Home / Software / How-To
How-To

How to get iTunes Radio in the UK

This iTunes Radio UK hack makes it possible to listen to iTunes Radio in the UK by setting up a US iTunes Account. This guide to setting up a US-based iTunes Account without a credit card enables you to listen to iTunes Radio in the UK.
By Lucy Hattersley
Macworld APR 21, 2014 8:00 am PDT

This iTunes Radio UK hack makes it possible to listen to iTunes Radio in the UK. The trick is to set up an iTunes account for the US iTunes Store. Apple made it a bit harder to set up an US iTunes Store account recently; iTunes now insists on your credit card details instead of offering the “None” option.

But don’t worry: this iTunes Radio UK hack enables you to set up a US iTunes Store Account without using a credit card or gift card. With this iTunes Store hack you can set up a US-based iTunes Account and listen to iTunes Radio in the UK. No credit card or gift card is required.

Note, however, that Macworld is neither promoting nor endorsing this procedure, which at the very least necessitates breaking Apple’s terms of service, since you have to give a fake address. We can’t see how it would be illegal, but any reader who uses this method takes responsibility for any legal or other consequences that may arise. Consider yourself warned!

See also:

iTunes Radio UK

How to set up a US iTunes Account without a credit card

The trick to getting a US iTunes Account without a credit card is to sign out, switch to the US Store and try to purchase a free app. When iTunes requests your account details, click on Create An Account and go through the sign-up process. Doing it this way gives you the “None” option for payment details. With this trick, you can sign up for iTunes Store without a credit card.

iTunes Store Payment Type None

Because iTunes Radio is a free service, once you have set up your iTunes account in the US Store without a US credit card you can listen to iTunes Radio.

You need a (fake) US address and telephone number. We used Google Maps to pick a random store in the United States. You also need a spare email address that is not currently linked to any iTunes Account. We set up a fake email address with Outlook.com.

iTunes Store Choose Your Country Or Region

Follow these steps to set up an iTunes Account without a credit card:

  1. Open iTunes.
  2. Click Store in the Menu bar and choose Sign Out.
  3. Click Store in the main iTunes window (on the far right).
  4. Scroll down and click on the flag in the bottom right (it is probably the flag for the United Kingdom).
  5. Choose United States.
  6. Click on App Store.
  7. Now try to download a free app (click on Free next to a free app).
  8. Click Create Apple ID and Continue.
  9. Tick the checkbox marked I Have Read and Agree To These Terms and Conditions and click Agree.
  10. Enter your email (it must not be the one already associated with iTunes).
  11. Choose None as the Payment Type.
  12. Enter a US address and telephone number.
  13. Click Create Apple ID.
  14. Head over to your Mail and locate the verification email that Apple has sent and click Verify Now.
  15. Enter your Apple ID and Password and click Verify Address.
  16. Return to iTunes and click OK.
  17. Click Library and Radio.
  18. Click Start Listening.
  19. Enter your Password and Sign In again.

With these steps, you can now start listening to iTunes Radio in the UK. Click Add Station to create a new station based upon any song or artists from iTunes. You can click the Allow Explicit to On to listen to a wider range of music.

See also: