How-to fix the iPad "App Store is not supported in your country" error for international users

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If you're an international user who just picked up an iPad in the US and want to get some apps via the on-device App Store app, you 're out of luck: "Cannot Connect to the App Store. The App Store is not supported in your country"

That's what you'll get if you synced via iTunes on your Windows PC or Mac using an international account, like Canada, Australia, UK, etc. and then try to use the iPad App Store app.

Of course, you can just keep on syncing via iTunes but for the convenience of the on-device downloads, you'll need a work-around.

  1. Set-up a free US iTunes account.
  2. Open the iPad iTunes Store app (which does work.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom and log out of your international account
  4. Log back in with your US iTunes account

And boom, the App Store app will start working. Now the bad news: anything you download will be locked to your new US account, which makes managements more of a hassle. And if you want to buy apps, you'll need a US credit card or US iTunes gift cards. But if you gotta have it now, that's the only solution we have working (if you know a better one, drop it in comments!)

Hopefully before the iPad launches in more countries in "late April" Apple will sort out this little problem and we'll all have on-device App Store access no matter what country we're in...

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.