How to change country or language on Amazon
Amazon is a truly global business: it has many different versions for different countries, ships to more places around the world, and operates in a variety of languages as well. Often, people who use Amazon can be as international as the company itself: maybe you moved abroad or visit a different country. Or maybe you're eager to explore what e-books are available from a Kindle store abroad – for example, you could be based in the US but want to browse the Kindle United Kingdom library, which has a different collection of books.
With the right knowledge, it is not difficult to do: read on to find out how.
Amazon Country Settings: How to Change Amazon Country of Residence
Here's what you need to do, step by step. Remember: this is about changing your country of residence, not your delivery address – you can easily do this when you buy something.
Step 1: Log in to your account.
This may happen automatically, but don't forget to check that Amazon knows who (and where) you are. Head to whatever Amazon site you usually use — whatever the US version, United Kingdom version, or whichever — and find where it says "Sign in" in the upper right corner. If you're already signed in, you'll say your first name here.
Step 2: Go to "Content & Devices".
In the same drop-down menu that appears when you sign in, go to "Manage content and devices," which you'll see under the "Your account" heading. 1
Here, you should see a screen that says "Manage content and devices." If you don't see it, it could be because you're logged into the wrong Amazon site.1 For example, if you usually use Amazon in United Kingdom, with a United Kingdom address, your "default" store is probably a United Kingdom version of Amazon. But if you are on the American version of the site, although you can log in with the same account details, you will not be able to see your Kindle content. To do this, you'll need to leave amazon.com and head to your "default" Amazon location, amazon.co.uk in this example. When you're in the right place, you should see a list of all your Kindle titles, as well as other digital purchases like movies or music.
Step 3: Go to "Settings" and change the country – or choose to use another Kindle store.
First select "Settings", then scan the page until you come across "Country Settings".1 This will display "Your Current Country". To change this, tap Change and fill in your address in the country you want to start using.1
But wait! You may not need to do this. If you're eligible to shop at an Amazon digital content store, you may be allowed to transfer your account to another account. 1 For example, shoppers in United Kingdom may be allowed to choose to shop for digital content in Amazon.com, without even having to register a US address.1 You'll see this option, if applicable to you, under "Country Settings".1
If you want to do this, then click through - but be sure to read the terms and conditions. Serious. Switching digital stores affects any existing purchases you have: You may not be able to access any videos you've purchased, for example.1 So don't do it lightly.
Also note that you'll likely have to make any purchases in the currency of the store you're using: for example, someone in United Kingdom who chooses to use a US store, for example, will have to pay in dollars. So you should make sure that you have a cost-effective way to do this, and that your bank won't charge you a fortune every time you buy a book that follows you.
Amazon Language Settings: How to Change Language on Amazon
It's not always easy to find your way around Amazon, especially if it's not in your first language. Some (but not all) versions of Amazon are available in multiple languages. For example, amazon.com is available in English and Spanish. Read on for a full list of available languages – but first, how to switch between them:
Step 1: Find the globe.
First of all, go to whatever Amazon site you want to use. Near the top right corner of the page, you may see a small globe marker, along with a two-letter code.1 This symbol indicates the language of the site.
No globe? Then sorry, maybe you're on one of Amazon's sites - amazon.co.uk, for example - that is only available in one language.
Step 2: Change the language.
Hover over that little globe, and you should see a list of all available languages. Select the one you want, make sure you change, and you're set.1
Step 3: Change it again, if you've made a serious mistake.
'Oh no!' we hear you say. 'I did this just as a joke, and now I'm stuck surfing Amazon in Spanish! How do I change my Amazon account to English?
Try to stay calm we've all been there. The good news is that the icon of the small globe will still be in exactly the same place: towards the top right of the screen.1 hover over it again, redefining your beloved native language. View, view.
In which country is Amazon available?
A lot. And don't forget that if your country doesn't have its own custom Amazon store, you can still use another country's store – the US is the largest – and see if things can be shipped to you.
Here's a current guide to what Amazons have for the different country – as well as the languages in which they operate.
Country or region | Language(s) | URL |
---|---|---|
Australia | English | amazon.com.au |
Brazil | Portuguese | amazon.com.br |
Canada | English, French | amazon.ca |
China | Standard Chinese | amazon.cn |
Egypt | English, Arabic | egypt.souq.com |
France | French | amazon.fr |
Germany | German, English | amazon.de |
India | English | amazon.in |
Italy | Italian | amazon.it |
Japan | Japanese, English, Chinese | amazon.co.jp |
Kuwait | English, Arabic | uae.souq.com/kw-en/ |
Mexico | Spanish | amazon.com.mx |
Netherlands | Dutch | amazon.nl |
Saudi Arabia | English, Arabic | saudi.souq.com |
Singapore | English | Amazon.com.sg (prime only) |
Spain | Spanish | amazon.es |
Turkey | Turkish | amazon.de/tr |
UAE | English, Arabic | uae.souq.com |
United Kingdom | English | amazon.co.uk |
United States | English, Spanish | amazon.com |
If you're wondering about a market, it's an Amazon subsidiary operating in the Middle East.
Good luck navigating the confusing worlds of different international Amazons, whether you're just looking to change languages, or explore digital stores in different countries. We hope you find what you are looking for.
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