How to change YouTube TV location on Reddit?

Reddit users often ask how to change their YouTube TV location, sometimes encountering confusing or outdated information. While VPNs and other workarounds are frequently suggested, the most reliable method is surprisingly simple: a two-device “handshake” between your TV and your phone.

Forget fiddling with router settings or subscribing to extra services. The key to updating your YouTube TV location lies within the app itself, specifically utilizing both your TV’s YouTube TV app and the app on your mobile phone. This process capitalizes on the “home area” verification system YouTube TV employs.

Here’s the streamlined process:

1. Initiate the Change on Your TV: Open the YouTube TV app on your smart TV or streaming device. Begin playing any live channel. While the stream is buffering, proceed to the next step. This buffering period is crucial; it seems to trigger the location verification process.

2. Confirm on Your Phone: Immediately grab your phone and open the YouTube TV app. You should see a prompt asking you to confirm your new location. This prompt appears specifically because you initiated the process on your TV during the buffering phase. Confirm your location.

3. Synchronized Success: Once you confirm on your phone, the change should propagate to your TV. Your home area is now updated, granting you access to the local channels and regional sports networks available in your new viewing area.

Why this works: YouTube TV uses your IP address in conjunction with device location verification to determine your home area. By initiating the process on your TV and confirming on your phone (which is likely using mobile data and thus a different IP), you’re effectively telling YouTube TV that both devices are in the same new location. This synchronizes the location data and updates your viewing area.

Troubleshooting:

• No prompt on your phone? Ensure your phone’s location services are enabled and that you’re logged into the same YouTube TV account on both devices. Try restarting the process from step one. Also, ensure your phone is connected to either Wi-Fi or mobile data; a lack of internet connection will prevent the prompt from appearing.

• Still having issues? Contact YouTube TV support directly. They can assist with more complex location-related problems.

This two-device method provides a straightforward and effective way to update your YouTube TV location without resorting to complicated workarounds. By following these steps, you can quickly access the content you want in your new viewing area.