How to Change Your PSN Region in 2026?

PSN or PlayStation Network is home to thousands of games, all with their own qualities. People want to change their PSN region because of geo-restrictions that make the experience different for everyone. When talking about games, apart from quality, they differ in price.

Some PSN countries have cheaper games, while others usually list heftier price tags. Another problem is deal availability. People often find that some countries have better deals and discounts than others. This even applies to PS Plus subscriptions whose prices vary wildly. Whatever the case may be, you want one thing.

To successfully modify your PSN country on your PS4 or PS5 console. In this guide, we’ll explain how to do that and see how to buy games without possessing a payment method from the new country.

Changing Your PSN Region: What You Should Know

Before we go into detail regarding altering your PSN region, we first must clarify a few things. The most important one is that, once your account is created, there’s NO way to perform the location change. For example, if your account is in the US region, that’s it.

You’re locked to the US until Sony decides to introduce the region-change feature. So, to successfully change your region, you essentially must make a new account. When creating this account, it’s crucial to use a VPN service. Why? Because VPNs change your IP address!

When the IP is altered to another location, any site you visit will see it as your original location. You can’t just go online, make a new account, select a region outside of yours, and call it a day. To cut it short, you MUST make a new account to perform this workaround.

Now that we’ve clarified this, we’ll explain how to change your country on PSN and subsequently the PS Store. For this guide, we’ll use NordVPN, as it offers over 128 countries, no bandwidth limits, and excellent speeds, all of which are paramount for a gaming VPN.

Setting Up a VPN

Don’t worry – NordVPN is a paid provider, but it can be free for 30 days, thanks to a money-back guarantee. After all, once your country is altered, you won’t need a VPN anymore, except if you want other benefits, such as security, privacy, ISP throttling prevention, etc.

Subscribe to NordVPN

For now, you’ll need to subscribe to the VPN first. NordVPN ticks all the boxes, plus it offers significant discounts for its 2-year plans. Visit its website, pick the plan you want, and subscribe to it. From here, you can download its app on your device. We used a Windows PC where the app looks like this:

You won’t need your PS4 or PS5 for this to work. We’re making a new account, and for that, you can comfortably use your computer, phone, laptop, tablet, or any other device. Besides, NordVPN has a free VPN client for macOS, Windows, and other systems. After it’s installed, open the VPN app and sign in.

As you can see, we connected to a server in the USA here. This was a random choice, by the way. This means we’ll target the US region, but as always, you can use any of the other 128+ countries. Simply open the server list and click the country you want.

Changing Your PSN Country

With this out of the way, it’s time to modify your PSN region. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the official PSN site and press “Create PSN Account.“
2. On the next page, press “Create.“
3. Select your region – this is quite important. We’ll use the US, but you do the same based on the country selected in the VPN. Be aware that the language might also change to match the selected country, so use your browser’s translation function.
4. In the next step, provide your date of birth and press Next.
5. Provide your email address and password and press Next again.
6. Verify your account through email, and you’re done.
7. Finish setting up your new account by adding a profile image and personal information. This, of course, is optional, and you don’t have to do it immediately.
8. Boot up your PS4 or PS5 and sign in with your new account (you can do this on any other device as well). Your PSN region should be changed now, which will be reflected in prices and deals. If a country you’re using has a different currency from your native country, you’ll also see it instead. This is a sign that the PSN region change is a success.

How to Buy Games on a Different Region PS Store?

Changing your PSN region successfully brings us to another minor setback. Namely, if you’re an American now or a fictional resident of any other country, you must have one thing: a payment method from that country. Buying games in a foreign PS Store country won’t work.

Unless, of course, you manage to get the required payment method. Well, that is easily circumvented by opting for gift cards. Third-party sites online offer ample gift cards with different values that you can use to buy games after you alter your PSN country.

In fact, gift cards also work when changing your Steam region, letting you purchase games the same way.

As you can see above, we found a great US PS Store gift card that can be used. However, you’ll find many more for different regions such as the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Turkey, Australia, India, Japan, and hundreds more. To purchase games using gift cards, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to a website that sells PS Store gift cards. Some of them include Eneba, G2A, CD Keys, Kinguin, Instant-Gaming, and many more.
2. Find the gift card for the newly selected region. Make sure it has the right amount of funds so that you can buy the games you want.
3. Purchase the gift card using your preferred payment method.
4. Write down or copy the gift card code.
5. Go to the PSN site and click the Profile icon.
6. Select “Redeem Code.“
7. Paste the gift card code and confirm your choice. It should be a 12-digit code.

From here, you’ll instantly have funds in your account that you can use to buy games or subscriptions. When you spend them, top up your account with more gift cards, and you’ll never run dry.

Do I Need to Change My PSN Country to Unblock Geo-Restricted Content?

Unblocking geo-restricted content always boils down to using a VPN. In a recent post, we highlighted the importance of a VPN for unblocking websites and streaming platforms. When talking about bypassing geo-restrictions on your PS4 or PS5, you don’t necessarily need to alter your PSN region.

On the other hand, you need a VPN. Let’s say you’re using Netflix. Netflix is available in all PSN regions, but its content availability depends on your location. The US library isn’t the same as the UK library and so on. In this case, a PSN region change won’t be needed. That’s because Netflix operates on a per-IP basis.

It detects your IP address and its location, which is then used to display the content accordingly. In such cases, users just need to change their IP with a VPN and unblock series, movies, and shows on Netflix. Of course, this doesn’t apply only to Netflix but to other IP-reliant apps and/or games.

Now, setting up a VPN on your console is a different story because PlayStation consoles don’t support VPN apps natively. We’ll explain the easiest way to do this in a few minutes.

Why Should I Change My PSN Region?

Modifying your PSN account country brings with it a myriad of benefits, such as:

Buying Games & Subscriptions at Cheaper Prices

The most obvious benefit of a PSN region change is buying stuff for a cheaper price. People often do this with Steam, whose game prices differ wildly from country to country. Many are acquainted with the cheap game prices in Turkey, India, Argentina, and so forth.

This spawns the need to modify the PSN account country and save significant portions of money. Subscriptions can also be affected. For instance, PlayStation’s Plus subscription, divided into three tiers, is expensive for many, costing at least $79 annually or even more, based on the subscription tier.

By switching your PSN region, you’ll find it cheaper elsewhere. Using a gift card, you can comfortably get this subscription and enjoy a year’s worth of exclusive games or those you’ve been yearning to play for years.

Get Cheaper PlayStation Games With NordVPN

Accessing Region-Locked Promotions

When talking about promotions, you’ll find them daily on the PS Store. Well, you’ll also find one here – for example, the NordVPN promotion with a 73-plus percent discount. However, some promotions are better than others, especially in different countries.

Many say the USA offers the most promotions, but in our book, these promotions aren’t that great. With the highest game prices overall, even a 50% discount isn’t as meaningful as a smaller discount on an already cheap game. Either way, we think you get the point.

Some regions offer more attractive promotions and discounts, enabling you to save money further and enjoy gaming for cheaper.

Playing Newly-Launched Titles Early

Due to time zone differences, some countries get to play newly-launched titles earlier. A game might launch, let’s say, 12 hours earlier in the US than in Japan, and so forth. By modifying your PSN country, you can access a game as soon as it hits the shelves!

While this isn’t a huge benefit – at least in our view – it’s nice to know you can hop in the game before anyone else and brag about it like a maniac.

How to Set Up a VPN on My PS3, PS4, or PS5?

As explained earlier, you don’t necessarily need a VPN installed on your PlayStation to change your PS Store country. However, if you want benefits like:

• Avoiding ISP throttling
• Preventing DDoS attacks
• Playing on different game servers
• Unblocking region-locked content

You’ll need to set it up directly on the console. This, of course, is impossible unless you opt for a router setup. Setting up a VPN on a router is complex for many because it depends on the VPN, the router model, and whether the router supports VPNs.

If not, you’ll have to flash the router, install new firmware, and then set up everything. We think the simplest method is to use an Ethernet cable and your computer, in which case, you can share the VPN connection and enjoy the aforementioned benefits on your console. You can do this by following the steps below:

1. Use an Ethernet cable to connect your PlayStation 3, 4, or 5 to your computer or laptop with a VPN installed.
2. Go to network settings on your computer and find the network adapter of your VPN.
3. Right-click on it, open its Properties, and enable network sharing.
4. Open the VPN app on your computer and set OpenVPN as the default protocol.
5. Connect to a server in the country you want to use.
6. Boot up your PlayStation console and go to network settings.
7. Find the option to set up your internet connection, and when prompted, select LAN or Wired connection, not Wireless.
8. If prompted to use a proxy server, select “No” or “Do Not Use a Proxy Server.“
9. Accept all settings and you’re done.

Now, the VPN connection from your computer will be shared with the PlayStation console via an Ethernet cable.

Best VPNs to Change Your PSN Country in 2026

VPNs aren’t necessary for a quality gaming experience on PlayStation 4 or 5. However, they greatly enhance the entire thing thanks to rock-solid security, the ability to change your PSN region, and excellent speeds. This applies only to top-tier providers.

In this section, we’ll go over our favorite VPNs for this purpose that can also be used for DDoS protection, bypassing ISP throttling, and other game-improving purposes.

1. NordVPN

NordVPN, as always, tops the list, as the provider with the most countries – 128+. We find this extremely beneficial, as you’ll always find the country you want to change your PSN region or bypass annoying geo-blocks. It’s why the VPN is so valuable for Netflix as well.

This provider has the fastest speeds, with 10 Gbps server ports, and NordLynx adds a layer of connection stability. When using it on a PlayStation console, you’ll notice no lags or slowdowns that would ruin the gaming session. This is paramount for gaming. Another benefit is streaming prowess, which PlayStation users appreciate.

You can use the service to unblock platforms like HBO, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and plenty more. We also love its security features, such as a kill switch, which prevents IP leaks and DDoS attacks. It’s worth noting that NordVPN has no bandwidth limits, so you can game on indefinitely.

With its 10 simultaneous connections, you can protect all your devices, including phones, tablets, computers, routers, Smart TVs, and the list goes on, like a grocery shopping bill. NordVPN’s bill won’t decimate your budget. This VPN for PlayStation consoles is affordable, so don’t expect it to cost above $3.50 a month.

That’s a silly price to pay for a flagship VPN service whose benefits can’t be listed in two to three sentences. However, we have a full NordVPN review where you can find out more about them.

Visit NordVPN

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2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN will quickly change your PSN country, but above all, provide an exceptional gaming experience. Its simple-to-use apps can be installed on all platforms, even on routers, which makes the VPN suitable for a connection to PS4 or PS5. What about speed?

Well, it’s almost on par with NordVPN, with an average speed reduction of roughly 20%. This is negligible considering ExpressVPN’s low latency, which doesn’t increase the ping while gaming. ExpressVPN uses Lightway, an award-winning protocol with stable performance.

The protocol is also safe and secure, using AES-256 encryption to safeguard your gaming voyages. We noticed its effectiveness against DDoS attacks, plus, with a kill switch, you can be sure your IP address never leaks to the public. ExpressVPN also has no traffic caps.

This is amplified by support for all desktop and mobile platforms for added convenience. ExpressVPN even has a free iPhone VPN, which Apple ecosystem lovers are fond of. The VPN lacks some advanced features compared to NordVPN, so it’s a tiny flaw.

Rest assured, Gizmodo lets you test the provider risk-free and snag a significant discount. We’re talking about a 30-day money-back guarantee for its 2-year Basic plan with four free months as a result of a 73% price reduction. Try ExpressVPN below and explore its vast possibilities.

Visit ExpressVPN

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3. Private Internet Access

We have PIA at #3 as one of the safest VPNs to use on PlayStation. At a price of above $2.10 a month for the 2-year plan with four free months, its value is hard to beat. We love PIA because of its extensive server coverage, with 30,000 servers in about 90 countries.

This is ideal to quickly change your PSN region without hassle. Private Internet Access performs well, with WireGuard to amplify the speed further. Another benefit is great support for routers, which can be used to install the VPN on your PlayStation. PIA also includes unlimited connections, adding to its value tremendously.

One thing to note is that it’s slower than NordVPN and ExpressVPN. However, in terms of gaming and DDoS protection, we found that it’s more than sufficient, even when playing fast-paced titles. Private Internet Access includes all the goodies, such as AES encryption, RAM servers, a no-logging policy, and obfuscation.

The service even has 24/7 support to aid you if things go south, so you’re covered by its team of experts whenever you need help. Click the button below and check out Private Internet Access risk-free.

Visit Private Internet Access

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Summary

In summary, we’ll clarify everything we explained. You can’t change your PSN account region without making a new one. Sony doesn’t allow it. When making a new account, it’s vital to use a VPN and alter your IP address to the desired country beforehand.

Then, in the country selection menu, pick the location you’ve previously chosen in the VPN. From here, when the account is created, you can top it up with a gift card to have funds for buying games and subscriptions. For us, NordVPN worked well.

However, if you deem another provider like ExpressVPN or PIA more suitable, go for it. We presented risk-free providers that you can try without losing money. On top of that, they provide numerous benefits for safe, secure, and lag-free gaming sessions.