Does NordVPN work in China? Is NordVPN safe to use in China? Was NordVPN blocked in China? You’ll have all your questions answered in a short bit!
I can only assume that the whole world is aware of the many internet restrictions that China imposes, including the infamous Great Firewall. It’s one of the most heavily censored countries in the world! And that’s truly not an understatement.
If you look up all the channels, websites, and apps censored in China, you’ll be surprised at the size of the list! Even if you’re travelling to China for business or vacation, you’re not going to be able to stay connected with the rest of the world.
In fact, did you know that even WhatsApp is blocked in China? Using a VPN is your only bet to jet you across these restrictions. Your typical VPN won’t work in China, and you’ll require the best VPN for it. Why?
When VPN demand increased within China, the government set out to block off multiple VPN-generated IPs and even went far enough to block the usage of certain VPNs altogether.
Luckily, there are a handful of VPNs that still work in China, and NordVPN is one of them. But before that, you must know there’s a catch to using a VPN in China. If you want to actively unblock multiple streaming services and international apps/websites in China, you’re going to have to download the NordVPN app before traveling there.
There might be ways to access it while in China, but honestly, why go through the hassle? You don’t want to get on a watch list for downloading a VPN.
How to successfully use NordVPN in China
The only way you’re going to bypass censors and get to different platforms in China is by using obfuscated servers. These servers are mainly needed to bypass the strongest and heaviest Geo-blocks.
Luckily, NordVPN offers obfuscated servers. However, the Obfuscated server option is only available on the OpenVPN apps. And these apps are only available for Windows, Android, macOS, and Linux.
How to get started with NordVPN
- First head over to the NordVPN website, and sign up with the service by creating your account. I’d suggest you go for the cheapest or most discounted price.
- Once you sign up, download and install the NordVPN app on a compatible device.
- Now, wait for the app to install, and then launch it.
- You’ll be asked to tick a few boxes depending on what you need. Then sign in to your account. Use the same credentials that you used to sign up with the service.
- Now, head over to Settings. The small gear icon is in the upper right corner.
- Either click on “Advanced settings” or “Advanced”, depending on what Windows version you’re using, and enable the option that says “Obfuscated servers (OpenVPN)”.
- Once enabled, head back to the main screen of the app, and you’ll now find the option of “Obfuscated Servers” written under specialty servers.
- Click on the Obfuscated Servers option to sideload the list. Just click on anyone that you need. Here’s what it looks like:
- That’s about it! If you feel like switching to the regular NordVPN servers, all you have to do is go back into the advanced settings and disable the “obfuscated server”
What about iOS users? Can we use NordVPN in China with iOS?
There isn’t an OpenVPN connection for iOS users in China just yet, but there’s a way for you to use NordVPN by manually setting up an IKev2 connection.
You can also set up an OpenVPN connection manually. For now, the native NordVPN application does not have an OpenVPN connection.
How does NordVPN work in China?
NordVPN uses obfuscated servers and secure protocols to work in China. Yes, there are many VPNs that are officially blocked from access points in China and many that don’t work, but NordVPN isn’t one of them.
There was a point where the Chinese government had only allowed VPNs to operate within the country only if they were willing to comply with certain laws. These laws included giving China a hold of its Chinese VPN servers, among other rules.
NordVPN was among a few that didn’t comply with these demands. This doesn’t mean that NordVPN isn’t allowed to function within China. This means they’re safe and far away from the holds of the Chinese government.
However, for added benefits, it’s always good to go through other user reviews to see what they think about the situation. A platform that I trust for honest VPN reviews is Reddit. Here’s what a couple of Reddit users had to say regarding NordVPN in China:
What else does NordVPN offer that makes it one of the best for China?
Besides being able to bypass the Great Firewall of China, NordVPN is known for offering unlimited internet freedom and other opportunities.
Some of the other features that make NordVPN a great option for China are:
- Firstly, NordVPN offers around 5500+ servers in 59 countries. This includes coverage of server locations that surround China. Using one of them, you’ll have access to local content.
- Then there’s the option of the NordVPN obfuscated servers to use in China.
- A strict no-logs policy and a transparency report to prove that.
- NordVPN is located in Panama, a privacy-friendly region, away from surveillanced countries in the 5/9/14-eyes jurisdiction.
- Operates using AES 256-bit encryption, OpenVPN protocol, has a Kill Switch, a CyberSec feature that blocks ads, uses Double VPN, SmartPlay technology, is DNS and IP leak protected, and much more.
- Unblocks multiple streaming services. A few of these include Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
- P2P friendly
- Compatible with multiple apps and devices. A few supported platforms include Windows, Android, Firestick, macOS, Linux, iOS, Browser extensions, and more. The added perk is that NordVPN also offers up to 6 multi-device simultaneous connections.
- There’s also a 7-day free trial and a 30-day refund. You can contact the support team for a refund and account cancellation during the provided time frame.
- 24/7 customer support and live chat.
For a wider look into what makes NordVPN one of the best for China, you should check the complete test and performance review of the app.
To conclude
Finding a decent VPN in China is tough, but with patience and proper research, you’ll be able to land one that’s reliable. NordVPN happens to be one of the few that actually still work in China.
However, it’s still advisable that in order to use this NordVPN in China or any other, you should download the app before traveling there.
