How To Get The US Version of iTunes In Canada

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Update January 20, 2013: I’m very excited to report that I have successfully found a new solution to setting up a US iTunes account from Canada!

Since you are already on this page I have to assume that you know just how much more amazing stuff you can get from the US iTunes account compared to the Canadian iTunes account. We’re talking more TV shows, more apps (think Pandora & Hulu Plus), more movies, more podcasts and overall just more awesome in general.

There are two big difference between how we used to set up a US iTunes account from Canada and abroad and how we (as of January 20th, 2013) set up the account.

Methode 1: No US Credit Card or US iTunes Gift Card Required

This method is great if you want to download free apps (think Hulu Plus & Pandora).

If you want to be able to purchase songs, apps, movies, TV shows, eBooks, etc. from the US iTunes store from outside of the USA you will need to follow the method below where you will use a US iTunes gift card to pay for your purchases.

Methode 2: Using A US iTunes Gift Card (So you can buy things)

The two things that you will need are a Pro VPN and a US iTunes gift card. Equipped with both of these and you’ll be surfing the US iTunes store before you know it!

Step 1: Get The Best Pro VPN

For nearly two years now I have been using, and loving, HMA. I think so highly of their software that I have recommended it to my mother!

What HMA does is it allows you to connect and re-route your internet connection through one of their 175, and counting, servers in the United States. By doing so it this allows your computer to virtually reside in the USA.

Very Important: iTunes is now checking your location when you sign up so you will need to make sure that you have HMA and that you’re connected to one of their US servers before you start to set up your US iTunes account.

Step 2: Download and Connect To An HMA Server

You’re going to want to download HMA by clicking on the link on the navigation menu on the top left of your HMA account page.

Select the version of HMA you need based on which operating system you’re using (yes this works on PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, iPods, Android smartphone and tablets and even on Linux based machines). This is where you can find the download link:

Once you have downloaded HMA you will then want to change one setting so you connect to one of the 10 closest servers in the USA based on geographical distance. As see here:

You will now be connected to one of HMA’s US-based servers.

Very Important: Do NOT skip ahead and try to set up your US iTunes account. You NEED to follow these next steps very carefully of it will not work.

Step 3: Check Your New Location

Now that you are connected to a US location you are going to want to check to see the specific city that you’re “living” in. You do this by clicking the “verify new IP address” from the HMA dashboard:

This will open up your web browser and show you your new Internet service provider (ISP), country, state/region, city, postal code and area code as shown below:

There is a chance that sometime you will see that you have been connected to what is being called “anonymous proxy” and the map will show you somewhere in the middle of the ocean. Just like this:

Very Important: If you are connected to an “anonymous proxy” then change your VPN location in HMA. You need to be connected to an HMA server that give you a city, state, zip code and area code. You can easily change your IP address by clicking the “change IP address” on the HMA dashboard as see below:

Once you have connected and verified that you have connected to a HMA server location that is in a US city and it shows you a postal code and area code you’re in business and can move to the next step.

Step 4: Pick Your New Address & Phone Number

Jot down the 5 numbers that you see beside postal code and the 3 digit area code, you will need these to complete step 4.

Now that you know your new postal code (they call them zip codes in the USA) and area code you can now pick your “new” home by heading over to www.realtor.com and doing a search for homes for sale in the same postal/zip code that your new server location is.

This will give you a bunch of houses that are for sale in that zip code. Just pick one that you like (don’t use the ones on the first page, dig deeper into the listings just so there is less of a chance that more than one person uses the same address). For this guide I’m going to use the one on Summerlin Ave.

Now that you have your address you are going to need a phone number too. Remember you want to get one with the same area code that your server is in. For the sake of this guide that is “407″.

Head over to google and do a search for “[YOUR ZIP CODE] [service business]“. For this example I’m going to search for “32801 dry cleaners”, then you just need to find a phone number (MAKE SURE THE AREA CODE MATCHES THE ONE YOU NEED!!!).

Now, it’s verrrrrryyyyyyyy unlikely that iTunes will ever call the number but just change one of the last numbers so dry cleaners all over the USA don’t start getting random weird phone numbers.

QUICK RECAP: You have now used an amazing piece of software to virtually reside in the USA. You have verified your location in the USA and have found your postal/zip code and area code. You have used that zip code to find a street address and phone number that is local to that area. You now have everything you need to set up your US iTunes account from Canada (and around the world!)

Step 5: Launch iTunes and Change The Region To USA

If you haven’t downloaded iTunes yet you can do that here. Once you launch iTunes make sure that you are logged out of your current Canadian account and then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the iTunes Store where you should see a little flag in the bottom right corner. At this point it’s likely to be a Canadian flag:

If that flag is anything other than the American flag, go ahead and click on it where it will bring up this screen where you will want to click on the United States iTunes region:

Scroll down to the bottom of the screen again to verify that the US flag is showing up in the bottom right corner of iTunes.

At this point I closed iTunes and re-opened it making sure that HMA remained connected the whole time. After doing this click on “sign in” on the top right corner of iTunes then click “create Apple ID”.

This will bring up a new page where you will simply need to click “continue”.

Then read through and, if you agree, click agree to the terms and conditions.

Then you will want to fill in your details and no, my birthday is not January 1st .

Next you will have to fill out the payment information. Unless you have a credit card with a US billing address you will wan to leave the credit card information blank.

You will need to enter a valid US iTunes gift card in the box where it says “to redeem a code or gift certificate, enter it here”. You can buy a US iTunes gift card on eBay. Just make sure that you’re buying from a reputable seller with lots of good positive feedback.

After you click “create Apple ID” it will return an error saying “the credit card info you have entered is not valid…” If you look closely this time you will notice that there is one more payment option and it’s called “None”. Click “None” and then “Create Apple ID”.

Success!!!

After you click “Create Apple ID” you will smell the sweet smell of success!  Well, okay it’ll be more see the sweet visual of success but you get the point.  You should see your email address (I grayed mine out for security reasons) and the amount of iTunes credit you purchased.

As far as I can tell this is the ONLY guide on the internet that is showing the new way to sign up for a US iTunes account in Canada and anywhere outside of the USA! Please this guide with your friends so they too know how to get a US iTunes account. Thanks!

There is a chance that using the pre-paid credit card method shown below AND step 1-4 from ABOVE that it will work. I have not yet tested this. I wanted to get a working solution published live. I will test the pre-paid credit card method as soon as I can and will update the guide again once I know if it works or doesn’t work for sure.

Update January 17, 2013: iTunes has made changes to the way that you sign up for an account and the method described BELOW is not currently working. I have tested and found a new way to sign up for a US iTunes account from Canada (and around the world) and am in the process of writing the new guide (UPDATE JAN 20TH: YOU CAN SEE THE NEW GUIDE ABOVE). It should be live shortly. If you would like to get notified by email when the new guide goes live simply enter your email address into the form below.

We’re sure the first things that most of you Canadians are thinking is “why would I want a US iTunes account?“.  Well, quite simply, if you live in Canada you’re getting denied access to the extensive library of movies, TV shows, music and even some apps (like Pandora – more on this later) that are not available when you have a Canadian iTunes account.  There are also those times when a friend of yours who live south of the boarder gifts you a song from the US iTunes store that you’re not able to redeem with your Canadian iTunes account. Or when your grandma sends you a 4-pack of $15 iTunes gift cards she picked up from the Costco in Palm Springs…either way you’ll need a US iTunes account to accesses all of the TV shows, movies, music, apps that aren’t available in Canada as well to take advantage of those gift cards!

That all being said, probably the biggest reason to set yourself up with a US iTunes account is so you can download the Pandora app.  This app is not available in the Canadian iTunes store since you’re not supposed to be able to access Pandora Internet Radio from anywhere expect the USA.  The team here at HowToGetItInCanada.com has great news about this: WE’VE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET PANDORA IN CANADA!  If you’re interested, please read our guide on How To Get Pandora Radio In Canada.

We’re also very happy to report that getting a US iTunes account in Canada is very simple and can be accomplished in 3 easy steps!

Step 1: Pick up a Vanilla MasterCard

The great news is that you can buy a Vanilla MasterCard at a couple very convenient locations like 7-11 and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Step 2: Register Your Vanilla MasterCard Online

DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!  This is a very important step and must be done!  Visit www.vanillamastercard.com and select the “US (ENGLISH) GIFT CARD” option:

The next step is to enter your Vanilla MasterCard info:

Next you will click “Register Your Card”:

Which takes you to the most important step of this process, entering a US zip code:

If you’re just using this method to open a US iTunes account we recommend seeing if you could use a friends address in the US.  If you’re not expecting to receive physical shipments then you could even just make one up as the only thing that matters is the zip code.  If you’re hoping be able to purchase physical items and have them delivered to an address in the US then we recommend that you read our guide on how to get a street address in the US and have your mail forwarded to Canada.

Now that you’ve purchased and registered your Vanilla MasterCard with a US zip code we can move onto step 3 which will involve opening your US iTunes account in Canada.

Step 3: Open a US iTunes Account in Canada

If you haven’t already, download a copy of iTunes for free from Apple.  Once you open the iTunes store, scroll all the way down to the bottom where you will see a small Canadian flag.  Click on that Canadian flag:

Then select the United States store:

Click “Sign In”:

Click “Create New Account”

Enter your personal information and click continue.  The next step will ask you to provide a payment method and this is where you will enter the details found on your Vanilla MasterCard.  VERY IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE THE ZIP CODE THAT YOU ENTER IN THIS STEP MATCHES THE ZIP CODE YOU USED WHEN YOU REGISTERED YOUR VANILLA MASTERCARD!

iTunes will then ask you to verify your email address but once you click “OK” it will show you that you have successfully set up a US iTunes account from Canada!

CONGRATULATIONS!  Now that you have a US iTunes account you’re able to take advantage of the huge selection of TV shows, music, movies and apps that you previously weren’t able to access with your Canadian iTunes account!

The first thing you should do with your brand spanking new US iTunes account is download the Pandora app and then read our guide on How to Get Pandora Radio in Canada on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch!

Step 4: Wait! I thought you said “easy as 1-2-3″!?!?

You’re right, we did say that getting a US iTunes account in Canada was “as easy as 1-2-3!!!”  We’re hoping that you are excited about knowing how to snag yourself your own personal US iTunes account and that you’ll this page with your friends on Facebook! Trust us, your friends will thank you for letting them know that there is an easy way to get a US iTunes account in Canada!  Thanks!!!

Don’t miss these great guides to getting other things previously restricted in Canada:

• How to Get Pandora Radio in Canada
• How to Get US TV Shows For FREE in Canada
• How to Listen to Pandora in Canada on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
• How to Get The US Version of Netflix in Canada