How to Unblock YouTube in China 2019?
YouTube is one of the most popular video sites on the Web today. Whatever you may be looking for, like daily yoga videos, live space exploration, cooking demonstrations and so on, you can find it all on YouTube. YouTube is owned by Google, and is one of their most popular peripheral properties. The service is available in nearly every country and over fifty different languages. However, unfortunately YouTube is blocked (or banned) in China by the so-called Great Firewall of China (GFW), which is also responsible for blocking other popular websites such as Google, Gmail, Twitter and Facebook etc. Many tourists, business travelers and expats traveling or staying in China have found this every inconvenient. So, how to unblock YouTubein China 2019? Here we are going to show you how you can watch YouTube from anywhere in the world. All you’ll need is a reliable VPN Service that will let you unblock Youtube in China and watch from anywhere. Keep reading below to find out the best VPN for YouTube 2019.
About YouTube in China:
YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was developed by former PayPal employees in 2005 and was acquired by Google in 2006. As the most popular video site on the Web today, Youtube has 1.5 billion logged-in monthly users. Millions of videos have been uploaded and shared here, ranging from movie trailers to amateur videos of cats – and everything in between. Anyone with an Internet connection can share content on YouTube, whether they are organizations with large budgets or an individual with a video camera. Available content includes video clips, TV clips, music videos, movie trailers, and other content such as video blogging, short original videos, and educational videos. However, YouTube is not accessible in the mainland of China which means if you are planning a trip to China, you will get no way to watch YouTube there. When you try to access a geo-locked video on YouTube, you might get one of the following error messages:
- “The uploader has not made this video available in your country”
- “This video is not available in your country”
In fact, YouTube has been blocked in China since 2009, and was among one of the first social media websites to get blocked by the Great Firewall of China. It is not the only social media website blocked in China. The list of websites blocked in China is long and changes every day. Generally speaking, the most popular social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, etc), blogging platforms (WordPress.com, Blogspot, etc), Google services (Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Google Hangouts Google Docs, etc), messaging applications (WhatsApp, Line) and media websites that may be or have been critical towards China (The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and LeMonde, just to provide some examples) are blocked in China as the same way like YouTube.
Why is Youtube Blocked in China?
According to Wikipedia, YouTube blocking occurs for a variety of reasons including:
- Limiting public exposure to content that may ignite social or political unrest;
- Businesses, schools, government agencies, and other private institutions often block social media sites, including YouTube, due to bandwidth limitations and the site’s inevitable potential for distraction;
- Preventing criticism of a ruler, government, government officials, religion, or religious leaders;
- Violations of national laws, including:
1. Copyright and intellectual property protection laws;
2. Violations of hate speech, ethics, or morality-based laws;
3. National security legislation.
4. Preventing access to videos judged to be inappropriate for youth;
The Chinese government’s core idea which is stabilization, so they want to have control of what is published, where and when, then prevent the spread of harmful information. Actually the video sharing website Youtube has been blocked by the Great Firewall of China since 2009. Although blocking websites like YouTube in China does have some benefits for China, as it makes local video-sharing website such as YouKu, Tencent Video and iQIYI more and more popular, still many Chinese people, especially teens are looking ways to use YouTube in China.
How to Unblock YouTube in China?
Although YouTube has been blocked in China, accessing Youtube in China is still possible. There are a few options available for unblocking YouTube in China, ranging from easy to complicated, from free to paid. Let’s go over each of these options below:
Using Web Proxy to Unblock YouTube in China
Proxy can be used to unblock YouTube in China. To use a web proxy, you need to have access to a proxy server, which serves as an intermediary for requests from your devices (computers or mobile devices) to the the resources (YouTube and other blocked contents) on the Internet. Usually you don’t have to install any software but just need to set up the proxy settings on your browser or mobile app. It’s super easy. There are even some free proxy services available. By Googling “free proxy”, you might be able to find some. However, please keep in mind that free proxy might not very reliable and there might be security concerns when using free proxies. It might have hidden spyware and can share more data than you’d like to reveal. In addition, free proxies usually don’t offer very fast speed and doesn’t encrypt your traffic.
Using VPN to Watch YouTube in China
Virtual private network (VPN) is probably the most popular method to unblock YouTube in China 2019. A VPN, or virtual private network, allows you to route your internet traffic through a private, encrypted connection. The service will connect you to a remote server which then allows you access to an ISP where your desired websites are not blocked. For China-based VPN users, that could mean connecting to a VPN in Europe, the Americas or anywhere that YouTube is openly available. To use a VPN, you need to have an account with a VPN service provider. Then you can either set up VPN manually on your computer or mobile app, or install a VPN client software provided by your VPN provider. Compared to web proxy, VPN is usually faster and more secure. There are both free or paid VPNs in the market, but free VPNs are not recommended. Most free VPN providers limit the VPN speed and the amount of data you can use with your free account, not to mention the speed is slow and connection is unstable. Watching YouTube videos requires fast Internet connection and it usually consumes a lot of bandwidth, so a free VPN is not an option. You should choose the most reputable paid VPNs instead, which will offer unlimited bandwidth, strong security and no data caps.
Tips: ExpressVPN has high-speed servers in more than 90 countries, making it a strong choice for those looking to watch YouTube video in China. It’s capable of unblocking the BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and Hulu as well. ExpressVPN does not log any of your browsing activity. Besides, it uses industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption and supports OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP and SSTP protocols to give you the high level of security.
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What’s a VPN Exactly?
VPN is a service that encrypts your internet traffic and routes that data through a remote server where that traffic is not blocked. It allows you to connect to different servers located in a large number of locations across the world, then creates a “tunnel” over your internet network to let you access any websites.
You could, therefore, browse from China, connect to a US server, and while hiding your IP address, successfully unblock YouTube. This is known as ‘geo-spoofing’ your location. A VPN is a traveler’s best friend when it comes to traveling and streaming abroad. It is also a very handy trick to bypass the copyright laws of the country you are visiting. And there you have it, now you know how to unblock YouTube in China 2019. Never miss out the interesting videos on YouTube again!
VPN technology employs sophisticated encryption to ensure security and prevent any unintentional interception of data between private sites. a VPN is primarily used for these purposes:
- Protection against cyber criminals when using low-security networks, such as a public WiFi hotspot.
- Enhanced privacy achieved by hiding user’s online activities from their Internet Service Provider (ISP). This way, the ISP cannot pass user’s private information to third parties, such as advertisers or government.
- Secure and uninterrupted streaming experience with no bandwidth throttling or buffering.
- Bypassing Internet censorship set up by a school, workplace or ISPs.
- Using P2P sharing services safely.
How Does a VPN Work to Unblock YouTube in China?
As mentioned above, we’ve already known that a VPN can help unblock YouTube in China. But how does it work? Every time you connect to the Internet, all your Internet traffic will first pass through your ISPs, that means they can see everything you do online and they can track your behavior and even sell your personal details to advertisers and other third parties. However, if you connect to a VPN, it will create a virtual encrypted tunnel between you and the remote server. All of the data you sent and received will be encrypted. A VPN provides you with an anonymous web browsing experience and ensures that none of your confidential information is being logged, monitored or exposed and intercepted by third parties. A VPN also allows you to get a new IP address. You will appear to be in the location of the server you connect to. If you are in China and you connect to a server in the United States, then you will get a US IP address which allows you to unblock YouTube and bypass geo-restrictions. There is no difference between being in the United States and using a VPN to pretend to be in the United States. In the same way, you are also able to access restricted services like WhatsApp, Facebook, Gmail and Twitter when you are in China only if you connect to a United States IP address. With the VPN technology, everything you do while connected to the VPN is fully protected and you will experience true online freedom with no censorship in just a few clicks.
How to Choose a VPN to Access YouTube from Abroad?
There are plenty of VPN services in the market but selecting the best VPN for unblocking YouTube in China is not easy. Considering free VPN usually contains some “traps” that may need you to pay for another thing, or even discloses all your browsing and Internet transactions information to a third party, it is not a good option for you. When choosing a VPN, it is extremely important to take these into consideration:
- Sever Locations: When selecting the best VPN service you should consider the geographic locations of the VPN servers. Why is it so important? Many foreign social media services (WhatsApp, Line, Kakao Talk, Facebook, Twitter, etc) require that you be in a specific geographic location to use their service. For example, if you live in China and want to use WhatsApp, choosing a VPN that offers a US server location is highly recommended. Likewise, if you want to watch YouTube in China, then you’d better get a VPN that provides servers in United States.
- Encryption & Protocols: Encryption is important because it allows us to secure our data, information and even web traffic so no other party can access its contents. There are essentially two strengths of encryption, 128- and 256-bit, with the latter of the two being the strongest. A VPN protocol determines how your data travels between your computer and the VPN server. Best VPNs always offer OpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP, IPsec, IKEv2, and PPTP protocols.
- Multiple Connections: This refers to the number of devices you can connect to the VPN per account. It saves some major money if you can use it on more than one device, so look for a VPN that allows you to connect to both a home and mobile device, at minimum.
- Compatibility: This one’s simple enough. Is their software compatible with your device? If you want to access YouTube in China on your iPhone, first check the VPN website and see if they support iOS.
- 24/7 Customer Support: Customer service is always important to an organization because it can help differentiate a company from it competitors. A good VPN service always provides 24/7 customer support giving users uninterrupted, real-time online customer support.
- A Money-Back Guarantee: Since online consumers don’t get to see and hold the physical product before they buy it, a money-back guarantee is quite needed to protect their rights.
If you are still not sure which VPN provider is the best for protecting your privacy and helping you access YouTube in China, we offer you a complete 2019 Best VPNs comparison here. Select the one that fits your need.
Best VPNs in 2019 Comparison
| VPN Brands | Key Features | Jurisdiction | # of Connections | Price(USD) | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best-in-class 256-bit AES encryption and 1500+ VPN servers in 94 countries. | British Virgin Islands | 3 Connections | $6.67/Month | Visit Site | |
| 40,000+ shared IPs, 1,000+ VPN servers in 60+ countries. | USA | 5 Connections | $6.49/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 2643 servers in 56 different countries. | Panama | 6 Connections | $3.29/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 70+ global servers Locations. | Switzerland | 3 / 5 Connections | $5.00/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 700+ VPN servers in 34+ countries. | Israel | 3 Connections | $2.49/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 30+ locations and Unlimited bandwidth. | Malaysia | 5 Connections | $4.99/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 750+ VPN servers in 140+ countries. | Hong Kong | 5 Connections | $2.04/ Month ( | Visit Site | |
| Unlimited Bandwidth with 300+ VPN Servers. | Seychelles | 3 Connections | $3.33/Month | Visit Site | |
| Unlimited access to over 200 servers for you to choose from in 69 countries. | Bulgaria | 6 Connections | $4.92/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| Unlimited Bandwidth & 2000+ IPs in 50+ Countries. | USA | 5 Connections | $5.95/Month | Visit Site | |
| Servers in 30+ locations around the globe. | Germany | 1 Connection | $4.99/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| Unlimited and free servers switches in many countries. | Italy | 5 Connections | $4.32/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 3034+ Servers in 28 Countries. | USA | 5 Connections | $2.91/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 28 Servers in 8 Countries. | USA | 3 Connections | $4.19/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 100+ Servers from 47 Countries in 63 locations. | Romania | 1 Connection | $1.10/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| Over 1000 Servers Worldwide. | Romania | 1 Connection | $1.99/Month ( | Visit Site | |
| 46 Cities in 25 Countries, Zero Logs. | USA | 1 Connection | $5.83/Month ( | Visit Site |
Top VPNs for YouTube in China
1. ExpressVPN – World’s #1 Trusted Leader in VPN High Speed, Ultra-Secure, and Easy to Use
ExpressVPN is the top recommendation for China! ExpressVPN offers super-fast speed without throttling, which is rated by millions of users all around the world! You can completely trust it! ExpressVPN provides a huge network of 2000+ global VPN servers optimized for fast connections from 148 cities in 94 countries. with unlimited speeds and unlimited server switches, you can connect from anywhere in the world. It is an offshore VPN based in the British Virgin Islands, a tropical oasis without data retention laws. No activity. No connection logs. It allows 3 simultaneous connections. ExpressVPN uses Best-in-class AES-256 encryption, VPN Split tunneling, internet kill switch, DNS/IPv6 leak protection and zero-knowledge DNS technology to increase online security and privacy. ExppressVPN now is offering 49% discount on yearly plan. It is down to $6.67/month! There is no risk to use ExpressVPN, as it provides no-hassle 100% 30-day Money-back Guarantee. If you’re not happy with ExpressVPN, you can ask for a refund. But ExpressVPN is confident with their fast and stable VPN service. That’s why millions of internet users choose ExpressVPN as their top choice! ExpressVPN recently added a Chrome browser extension as well, so you can quickly set up an encrypted proxy to the server right in your browser that unblocks YouTubeand much, much more. Unblock YouTube in China with ExpressVPN Now!
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2. IPVanish – The World’s Best VPN Service
IPVanish is the only true Top Tier VPN service in the world. It delivers the best VPN speeds, the most secure connections and the most competitive pricing anywhere. IPVanish VPN network spans 40,000+ IPs on 1,000+ servers in 60+ countries, giving you the ability to surf anonymously and access the unrestricted Internet every corner of the globe. IPVanish allows anonymous torrenting and P2P file sharing. Its uses strong encryption method 256-AES encryption and multiple protocols like OpenVPN and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols to keep you secure and encrypted online. Besides, IPVanish allows up to five simultaneous connections and has a negligible impact on network speeds. IPVanish offers different plans and acceptable prices staring from $6.49/month. Save up to 60% on IPVanish here!
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3. NordVPN- The Internet with No Borders
Over the years, NordVPN became a trusted online security solution, used by over hundreds of thousands of Internet users worldwide. Meanwhile, NordVPN became recognized by the most influential tech sites and IT security specialists. It is now one of the most trusted privacy and security service provider in the world, known for the strongly held values and well thought-out features. NordVPN covers over 4800 servers to choose from 62 different countries. 6 simultaneous connections on multiples devices. Innovative security measures like military-grade encryption 256-AES bit, kill switch, Onion Over VPN, CyberSec and Double VPN are adopted to create an extra layer of additional security. With NordVPN, you can choose from several Double VPN combinations to encrypt your Internet traffic, protect yourself from snoopy advertisers with the CyberSec technology, and do it with the most advanced security technologies available today. All NordVPN’s servers are optimized for HD streaming and with more than 4,000 servers in 62 countries, buffering time is kept to a minimum. It can unblock more than 100 streaming services too, including BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and of course, the YouTube. Access YouTube in China Now & Enjoy a reduced price of $2.75 per month by signing up to NordVPN’s three-year plan!
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4. PureVPN- The World’s Fastest VPN
PureVPN is a Hong Kong-based VPN provider. It offers 750+ servers from 180+ location in 140+ countries. Over 1 million satisfied users are now logging in, today, PureVPN stands tall as the only VPN provider with an arsenal of enterprise-grade security features to combat the worst of threats and carries with it the best of reputations. PureVPN makes you a citizen of the global village with access to all the restricted and private content. Your accessibility to content does not depend on your real location while you are connected to PureVPN’s global server network. PureVPN works like a bullet-proof sedan, allowing you to cross the busy streets of urban internet with ease, comfort, and security. 5 simultaneous connections on multiple devices, secure WiFi security, 88,000+ IPs for complete anonymity, no speed throttling, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited server switch, unlimited data transfer, P2P allowed. Highly efficient, optimized, and secure servers ensure that users are able to stream the favorite content seamlessly anytime and from anywhere. You can get instant access to YouTube from anywhere by virtually changing your location using PureVPN! PureVPN offers the lowest the price starting from $2.87/month which is almost the lowest price in VPN industry! Unblock YouTube in China with PureVPN Now!
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Video on How to Unblock YouTube in China 2019
Important! Remember to setup your VPN before you go to China. Most VPN company websites and YouTube official website are blocked in China. ExpressVPN is our top choice for users looking to unblock YouTube in China. It is a bit pricey compared to some other VPN apps, but ExpressVPN’s stellar customer support and 30-day trial period makes it more than worth it.