Internet & Connectivity · critical
Why is my VPN not working in China?
Last updated:
Quick Answer
Symptom: You arrived in China, opened your VPN, and it will not connect at all or connects but no traffic loads.
Cause: China's Great Firewall actively probes and blocks most commercial VPN protocols; free VPNs and unmaintained OpenVPN configs are blocked within days of arrival.
Solution: Install two paid VPNs with obfuscation (Astrill StealthVPN, LetsVPN, or NordVPN obfuscated) BEFORE entering China, and switch servers when one goes dark.
What you see
You arrived in China, opened your VPN, and it will not connect at all or connects but no traffic loads.
Why it happens
China's Great Firewall actively probes and blocks most commercial VPN protocols; free VPNs and unmaintained OpenVPN configs are blocked within days of arrival.
How to fix
Install two paid VPNs with obfuscation (Astrill StealthVPN, LetsVPN, or NordVPN obfuscated) BEFORE entering China, and switch servers when one goes dark.
Read next
These guides cover the related functionality in full.
VPN for China
Astrill, LetsVPN, and NordVPN are the most reliable VPNs in China in 2026; install before arrival because the App Store blocks downloads inside China.
SIM & eSIM
Tourist eSIMs from Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad give 7–30 days of China data for $5–$30 without passport registration at a Chinese store.
Portable WiFi
Rent a portable 4G/5G WiFi hotspot at the airport for ¥30–80/day, returnable at any major airport, useful for groups of 2–4 travelers.
Other Internet & Connectivity problems
Why is WhatsApp blocked in China?
WhatsApp won't send or receive messages — texts stay on one check, voice/video calls fail.
Why is Google Maps not working in China?
Google Maps shows your blue dot but no map tiles, or fails to load entirely.
Why is my VPN suddenly slow or disconnected in China?
Your VPN worked for the first 3 days and now it disconnects every 10 minutes, or pages load at dial-up speeds.
Why can't I access Google, YouTube, or WhatsApp in China?
Every Google service, YouTube, and WhatsApp fail to load or time out on any Chinese Wi-Fi or mobile network.
Why is my foreign phone not getting data in China?
Your foreign SIM shows signal bars but mobile data does not work, or you got an SMS saying "no data roaming agreement."