Changing a YouTube TV Home area is fairly easier to do, although there are limitations, including how many times it can be changed in a given year. In addition, there are also consequences to changing the YouTube TV Home location, including what channels a subscriber has access to
YouTube TV operates on the basis of a clearly defined local area. This allows the company to offer an experience tailored to the user. The clearest example of a benefit of a designated Home area is local channels. Without YouTube TV identifying and defining a Home area, subscribers would not be able to access the right local channels and networks.
When a Home area matters
YouTube is fairly generous in what it offers subscribers looking to access YouTube TV away from home. As a result, subscribers don’t generally need to worry too much about a designated Home area when traveling abroad, spending time at another location, or just consuming live TV on a mobile device while elsewhere.
However, there are going to be times when YouTube TV subscribers need to deal with the Home area. One of the most common scenarios will be when moving home. Each time a subscriber relocates, they will need to update their home location to ensure uninterrupted access to YouTube TV, and to guarantee they receive the correct local channels.
Another instance where the Home area will come into play is for those who often spend long periods of time between two different homes. As YouTube TV operates on a Home area basis, this means that subscribers cannot assign two different homes at the same time. Instead, they will need to pick one as the actual Home area and access the service in the second location on an away from home basis.
How To Change YouTube TV’s Home area
The physical act of actually updating a subscriber’s current Home area can be done by visiting the YouTube TV website and updating the location in the user profile section.
How to update YouTube TV Home area:
- Open YouTube TV
- Click on profile picture
- Select Settings
- Click on Area
- Select Home area.
- Click on “Update” beside “Home area”
- Update the location
While the instructions above are relevant to accessing the YouTube TV website, Android device owners are also able to make the change through the app. The instructions are the same with users needing to access the profile section, followed by settings, selecting Area, Home area, and then updating the location.
In contrast, iPhone and iPad users are currently unable to change their location directly within the iOS YouTube TV app. Instead, iOS users will need to update a Home area by accessing the website through a desktop or mobile browser, and then following the navigation instructions above.
YouTube TV Home area change restrictions
Although updating the Home area is easy enough, there are some clear limitations in place that a subscriber should be aware of before actually making the change. The first and most relevant is the number of times a user can change their Home area to begin with.
YouTube TV only allows subscribers to change their Home area twice within a twelve-month period. While many subscribers are unlikely to move more than twice in a given year, this can pose problems for some subscribers. For example, anyone who spends a significant period of time at two different addresses will find that the option to change the Home area is limiting.
To put this limitation into perspective, Hulu Live TV is a direct competitor to YouTube TV and offers its subscribers the option to change the Home area up to four times per year. In this sense, Hulu Live TV is likely to be a more suitable option for those who find YouTube TV’s Home area restrictions too severe. However, Hulu Live TV has its own away from home limitations.
A second Home area limitation relates to the process of actually updating the location. YouTube TV only allows subscribers to update their location at the new location. For example, if a user plans to move and tries to update their Home area manually to the new location before moving, they will find the system prohibits them from doing this. Instead, YouTube TV will only allow the user to update their profile while accessing the website at the new location.
While not a limitation itself, it is worth knowing that with the service using the Home area to determine local channels, and limiting the number of times the Home area can be updated each year, those who travel often between homes will find access to local channels can be affected.
For example, when spending extended periods elsewhere, users will find they are locked into local channels for their current area, and can’t access local channels for their home location, even though the account is tied to that area.
YouTube TV Home area summary
YouTube TV has proven to be a good solution for many seeking a live TV streaming option. One of the reasons for this is the service’s generous approach to features and benefits. However, YouTube TV’s Home area is not quite as generous as its cloud DVR or other features.
One of the reasons that YouTube TV has taken a stricter stance against how many times a user can change their Home area is likely to be the service’s general away from home policy, considering subscribers can spend up to ninety days away from their designated Home area before needing to check in or make the Home area change.
As a result, when viewing both the away from home and the Home area policies together, YouTube TV does offer a sufficient balance to accommodate most subscribers. In spite of this, some subscribers will still find the option to only change their Home area twice each year too limiting. For them, it might be worth looking at an alternative to YouTube TV.
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