How to Set Up a VPN Before Your Trip to China (Checklist)
Once you land in China, buying and installing a VPN becomes very hard. Do all of this at home, at least a few days before you fly.
Updated
The checklist
- Pick two VPNs that are working this week: one main, one backup. Check our current status page first.
- Subscribe and install both on every device you are bringing: phone, laptop and tablet.
- Sign in on every device while you still have open internet. Some apps need a login check to start.
- Switch each app to its stealth or obfuscated protocol and note how to change it back.
- Test both VPNs at home, including on mobile data.
- Download the desktop installers and save them on your laptop in case you need to reinstall.
- Turn off auto-update for VPN apps if you are worried an update could break a working setup mid-trip.
- Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with an international card, and download offline maps.
- Consider an international eSIM or check your roaming plan as a fallback that bypasses the firewall on mobile.
On iPhone: watch your App Store region
VPN apps are not available in the Chinese App Store. If your Apple account region is set outside China, you can still update apps you already have. Do not switch your Apple account to China during your trip.
Tell your work about it
If you are travelling for business, check whether your company VPN works in China and whether your IT team has a policy for travel there. Corporate VPNs often use standard protocols that are easy to block.