStation Network streaming options on your PS3 or PS4 from any country, a virtual private network is a must. VPNs will help you access game content and streaming content from a variety of different streaming libraries and regions.

For example, if you want to watch Hulu from the UK, a virtual private network can help you connect to a server in the US, giving you a US IP address to help you access your US content with ease.

If you are in the US, and want to access BBC iPlayer in the UK, you can use a VPN’s UK server and sign on to get a UK IP address, even from the US.

A handful of streaming platforms and apps that work with a VPN on PSN:

☑️ Netflix
☑️ HBO
☑️ Hulu
☑️ BBC iPlayer
☑️ Crunchyroll
☑️ Crackle

and many more options!

Conclusion

If you are looking to change your PSN region on your PS4, it is not too complicated. You can follow the steps above to change your PlayStation Network region — but, the best hack to access all of your desired regions is to use a virtual private network.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.