9 Easy Ways to Unblock YouTube in China in 2024
Reading time: 6 min
Updated on December 20, 2024
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, trailing only Google. For most of the world, it’s an everyday visit and the source of hours of entertainment, information gathering, and news watching.
But YouTube isn’t so well thought of in several parts of the world, notably China where it has been blocked since March of 2009, nearly a full decade of silence.
Luckily, there are ways you can access your YouTube account when you’re visiting China for work or a holiday (especially if you’re already paying for a subscription!).
One consistent way to access Youtube safely is by using a VPN. However, due to the strict internet regulations in China, VPN connections can be unstable at times. Despite this, ExpressVPN is known to be reliable and has a 30-day money back guarantee for first-time users. Additionally, we do not endorse VPNs for illegal activities. China has banned non-government approved VPNs, but there have not by any publicly reported cases of a tourist being prosecuted for using one. Still, be sure to use VPNs at your own risk and follow local laws accordingly. 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.
Here are nine ways to unblock YouTube in China.
1. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN):
A VPN works by creating a connection between your computer and a server located in a jurisdiction outside of China. The proximity of this remote server to China plays a key role in determining your internet speed. Your online requests, like accessing YouTube, are securely and encryptedly channeled through a connection that links your computer to the remote server. Upon reaching the server, your request is decoded and assigned a new IP address corresponding to the server’s country of location. The altered request is then sent out to the internet, effectively bypassing the Chinese firewall. When data is received from the internet, it is routed back through the remote server, where it is encrypted once more and transmitted through the protective “tunnel,” effectively preventing Chinese protocols from accessing the content.
While you should exercise caution if you decide to use a VPN within China’s borders, you likely won’t be prosecuted for doing so. The common practice is that China fights VPNs by technologically blocking the services, and not by chasing after the people who use them.
Two quality choices in VPN to unblock YouTube in China are PrivateVPN and ExpressVPN.
1ExpressVPN
- 3,000+ servers around the world in 105+ countries
- Unlimited bandwidth for uninterrupted, fast streaming
- Protects up to 5 devices at once
- 24/7 live chat and email support to help you fix any problems
- 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free
ExpressVPN is in the British Virgin Islands and has the best speed in the industry along with unlimited bandwidth and server switches.
2Private VPN
- 150+ server locations in 60+ countries
- Unlimited bandwidth for bypassing China’s firewalls uninterrupted
- Protects up to 6 devices at once
- Friendly live and email support to help you fix any problems
- 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free
Sweden’s PrivateVPN is excellent for use in China because it has an automatic killswitch should the connection slip, keeping you safe from prying eyes.
2. Use a proxy website.
Proxies are like VPNs in some ways except that the proxy won’t encrypt your data; it merely allows it to flow through. It changes your location with a different IP address like a VPN, but your ISP can monitor all your activities, which is particularly bad if you’re being monitored as the proxy routes YouTube videos or searches back through to your computer
3. Use Browser Add-Ons:
Most web browsers offer extra features called add-ons, which make it easier to use your favorite websites. If you’re a YouTube user, there are particular add-ons like ProxTube for Firefox and Proxflow for Chrome. These add-ons employ US proxy servers, enabling you to access YouTube from abroad. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to remember that, like most proxies, these add-ons have a common vulnerability: your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might have the ability to monitor the data you send and receive when you use them.
4. Google Translate:
Confused? Don’t be. When you insert a URL into Google Translate, it reroutes that URL to another domain; one not blocked by your network administration.
5. The power of ‘S’:
Most websites are entered manually when they are blacklisted, such as “http://www.youtube.com”. However, that’s not the only way to access YouTube. You can add an “s” to the “http” to try and make it through the secure version of YouTube.
6. Download YouTube videos without visiting YouTube:
Numerous websites offer the convenience of searching for YouTube files without the need to visit the platform directly. Through this, you can lawfully download MP3 or MP4 files. By searching for specific content like “Star Wars trailer,” you can discover the corresponding YouTube page link, which can be copied and pasted onto a YouTube download site. It’s crucial to note that my team and I strongly discourage engaging in any illegal activities. Therefore, ensure that the files you download are free from copyright restrictions.
7. Try competing websites:
The likes of Vimeo, Dailymotion, and Metacafe are not as popular as YouTube for a reason, but they still have reasonable libraries themselves. And there are more video websites popping up all the time. Try and find new ones that contain the same videos you want to watch on YouTube.
8. Use the Tor browser:
I’m an anonymous web browser known as Tor. My unique feature involves sending data packets to various relay points worldwide, which thwarts hackers and keeps your online actions hidden from your internet service provider. When you visit a website, it doesn’t detect your actual IP address but only the identity of the most recent relay node it encountered. The legality and accessibility of Tor within China remain uncertain. If you have intentions of traveling to China, it’s wise to acquire the Tor browser prior to your arrival. This way, you can ensure your access to this tool while in the country.
9. Set up a Proxy in your Browser:
It will take a few technical steps and constant refreshing, but you can set up your own proxy in a browser like Firefox.
Summary: Watch YouTube in China Now With These VPNs (Updated 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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