China Blocks Facebook — How to Access Facebook From China
Reading time: 20 min
Updated on November 21, 2023
You can’t access Facebook and most other social media platforms in China because of the country’s strict internet censorship laws. The Great Firewall even blocks non-approved VPNs, so it’s nearly impossible to access Facebook in China.
The article discusses the effectiveness of various VPNs in bypassing China’s internet censorship. After testing more than 30 VPNs, only three were found to reliably access Facebook in China. The author’s top pick is ExpressVPN, praised for its superior obfuscation and security features that successfully conceal user data within China.
What’s more, you can buy ExpressVPN with confidence as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like it, it’s easy to get a refund from customer support. Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Use Facebook in China with ExpressVPN
Note: I don’t condone using a VPN to bypass censorship, violate terms of service, or break any laws. Always follow the rules of the country you’re in while using a VPN or other software.
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Unblock Facebook in China
- Download and install a VPN. ExpressVPN is the best VPN for China because it uses proprietary obfuscation and provides ultra-fast speeds, even on distant servers.
- Connect to a server. This hides your actual IP address and encrypts your internet traffic to make you completely anonymous on the web.
- Log in to Facebook. Launch Facebook, sign in, and that’s it!
Unblock Facebook in China with ExpressVPN
How Does China Block Websites?
China’s national firewall technologically blocks Facebook and other mainstream websites by using a combination of the following:
- Blocking IP addresses — Firewalls prevent access to Facebook and other websites by blocking their IP addresses. Additionally, they check whether your virtual IP address is associated with an unauthorized VPN.
- Filtering URLs — China can filter web pages that contain specific keywords that the government considers controversial or subversive.
- Spoofing DNS — By manipulating the Domain Name System (DNS), China redirects traffic from blocked sites to alternatives that are controlled by the Chinese government.
- Deep packet inspection — This lets Chinese ISPs examine individual data packets as they move, identifying traffic to restricted sites and blocking it
- Manual censorship — Most Chinese censorship is automated, but the government also hires teams to monitor the internet and identify new websites worthy of being blacklisted.
Why is Facebook Banned in China?
After the 2009 riots in Xinjiang by Muslim Uyghurs who used Facebook to execute a separatist campaign, the Chinese government blocked Facebook. China blocks all online services it considers a threat to national security or unity.
Since Facebook is an American platform, the Chinese government is concerned about the potential for foreign influence on citizens from consuming non-Chinese social media. In addition, Facebook’s data collection and privacy practices pose concerns for the government in China.
In turn, banning foreign platforms allowed local social media companies to rise in popularity. RenRen and WeChat quickly filled the gap left by the absence of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Get ExpressVPN for Facebook in China
Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Ways to Get Around Website Blocks in China
Proxy Websites
A proxy is a website that enables access to restricted sites by assigning a new virtual location. Some are free, while others have a monthly subscription. Although proxies assign you an IP address in another country, they don’t encrypt your internet traffic. Therefore, whatever you do online is visible to prying eyes and vulnerable to hackers.
I don’t recommend using a proxy due to privacy concerns. You don’t know who’s handling your data. Many proxies are fronts for cybercriminals to steal your personal information or sell it to third parties. Besides, proxies aren’t reliable for bypassing the Great Firewall of China.
TOR
TOR (The Onion Router) is a free, open-source network that lets you browse the internet anonymously and visit sites on the dark web. It’s designed to protect your privacy by routing traffic through several servers, each one encrypting your data. For educational purposes only, these are the steps:
- Get the TOR browser — Download and install TOR on a Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android device.
- Pick a bridge — Going to “Network Settings” and choosing the meek-azure bridge or Obfsproxy protocol gets past China’s deep packet inspection.
- Use Facebook in China — Now it’s possible to log into Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family while in China.
One of the main problems with TOR is that it slows down your connection since your traffic has to go through multiple servers. It’s also not 100% foolproof, since an attacker could potentially compromise a TOR node to access your browsing data. Just be sure to only use TOR for full legal purposes.
Shadowsocks
Shadowsocks is a free and open-source proxy protocol that can bypass internet censorship and unblock Facebook in China. While it doesn’t apply multiple layers of encryption as a VPN does, it provides an encrypted connection to Facebook that’s difficult for China to successfully block.
You can enable Shadowsocks proxy directly from your VPN app. Setting it up manually is a bit technical, but here’s how to do it:
- Access a Shadowsocks server — Buy or rent a Shadowsocks server, or find a free one to connect to. Just beware of scam “free” servers run by hackers to steal your data.
- Launch and configure Shadowsocks — Download the latest version from GitHub and unzip the files before traveling to China.
- Connect and use Facebook — Enter the connection details for your server, then choose “Global” in the System Proxy Settings menu to access Facebook in China.
A Top China VPN
Using a top-rated VPN is the best way to access Facebook in China. A VPN routes your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, making it invisible. Once your information reaches the remote server, it’s decoded and sent to the internet under a virtual IP address located in another country.
However, not all VPNs are powerful enough to bypass China’s strict internet censorship. I tested dozens of providers and picked the top 3 for accessing Facebook and other mainstream social networking sites in China.
Note: Non-approved VPNs are banned in China, but the government focuses on blocking them technologically instead of arresting VPN users. I don’t condone violating any rules, so check before you connect and use caution.
Access Facebook in China with ExpressVPN
How to Choose the Best VPN for Facebook in China
If you’re traveling to China for work or leisure, choose a VPN that works in China. But that’s not all — ensure it has the following characteristics:
- Ability to bypass China’s national firewall — Very few VPNs can get past the Great Firewall of China. Not even all VPNs with obfuscation work consistently in the country.
- Security and privacy features — The Chinese government monitors the web, so you should use VPNs with military-grade 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and a verified no-logs policy to stay anonymous online and safe from hackers.
- VPN location — Choose a VPN based in a privacy-friendly country like Romania, so your data won’t be collected and shared like it is in 5 Eyes alliance countries.
- Performance — If a VPN is too slow to work with Facebook without lag and other issues, it doesn’t matter if it works in China. Each VPN on my list has solid speeds.
- Server network — Top VPNs have extensive networks near China in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong for faster speeds and greater unblocking capabilities.
- Money-back guarantee — All VPNs on my list have a proven refund policy that I tested myself to confirm that you can sign up completely risk-free and get no-hassle refunds.
Try ExpressVPN for Facebook in China
Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
3 Best VPNs to Use Facebook in China in 2024
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN for Facebook in China With Ultra-Fast Speeds and Reliable Social Media Access
Key Features:
- 3,000+ servers in 105+ countries globally like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and more
- Military-grade 256-bit encryption, leak protection, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy
- Easy-to-use apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and more
- Connect to Facebook on up to 8 devices in China at the same time
- 30-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for accessing Facebook in China. It reliably gets past social media blocks and outperforms every other VPN I tested in speed, security, and privacy features. In addition to a proprietary tunneling protocol designed for high-bandwidth activities like watching Facebook videos, its obfuscation technology can easily handle Chinese firewalls.
While some VPNs rely on Shadowsocks to bypass the Great Firewall of China, which can be difficult to set up manually, ExpressVPN uses advanced proprietary obfuscation techniques. Obfuscated servers hide that you’re using a VPN and can get past censorship laws. All 3000+ ExpressVPN servers have obfuscation built-in so there’s no need to mess with advanced settings to use Facebook in China. The VPN keeps you safe and anonymous on Facebook with:
- Military-grade encryption — Hides your online activities on Facebook using a powerful 256-bit cipher to enable 100% anonymous browsing
- Data leak protection — Prevents your data from leaking so that your actual IP address doesn’t get exposed while using social media in China
- Kill switch — Automatically disconnects you from the internet if your device freezes or there’s a power outage to protect your data from getting exposed
- TrustedServer technology — Uses RAM-based servers that are physically incapable of storing data, ensuring it stores zero logs of your private activities on Facebook
Uploading Facebook stories of your travels in China is seamless with ExpressVPN’s fast speeds. The Lightway protocol is designed for high-bandwidth activities even on distant servers, which are usually slower. For example, one located in Hong Kong gave me speeds of 93Mbps despite being 8,000+ miles away from me. I noticed no performance difference compared to when I wasn’t connected to a VPN.
You can access Facebook with ExpressVPN on up to 8 devices simultaneously. Its Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps were easy to install and use. I especially liked the “Smart Location” button, as it automatically finds and connects you to the fastest server automatically. In China, this will usually be a server in Hong Kong.
One small issue with ExpressVPN is that it’s a bit more expensive than the others on this list. However, it’s worth the cost with its state-of-the-art obfuscation guaranteeing access to Facebook and other platforms in China. It also has the fastest connections with excellent security and privacy features for extra peace of mind in China.
After researching its subscriptions, I recommend ExpressVPN’s 2-year + 6 months free plan because it has a 82% discount. You can also buy ExpressVPN with confidence as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee — if you don’t like it, you can get a refund. I requested mine via live chat support and received a confirmation email immediately. I got my money back in 4 days.
Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
ExpressVPN works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Nvidia Shield, Xiaomi Mi Box, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TVs, smart TVs, routers, and more.
Use Facebook in China with ExpressVPN
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2. PrivateVPN — Stealth VPN Can Bypass China’s Great Firewall to Use Facebook Seamlessly
Key Features:
- A network of 200+ servers in 63 countries, including Hong Kong
- Military-grade encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch
- Compatible with macOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android, and other devices
- Use Facebook in China on up to 10 devices at once
- 30-day money-back guarantee
PrivateVPN’s “Stealth VPN” is an obfuscation feature that enables access to Facebook in China. It uses the Shadowsocks proxy, which was designed specifically for the purpose of getting past the Great Firewall of China. The VPN applies a layer of encryption so that Facebook becomes accessible in China without anything being revealed to third parties.
PrivateVPN hides all Facebook activities in China and conceals connection from hackers using:
- Military-grade encryption — Encodes your internet traffic with a powerful and virtually impenetrable cipher to keep you hidden from prying eyes in China
- IPv6 leak protection — Prevents IPv6 traffic from leaking, which is a common cause for your private data to be exposed while using Facebook in China
- Kill switch — Cuts your device’s internet in the off-chance the VPN server drops, which never happened during my extensive testing
A menu of dedicated IP addresses gives you your own server that works with Facebook in China. Since you don’t have to share bandwidth with other users, you’ll see fewer errors on sites and get the fastest speeds possible. Using a dedicated IP address in Australia almost 10,000 miles away from me, I uploaded a 1.5GB video from my iPhone to Facebook in only 3 minutes.
You can protect up to 10 devices at once. While most VPNs lag with too many connections, PrivateVPN performs well in China even on many platforms at the same time. Testing 2 PCs, a Macbook, 2 iPhones, and 2 Android phones, I had no trouble streaming YouTube videos on each one simultaneously.
The one small con to PrivateVPN is that its global network is smaller than ExpressVPN’s and for it to work in China, “Stealth VPN” also has to be turned on in the dashboard. However, this isn’t a big deal since its servers had fast speeds and it works with Facebook almost as reliably as ExpressVPN does.
I recommend the 3-year plan because it offers the best value for your money and comes at a low monthly price of $2.00. There’s no risk involved, as you can test PrivateVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. The customer support confirmed my email refund request in just half an hour, and I got my money back 5 days after.
PrivateVPN works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Blackberry, Raspberry Pi, Chrome, Firefox, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Xiaomi Mi Box, Google Chromecast, Android TVs, routers, and more.
Use Facebook in China with PrivateVPN
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3. VyprVPN — Chameleon Protocol Prevents Deep Packet Inspection to Unblock Facebook in China
Key Features:
- 700+ servers in 63+ countries, including Hong Kong
- 256-bit military-grade encryption, NAT firewall, and kill switch
- Access Facebook on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
- Supports 10 simultaneous device connections in China
- 30-day money-back guarantee
VyprVPN’s proprietary Chameleon protocol can easily access Facebook in China. It’s designed to disguise your internet traffic as regular, non-VPN traffic. It uses the OpenVPN protocol to encrypt your data but also makes it challenging to identify as VPN traffic with Chinese deep packet inspection.
Besides customized obfuscation, VyprVPN provides anonymous access to Facebook in China with:
- Smart IP — Periodically changes the IP address without dropping your connection, making it hard for IP address sensors to block access to Facebook
- VyprDNS — Lets VyprVPN handle all your DNS requests, which keeps them invisible to third parties in China to keep you anonymous
- NAT firewall — Blocks unsolicited data packets to only allow internet traffic that your device has requested, guarding you against DNS spoofing scams
Nearby servers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan provide the highest speeds in China for smooth Facebook browsing and fast uploads. I connected my PC, Macbook, and iPhone to the server in Hong Kong and video chatted with friends on Messenger on one, while streaming Facebook Watch on the others. Other than a few seconds of lag, it worked with no issues.
With VyprVPN’s 10-device limit you have enough connections to use it on all your usual platforms in China without exceeding the maximum. I also set it up on my router, which is a way to use Facebook even on devices that don’t natively support the VPN. However, it’s a little technical — if you’re a beginner, you can get helpful answers quickly via 24/7 live chat.
There’s a small incident in VyprVPN’s privacy record, but after researching it I found that in response, it became more transparent with how it uses your data. The Leviathan group even audited its no-logs policy and found no issues. Plus, VyprVPN is based in the privacy-friendly country of Switzerland, which is outside the European Union and the 5 Eyes Alliance countries known for web surveillance.
You can get VyprVPN’s 2-year plan for $3.00 per month. It accepts credit cards and PayPal, but be sure to download and pay before arriving in China. To try VyprVPN with Facebook before committing, it also has a 30-day money-back guarantee. I clicked the “Cancel Service” button on my account dashboard and got my refund in 5 days.
VyprVPN works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi, Chrome, Xbox, Firefox, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku, Google Chromecast, Android TVs, routers, and more.
Use Facebook in China with VyprVPN
FAQs About Accessing Facebook in China
Is it legal to use Facebook in China?
It’s legal to try, but it won’t work since China’s internet censorship restricts access to the site along with other social media apps. It may also violate the law in China to get around website blocks. Using non-approved VPNs is also banned because the government monitors the internet and it’s impossible to watch you online if you’re using a VPN.
While there haven’t been cases where the Chinese authorities have gone after individuals, it’s still best to stay cautious. Also, keep in mind that I don’t condone using a VPN to break any laws or censorship rules.
Is it safe to use Facebook in China?
Yes, but only if you use one of the top VPNs on my list. A premium VPN routes your internet traffic to a virtual server through an encrypted tunnel, making it nearly impossible for third parties to know what you’re doing on Facebook.
Just keep in mind that even with a VPN, Facebook can still see what you do on the site when you’re logged in. However, no third parties in China will be able to see that you used Facebook or connected to a VPN server.
Is Facebook blocked in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, or Macau?
Can foreigners use Facebook in China?
No, they can’t. There are few ways to access Facebook in China, and using a VPN is by far the most reliable but you can’t download most VPN apps from within the country. The Great Firewall of China blocks websites where you can download non-approved VPNs to maintain control over the flow of information there.
Using an approved VPN in China is pointless because it won’t keep you anonymous. But very few non-approved VPNs are powerful enough to bypass China’s notoriously advanced online censorship. That’s why to use Facebook in China, I recommend using one of the VPNs on this list.
What else can I do with a VPN?
Besides accessing Facebook, Instagram, Google, and other sites, a top China VPN lets you access foreign bank accounts without setting off fraud alerts. This prevents you from being restricted from accessing your money or being blocked from your account.
With a VPN, you can also join gaming lobbies in different countries to play hits like Call of Duty: Warzone with your friends or family abroad. VPN encryption can also get past speed throttles that restrict high-bandwidth activities like gaming, downloading, and UHD streaming. Just remember, you should never use VPNs for illegal activity or to break the terms of service on apps.
Can I use a free VPN to unblock Facebook in China?
Technically yes, some free VPNs can work in China — but they have limitations like minimal servers, poor security, restricted data, and slow speeds. I recommend ExpressVPN for accessing Facebook in China since a free VPN isn’t worth risking your privacy. ExpressVPN has proprietary obfuscation built into all its servers, so it can access Facebook and other global apps and content from within China.
Plus, ExpressVPN keeps your data hidden and your connection safe with military-grade security and privacy features like 256-bit encryption and a kill switch. You can also buy ExpressVPN with confidence as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Access Facebook in China with ExpressVPN
Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Final Word on Using Facebook in China
While proxies and TOR can sometimes work for using Facebook in China, they’re not reliable and have slow speeds that make watching videos impossible. A top VPN is the safest way to access Facebook in China, but only a few contenders can do that without dramatic speed drops causing constant lag, upload errors, and other issues.
After extensive testing, I found that ExpressVPN is the #1 VPN for using Facebook in China. Its proprietary obfuscation can bypass advanced internet censorship, providing seamless access to social media sites even in countries like China with powerful firewalls.
You can also buy ExpressVPN confidently because it has a 30-day money-back guarantee — if you change your mind, it’s easy to get a refund.
Summary — Best VPNs to Unblock Facebook in China in 2024
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
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