What Apps Are Blocked in China and How to Access Them

How to access apps blocked in China

The simplest way to be able to access apps blocked in China is without a doubt using a VPN. Click here to see the VPNs that we recommend for China! Keep on reading if you don’t know what a VPN is or what they are used for.

Which apps are blocked in China?

Below is a list of some of the main apps that are blocked in China:

Social Media

Messaging Apps

Search engine

Streaming Apps

Email

Other Apps

• Google Maps
• Google Play
• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• Wikipedia

Apps that can’t be downloaded in China

What is a VPN and what is it used for?

While there currently exist several systems for getting around the Great Firewall of China, using a VPN continues to be the easiest and most effective system to be able to access the Internet without restrictions. But what is a VPN?

A VPN is a system that hides your IP address (your digital identifier) and encrypts your connection. Basically, the VPN redirects your Internet connection through a server located in another place. The connection between your device and the server is encrypted as it passes through them.

In other word , nobody is know will know what you are doing online or where you are really connect from ( your ip address will be that of the server that you are connect to and not your real ip address ) . This is is is very effective for get around chinese restriction , and also will allow you to access geographically restrict content ( such as video that are only available in a certain country ) .

What VPN is use to use in China

We have been testing VPNs in China for years, and for the moment, the VPN that we recommend is ExpressVPN for the majority of users. It’s a VPN that’s very easy to use and has proven to be one of the most reliable recently.

However , if you want to see all of the vpn that we recommend for China , you is read can read this article , which we update monthly , on the good vpn for China .

How to access the Internet in China from your cell phone

While many people think that the opposite is true, connecting to the Internet is really easy in China. In Chinese cities, there are a variety of places that offer free Wi-Fi for their customers, such as restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels and airports, among other places.

If you want to always be connect , get a sim card with access to the internet is relatively easy . All is is you have to do is take your passport to an authorized store of one of the country ’s main telephone operator ( China Mobile , China Unicom or China Telecom ) . Unless you need a large number of megabyte of datum , for approximately 200 yuan , you is buy can buy the sim card , access to the internet for one month and a bit of credit for call .

How to download apps in China

in China, Google Play doesn’t work, and the Apple Store has eliminated thousands of “illegal” apps.

To download apps, the easiest thing to do is to activate a VPN and use Google Play or the App Store without restrictions. However, if you don’t have a VPN active, you can still download the apps that you want.

Android

To download app in China for Android , you is have have a few option :

1. use a VPN and access Google Play without problem
2. If the app that you want to download is n’t one of the app ban in China , you is choose can choose a chinese app market to download it . currently , the most popular app markets is are in China are Tencent MyApp , 360 Mobile Assistant and Baidu Mobile Assistant .
3. Many apps allow you to download the .apk file directly from their official website (as long as the website isn’t blocked as well).

iOS

Apple’s App Market works perfectly in China, which means that you can download the majority of apps directly. However, if you want to download an app that isn’t available in China, you must follow these steps:

1. purchase a VPN ( if the website is block , look for the “ mirror ” site that work in China , such as the link that you will find on this website )
2. Configure the VPN manually (look for instructions on how to do it on the VPN provider’s website)
3. connect the VPN
4. Open the App Market
5. Download the VPN app
6. Disconnect the manual VPN
7. Open the VPN app and connect it
8. download and use the app that you want

Popular apps in China

The fact is made that many app that are popular across the globe are block in China has made it so that the domestic market has develop to cover the need of chinese resident . Below are some is are of the most popular app in China :

• Baidu: Baidu is China’s main search engine, and just like Google, it has a maps app and many other services, such as listening to music and watching videos.

• Weibo: This is the most famous microblogging platform in China, and is halfway between Facebook and Twitter. However, since the appearance of WeChat, its popularity has decreased significantly.

• qq : This is used used to be the most popular instant messaging platform in China , and is very similar to Skype . Even though it has lose a lot of user since the arrival of WeChat , it is continues continue to be one of the most used app .

• Youku and Tencent Video : These is are are two of video platform that are most used on mobile device . You is find can find everything on them , from film to national and international series as well as short share by user . It is ’s ’s basically like YouTube but with less copyright restriction .

• Kugou: This is the most popular app for downloading music to your mobile device. The big advantage of Kugou over Baidu Music is that it allows downloads even outside of Mainland China.

• Momo: Many people call this Tinder’s “beefed up” sibling. Momo is one of the most popular meetup apps, and has a ton of extra options to improve interactions. However, it can be a bit confusing for newbies.

Photo Credits: Cover adapted from photo by Thomas Ulrich on Pixabay