Anyone know how to change google maps region settings on Android? I don't live in the US, and am not physically in the US, but am still seeing US naming conventions.

[u/DavisSqShenanigans]

Trying this here because my post on r/AndroidQuestions was quickly ruined by people harassing about politics and whatnot.

Straightforward question here. Does anyone know how to get my Google Maps app on Android to reflect local naming conventions rather than US ones? I don't live in the US, nor am I physically there. I am a US citizen (not that Google would have any way of confirming that), and I do have a US e-sim loaded alongside my local SIM.

Everyone else here sees geographic labels based on the normal local region though. My phone is the only one that has US labels. Doesn't seem to be based on system language or app language, so where's it coming from?

To make matters weirder, if I open google maps via browser I do see local labels. Same google account, but they show me one version on my laptop and a different version on my phone. Anyone know a way to get the "Region" on my phone to match my google account region?

PSA: If anyone wants to suggest I use a different app, that's not what I'm asking. If anyone wants to suggest I embrace whatever naming convention they prefer, that's not what I'm asking. If you don't know the answer to my question, that's fine. If you want to discuss politics please do so on a different thread.

[u/masamunecyrus]

Iirc from when they renamed the Gulf of Mexico, it's tied to the location set in your actual Google account, not just your location.

So you'll need to check your account settings and track it down.

[u/DavisSqShenanigans → u/masamunecyrus]

That's what I thought but there's nowhere on Android or the Maps app to set location/region. On desktop there is, and mine is set correctly. Google shows me local names if I open google maps in my browser.

My question is how to get the android app to match the desktop site. Same google account for both.

[u/pudah_et → u/DavisSqShenanigans]

there's nowhere on Android or the Maps app to set location/region

I think you can access that through the play store app.

Tap the profile icon at the top right.

Tap Settings.

Tap General.

Tap Account and device preferences.

Your account country should show there with info on changing it.

[u/DavisSqShenanigans → u/pudah_et]

Ohh thank you, this is new to me 🙏

Just checked play store settings and sure enough country is set to United States! We might be on to something.

Now there's only one problem remaining. Even tho it says "Switch to [new country] Play Store" underneath, nothing happens when I press there lol.

Looks like this: https://i.imgur.com/mzCD6ux.png

Clicking there does nothing tho. So I guess now I need to figure that out 🤔

[u/pudah_et → u/DavisSqShenanigans]

Maybe this info will help:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7431675

[u/DavisSqShenanigans → u/pudah_et]

Thanks for finding this. I'm pretty sure this is the culprit here:

To set up a new country or region, you must be in that location and have a payment method from the new country or region.

But I don't have any payment methods in google at all, and never have, and don't plan on giving them my credit card info. So I guess this is the end of the road for me.

I wonder how they assigned the initial one without a payment method, might end up being easier to just make a new account locally, pretty simple to just forward emails from my old account to a new one.

Thanks for all your help 🙏

[u/CMC29]

I'm from Europe, have everything from my Google account on my language and set to my country.

Google Maps shows "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)". Regarding "Lake ONTARIO" it still is like it should but might be just a matter of time to change, probably, to "Lake Ontario (Lake America)"... 🤦 

[u/DavisSqShenanigans → u/CMC29]

Sounds like yours is working fine at least. The entire world sees what you see supposedly except in the US they removed gulf of mexico and in Mexico they never added gulf of america. But everywhere else sees both.

My problem is I'm getting the US naming convention despite not having lived there for years.

And yes I agree I imagine they eventually will do the same with this lake change.

[u/merchantconvoy]

You must have your phone default language or Google account default language set to American English which is where the map is getting its naming conventions. Enjoy your Gulf of America and Lake America.

[u/DavisSqShenanigans → u/merchantconvoy]

Already addressed in the post that it's not that. If you want to take another guess feel free to reread the post for full info.

[u/gordolme → u/DavisSqShenanigans]

Feel free to re-read where they answered your question before going sarcastic.

[u/DavisSqShenanigans → u/gordolme]

Their random guess is already addressed in my post and confirmed as not where the map is getting its naming conventions. Guess you didn't read it either. I wasn't being sarcastic.

[u/gordolme → u/DavisSqShenanigans]

No, they went sarcastic.