China trip guides
Going to China? Here’s what works, and what doesn’t.
Pick an app to see what happens to it in mainland China and what to do about it, or plan the trip with the guides below.
- Your phoneA roaming eSIM usually gets apps through on mobile data.
- Hotel Wi-Fi and laptopsYou need a VPN: they’re on Chinese networks.
- Before you flySet it up at home. VPN sites are hard to reach once you land.
Your apps in China
- Blocked on Chinese networks
- Not offered in China
- WhatsAppBlockedWorks over a roaming eSIM or a VPN. Set up WeChat too, for people in China.Read the guide →
- Google MapsBlockedUse Apple Maps or Amap, which now comes in English.Read the guide →
- Google and GmailBlockedSearch, Gmail, Docs and Drive. Save backup codes so you don’t get locked out.Read the guide →
- InstagramBlockedPost over an eSIM, or from your Mac with a VPN. Save backup codes first.Read the guide →
- YouTubeBlockedWatch over an eSIM or a VPN. Premium downloads play offline for up to 29 days.Read the guide →
- ChatGPTBlockedOpenAI doesn’t offer it in China. Finish important work before you fly.Read the guide →
- FacebookBlockedMessenger too. Turn on two-factor login with an app before you fly.Read the guide →
- NetflixNot offeredIt stops playing on a VPN. Download your shows before you fly.Read the guide →
- SpotifyNot offeredDownload playlists with Premium, and go online once every 30 days to keep them.Read the guide →
- TelegramBlockedCan get through on a roaming eSIM or a VPN. Log in at home, and add WeChat for people in China.Read the guide →
Plan the trip
- Do you need a VPN for China?What stops working, and why to set one up before you fly.
- VPN or eSIM for China?A verdict by situation: phone, laptop, hotel Wi-Fi.
- What’s the best eSIM for China?Choosing an eSIM that works in China, and setting it up before you fly.
- What should you download before going to China?What to download at home: a VPN or eSIM, WeChat, Alipay and a map that works.
- Do you need a VPN subscription for a short trip to China?The Trip Pass, and when Monthly or Yearly is the better buy.
- How do you stay connected to work on a business trip to China?What to ask IT, and how Microsoft 365, Google and Slack behave there.
- Does a VPN work on hotel Wi-Fi in China?Sign in to the Wi-Fi first, then switch your VPN on.
- What is the Great Firewall of China?What it is, where the name comes from, how it works and what it blocks.
- Why is my VPN not working in China?Stopped, dropping or slow? What to check, in order, and what to keep as a backup.
- Can you still get a VPN once you’re in China?Already there without one: what may still work, and how to get by.
- Should you run your own VPN server for China?Shared VPN or your own server, by hand or with an app, and what each one costs you.