What websites are blocked in China in 2024 (January Update) This is a question that gets asked a lot, particularly among people who are planning to travel or move to China. It helps knowing what to expect, which is why I’d like to give you a comprehensive (and constantly updated) list of blocked websites in China.
Starting in the late 1990s, China began monitoring and censoring the internet within its borders. That first decade of internet censorship flew mostly under the radar.
Everything changed in 2009.
For a number of different reasons, and due to a number of different incidents, the Chinese government began to feel threatened by the free access to information for its citizens, particularly with western social media platforms.
–> I used to have a Blogspot blog in China. <what?>
–> Email was sent freely through Gmail in China. <gasp!>
–> I even read the Wall Street Journal in China. <the horror!>
Not anymore.
In order to do any of these things, I am now forced to use a VPN (in my experience, ExpressVPN has been consistently reliable in China as has NordVPN).
So as you plan your travels, your move or a business trip to China, it’s good to have an understanding of the blocked websites in China as well as the blocked apps in China.
Below, I’d like to walk you through the list, followed by my personal tips from having survived and done business in China all these years.
Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may be compensated if you choose to use the services listed. I only recommend what I personally use and hope this free information has been useful!
List of Blocked Websites and Apps in China 2024
In this list of blocked websites in China, you’ll see that I’ve categorized each based on the type of website or app.
Hopefully this will make it easier to scan and understand.
Productivity
If you plan to do business, you need to understand which of your most used productivity tools are blocked in China.
- Gmail
- Dropbox
- Google Apps (Drive, Docs, Calendar, Maps etc.)
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Slack
- Google Play (i.e. no downloading Android apps)
- Hootsuite
Social Sites
Most of the major English-language social media sites have been blocked in China and new ones are added to the list each year.
- Snapchat
- Quora
- Tumblr
- AO3
Streaming (Video/Audio)
Whether you want to stream content or upload videos to YouTube in China, you’ll find these streaming sites inaccessible.
- YouTube
- DailyMotion
- Vimeo
- Twitch
- Periscope
- Pandora
- Spotify
- Soundcloud
News Media
At this point, most western-based news media has been blocked. I will only name a few of the biggest players here.
- New York Times
- BBC
- Financial Times
- Wall Street Journal
- Reuters
- CNN
- TIME
Search Engines
Whether searching via text or voice, you’re going to have trouble with these search engines in China.
- Google (text and voice)
- Amazon (Alexa)
- Wikipedia
- DuckDuckGo
*Note* – You can use Bing in China, but the results within China are censored.
Messaging Apps
Unless you’re willing to start using China’s version of WhatsApp, you’re going to need a good VPN for China to use these apps.
- Facebook Messenger
- Telegram
- Line
- Signal
- KaKao Talk (Korean)
Blogging Platforms
- Medium
- Blogspot
- Wordpress.com*
*You can still host your own Wordpress-based website on your own servers. Learn more about my favorite website tools in my blogger toolbox
VoiP Calling
- Skype (although it sometimes works, it’s not reliable)
- Google Hangouts
- Viber
*In my experience, iMessage has worked fairly well, but it’s not as reliable as using WeChat for VoiP.
Miscellaneous Blocked Websites
- Porn websites
- VPN websites
- Politically sensitive sites
As you see above, I’ve lumped together porn websites, VPN websites, and any politically sensitive websites (i.e. websites for Tibetan, Uyghur, Falun Gong or human rights organizations).
I don’t feel like it’s necessary to list them all. These sites have been and will remain blocked in China.
Important Note about VPNs
The fact that VPN websites are blocked is why I usually recommend travelers and expats download a VPN before you enter China.
It’s much, much harder once you’re inside the country, although it is possible to install a VPN within China.
I recommend both ExpressVPN and NordVPN as highly reliable and effective VPN solutions to China’s censorship.
I’ve used both for many years.
What ISN’T Blocked in China in 2024
There’s a lot of confusion and mis-information when it comes to censorship in China.
Which websites and apps aren’t blocked in China?
Part of this has to do with the fluid nature of China’s internet (this list is always changing, which is why it’s updated every month).
Another reason for the confusion, though, is that some websites (including Wikipedia) continue to share outdated or outright wrong information.
Here’s a quick list of the websites and apps that AREN’T blocked in China – even though you might be told otherwise.
- Netflix/Hulu/Disney+: Technically, streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ are not blocked by China. The websites are accessible, but since the content hasn’t been licensed in China, you’ll still run into a “Sorry, our service hasn’t come to this country yet” message. This is something known as geoblocking content and there are ways to still stream Netflix in China.
- Banking: Thankfully, you don’t need to worry about not being able to log into your bank account online. To date, no western banks have had their websites blocked in China.
- iMessage & FaceTime: Despite a tenuous relationship with China, Apple has been able to maintain and open iMessage platform for all its iPhone users. In theory, this is more secure than using WeChat, but who knows for sure.
How to Access Blocked Websites in China
If you’re not already aware, there are ways to access websites and apps that are blocked in China. It’s a technology known as a Virtual Private Network, or “VPN” for short.
Pretty much any expat who has lived in China for more than 6 months uses a VPN on a daily basis. I’ve used them for almost 10 years.
In short, a VPN works by encrypting your connection to a server in another country (such as the United States). When you access the internet, you see it as if you were in that country that doesn’t have censorship, as opposed to China.
They’re easy to use and contrary to what you might think, they’re not technically illegal for foreign expats or travelers to use.
Using a VPN to Bypass Censorship in China
Using a VPN in China is thankfully very simple. We’ll take ExpressVPN as an example, since that’s the one I have used for many years and recommend.
I simply open the app on my phone, tablet or computer and click the big power button. When it turns green, I have access to all of the blocked websites and apps listed above.
I know I’ve already said it, but I’d like to stress the importance of setting up your VPN before you enter China.
Most VPN websites are blocked in China since the government doesn’t want it’s own citizens to use a VPN. That makes it hard for us as expats or travelers to download and install a VPN from within the country.
Personally, since my business relies on open access to the internet, I have subscriptions to multiple VPNs including ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
You might be surprised that there are literally hundreds of VPN services to choose from, but only a handful of VPNs work well in China.
If accessing your email or staying in touch with family is important to you while in China, I recommend spending a few dollars on a VPN service.
Trust me…
…it’s worth it.
Many VPNs still work in China despite what you might have read, and it has the added benefit of encrypting and securing your data.
Final Thoughts | Blocked Websites in China 2024
There’s no indication that China will cease their censorship of the internet any time soon. In fact, all signs point to the fact that this list of blocked websites in China will continue to grow as I update it each month.
New websites and apps will get axed by China’s Ministry of Information as they become popular (that’s basically what happened to Twitch).
By using a VPN like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, you’ll get access to all the productivity apps, social media, news, and streaming sites that you’re used to using.
You seem to have the simplest and most accurate info about communications in China. Thank you.
Can you download a vpn in hk? Or is it restricted as in China proper.
Thanks so much, Ian. And yes, the internet isn’t censored in Hong Kong (yet) so you can still access and download a VPN there. Good luck!
Downloading VPN in Hong Kong is OK. You can even access google in hong kong. many VPN servers are in Hong Kong
Hello. Thank you for this. We use Microsoft OneDrive at work and so far it works without a VPN. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing, Andre! Glad it’s been working for you.
Hello, thanks for valuable information throughout this entire website. I’m in China for 2 months. I’d just like to add that Microsoft services are fine since Ms has come to Chinese terms. So specifically one drive and Skype work fine. Spotify works as well. Other mentioned services are unfortunately banned.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Michal!
I’ve been happily using Slack all year in China without any VPN or access issues. You may want to check what you list as being blocked. DuckDuckGo has also worked any time I’ve tried to use it this year.
Hey Nelson, I’m glad it’s worked well for you. The problem is that even Slack itself admits that it is often blocked in China. And while you may be able to access DuckDuckGo, me and many other people I know can’t.
The reality is that because the Chinese internet is not one single entity, there is some discrepancy in what is blocked/not blocked throughout the country. That said, I have to create this list with these things in mind. I’d rather prepare people for the worst case instead of them arriving and finding it blocked.
what browsers can be used?
Any browser can be used to access the internet, but they might not have the same capabilities that they would have outside of China. For example, Chrome has a lot of Google-related extensions and features that won’t work in China. You can still use the browser to access the internet, but those features won’t work.
Hello! Is expressvpn free to use? Or Do we need to pay a certain fee to use it? Thanks!
No, good VPN services require a fee. You can purchase an ExpressVPN subscription for the month, 6 months or a year (and get 2 months free!).
what about public wifi in cities? coz recently i’ve been in shanghai and was surprised how many sites were not working through public wifi. neither baidu nor bing didnt work for me. only managed to use yandex
I’ve written up more about finding WiFi in China here. Check it out and hopefully that will answer you questions, Chris!
Im traveling thru china and i have a 14 hour layover one way and an 8 hour layover heading home. I dont need a 6 month or a year subscription for a layover. Wht would you suggest? MayBe a free VPN
My suggestion? You can live without full access to the internet for 8 hours. Enjoy being in China and don’t try to access the internet.
JUST A HEADS UP TO ANYONE STAYING IN CHINA FOR A LONGER TIME THAT A GOOD VPN IS A MUST!! As of april 12, 2019, i have noticed that the chase banking app is blocked from being accessed in china with a message usually displaying “You do not have any internet connection” appearing when trying to log in without a vpn.
Thanks for the heads up, Ash! I’ll have to check that out to see if that’s a permanent block or if something was happening in the city you were in.
thanks for all the info on this site. It’s been incredibly helpful in preparing for My DAUGHTER’S school trip. THEY’VE been there for 2 days, and so far we’ve had success using the Soma app for video calling, so it must be under the great firewall radar at the moment. We had planned on using WeChat, but for unknown reasons it blocked me when I tried to install it on my phone (her phone was fine); thus the switch to Soma. The audio quality is only so-so, for anyone needing a WeChat alternative.
Yesterday i found that my slingcatcher isn’t working anymore here in china. Slingplayer app on my ipad and my samsung android cannot connect to the sling site.
Via the browseC vpn extension in my firefox browser slingplayer for the web woRks, so this means sling although not a public service but a private connection to your own tv at home in the west is now blocked too..
All webadresses of sling are unaccessible.
u forgot reddit
Thanks…it’s been added!
I’ve been living in China for almost 2 years. Yahoo is never blocked. I also use a Yahoo email address with no problem. However, Bing.com is a much better search engine. Wikipedia was available until just recently.
Although you mention above that it’s not actually illegal for foreigners in China to have a VPN, local police are not always totally aware of things like that. I would never make it obvious that you have and are using one, just in case. I’ve read that police in one city made some expats delete the app from their phones.
Hi Josh
Very useful site thank you. I travel to China twice a year or the last 10 years to visit friends and train teachers.
I have given up Chinese Mobiles as having to get new number twice a year! Now use my home (UK) network phone on Vodafone and swallow the £6 a day cost for unlimited use.
None of my apps on there seem to be blocked, also if I use my phone as a WiFi access point for my laptop all seems to work, whereas Hotel/Home or school WiFi can be difficult/stop working or work at treacle speeds! Perhaps foreign networks are their own VPN?
Yes, that seems to be the case sometimes. The downside to your method, which you already know, is that you can’t give out your phone number for people in China to call you. Still, I’m glad it works for you, Mike!
Why would you leave the freedom of the west behind to live in such a repressive place? Honest question. I value my freedom above all else, so I won’t even do an airplane transfer through china even though the ticket is much cheaper.
You’re right! People need to know what they’re getting into before they arrive. For some, like you, that means not coming at all. For others, like myself, it’s just the price we pay to explore and to understand different places and cultures.
If i have only purchased vpn for a month and want to prolong it, can i do that while in china? Or do i have to buy it for a whole year in advance?
Yes, they’re usually set to auto-renew until you cancel it.
If I am spending the summer in mainland china, could I take an on-line class from an american college?
I’ve known many people who have, but you’ll need to make sure you have a couple VPNs (one or two as backups) prior to your arrival.
Is the video App marCo polo blocked?
Actually, Skype is not blocked. My husband has been in China for 3 months already and Skype turned out to be the only possible app for communication (after my account in WeChat got blocked and it turned out there is no way for me to unblock it, since I am not in China). He also said that ExpressVPN does not work in Nanjing where he is. So I am still wondering what VPN provider to choose before visiting him in China. I can certainly live without Facebook and Youtube, but I will definitely need Google and Gmail, since I am a translator and plan to occasionally work during my stay in China.
What Best items Can i send to my friend in China now- they are living in factory to work. Region of jiangsu. Please Help
Do you know if Spotify was just recently blocked? I was using it for almost a year here and just now today it seems to not work without a VPN. I used it everyday basically up to last NIGHT and now is the first time it’s happened. I’m wondering if it was just banned like hours ago.
I’ll have to check if it’s a country-wide thing or not.
Umm, hi josh. I have a question. Is there any messaging apps to contact my friend in china other then wechat and qq ? since its so hard to get an account.
Thanks!
Those are the two that almost every Chinese person uses, so it’s not necessarily about which ones aren’t blocked…it’s about which ones your friends actually have on their phone.
Amazon appstore inaccessible within china as of June 20, 2020
Hi wanna ask why i can no longer make any calls using my fb messenger, when i CONNECt TO a vpn in china it was okay, I could still call, but when I left china, it started there that I could no longer call.