How To Change Steam Region — Step-By-Step Guide (2025)

If you change locations, Steam might not work the way you expect. Games disappear from the store, or your usual payment method stops working. Steam’s regional restrictions are designed to control licensing, but they often just cause unnecessary hassle.

Can I change my Steam region? Yes, you can, but changing Steam regions is not instant. To switch Steam regions, you need to use a payment method from your new country and make a purchase. Keep in mind that Steam only lets you change regions once every 90 days. With over 69 million people using Steam daily (Backlinko, 2025)¹, it’s no surprise that region changes and restrictions are frequently asked questions worldwide. This is even more significant now that Chinese players make up more than half of the global user base (Automaton, 2025)².

I went through the process myself, and my Steam region only updated once I made a local purchase. In this guide, I’ll take you through changing your Steam region safely, without risking a ban. I’ll also cover troubleshooting tips and explain when a VPN is useful, spoiler alert — it helps keep your data protected without causing additional lag.

Things to Keep in Mind When Changing Steam Regions

Why can't I change my Steam region in the settings? You can’t simply change your country in Settings because Steam checks more than that before updating your region. It looks at your IP and location signals, your billing address, and the currency on your payment method. All of these need to match your new country.

That’s also why toggling the “store country” setting alone won’t work. Steam only finalizes the change after you make a purchase with a valid local payment method. That purchase confirms you’re really in the new country, not just switching for cheaper prices.

On top of that, there’s a cooldown window of 90 days. You can only change your Steam region once every three months, so if you make a mistake or try to switch too often, you’ll have to wait until the cooldown is over.

That said, here are a few more things to keep in mind before you change your Steam country:

• Price differences are intentional. Regional pricing exists because of licensing and market conditions. Steam closely monitors accounts that appear to exploit these differences. If your payment details don’t match your IP, your purchase may fail or trigger account restrictions.
• Not all games are available everywhere. Some titles are region-locked. For instance, some major Western games aren’t available in China due to licensing rules, while at the same time, Chinese titles like Black Myth: Wukong are driving record-breaking player numbers worldwide.
• Account restrictions are possible. If Steam suspects you’re trying to manipulate your region without a valid reason (like moving abroad), your account could be flagged. This can lead to blocked transactions, loss of access to your library, or even a permanent ban.
• Family sharing and gifting may change. Regional rules also affect features like Family Sharing and gifting. If you change your region, games gifted from your old country may have restrictions, and new purchases could be limited by local gifting policies.

Is changing my Steam region legal? Changing your Steam region is legal as long as you’re doing it for the right reason — like moving to a new country and needing to update your account details. Steam even provides the option to change your region officially, but it requires proof through a local payment method and billing address. I’ve actually had to do this a few times as I’ve moved countries more than once. It was all a bit annoying, but it didn’t break any laws because I had actually moved residences.

How To Change Your Steam Region — For Movers, Travelers, and More

Why does Steam restrict region switching? Steam limits region switching to prevent price abuse — If people could freely jump between regions, many would only buy from the cheapest store, and that would be unfair to developers and throw off the balance of Steam’s pricing system.

Thankfully, I haven’t moved in a while. Now that I'm settled down, my 10-year-old son loves using Steam. But whenever we travel abroad on holiday, he gets frustrated when he realizes his account doesn’t work the same way it does back home. To keep the little man calm, I found the most reliable ways to change our Steam region without risking a ban.

But, as I mentioned earlier, Steam won’t update your store unless you pay using a method issued in that country. In other words, you’ll need a valid local card or payment option before the switch will go through.

Automatic Steam Region Change (When Moving Countries)

Your Steam store country only updates after a local purchase — when your billing address, payment method, and IP all match. As soon as you launch Steam in your new country, it will automatically recognize your new IP address. This tells Steam that you are connecting from a different location.

How do I verify my account when I change region? Steam will usually ask you to confirm your new billing details during checkout and may ask for your Steam Guard/email code/2FA to ensure it's a genuine change.

1. Start a purchase. While in the new country, log in to your Steam account, add a game or item to your cart, and proceed to checkout.
   A red notification icon will show on games that are restricted
2. Enter your local payment method. Use a card or digital wallet issued in your new country.
3. Update your billing address. Make sure the address matches your payment method and your current location.
   Steam requires a valid billing address from your new country to confirm the region change
4. Confirm security checks. If prompted, complete Steam Guard or email/two-factor verification.
5. Complete the purchase. Once payment goes through, your store region updates automatically.

Create a New Steam Account

Another option is to start fresh with a new Steam account. When you create a brand-new account, Steam automatically assigns your region based on your location and the payment details you add. That means you’ll get the correct prices, local currency, and catalog from the start.

Be sure to use your preferred country when signing up

The downside is that this new account won’t carry over your old games, friends list, or achievements. You’ll basically be starting from scratch. For some people, that’s a dealbreaker — but if you don’t have a big library or you’re okay with separating accounts, it can be the simplest way to match your store region to a new country.

Use a VPN to Change Steam Regions

It's possible to use a VPN to change your location, but you should know this comes with serious risks. Steam’s system is designed to detect unusual activity, and if it appears you’re trying to trick it, your account may be restricted or banned. Plus, you’ll still need a valid local payment method to finish the switch.

1. Get a VPN

Pick a VPN that’s known to work well for gaming. Go for one with high-speed servers so you don’t get lag, and make sure it offers unlimited bandwidth so your downloads won’t be slowed down. It also helps if the VPN has obfuscation, which hides your VPN traffic and makes it harder for Steam to detect.

Install the VPN on your router to use it on any WiFi connected device, like gaming consoles

2. Configure Settings

Once you’ve chosen a good gaming VPN, the next step is to set it up properly. Most VPNs work right out of the box, but adjusting a few settings can make a big difference for both gaming performance and avoiding problems with Steam.

Here are the settings and features you should pay attention to:

• Obfuscation. This disguises VPN traffic as regular internet traffic. It’s especially useful because Steam and other platforms can sometimes detect when you’re using a VPN.
• Fast protocols. Switch to a protocol like WireGuard or OpenVPN UDP (or Lightway if you’re using ExpressVPN). These are faster and more reliable for gaming and downloading compared to older protocols like PPTP or L2TP.
• Kill switch. Cuts your internet connection if the VPN suddenly drops. This prevents Steam from detecting your real IP address during the session.
• Split tunneling. Let you choose which apps use the VPN. For example, you could run Steam through the VPN while keeping other apps (like food delivery apps) on your regular connection.
• Auto-connect. Useful if you restart your device or lose connection. It ensures your VPN reconnects automatically, so you don't have to remember.

3. Connect to a Server

Once your VPN is set up, open the app and select a server in your chosen country. It’s a good idea to run a quick IP check to check that your connection is showing the desired location.

Connect to the nearest server for the fastest speeds

4. Log in to Steam and Add Items to Your Cart

With your VPN connected, launch Steam and log in to your account. Next, visit the Steam store and add the games or items you wish to purchase to your shopping cart. This step ensures that Steam recognizes the new region during checkout.

Steam will display prices and content available in your selected country

5. Change Your Country in the Cart

Once you've added your desired games to the cart, head to the checkout page. Here, you’ll see a dropdown menu where you can select your new country.

6. Convert Your Store and Wallet Region

When prompted, Steam will give you the option to update your store and wallet region to match your new location. You’ll need to provide a local billing address and payment method from your new country. Enter the necessary details, and Steam will automatically convert your store and wallet to the new region.

Pick a different method if PayPal is not available in your region

7. Browse Games in the New Regional Steam Store

Once you’ve successfully updated your Steam region, you’ll have access to the local storefront of your new area and all region-exclusive titles. This means you can browse and purchase games available in your new region, along with viewing prices in the local currency.

Steam will show localized prices and discounts available in your new country

Quick Comparison Table: Steam VPN Features

When choosing the best VPN for Steam, factors like speed, server variety, and connection reliability are important for a smooth experience. Here’s a side-by-side look at my top VPNs that work with Steam:

Which Regions Have the Cheapest Steam Packages?

Steam’s regional pricing can make the same game cost drastically less depending on where you live. Below is a comparison of regions that consistently offer the lowest prices:

Common Steam Checkout Errors and How To Fix Them

When you try to change your Steam region, the checkout process doesn’t always go smoothly. Steam carefully checks your billing address, your payment method, and even your recent activity. If something doesn’t match, you may run into an error message that stops you from completing a purchase.

Below, we’ll review the most common errors you might encounter and explain exactly how to resolve each one.

FAQs on Changing Steam Region

Reference

1. https://backlinko.com/steam-users?
2. https://automaton-media.com/en/news/steam-saw-chinese-users-spike-and-exceed-50-of-worldwide-playerbase-in-february-2025/?