How to Download a VPN in China?
Why is VPN Needed in China?
When you land as an expat in China, the very first thing that will shock you is that almost all the popular websites are blocked in the country. Be it Facebook, Twitter, YouTube; none of it is accessible. Even Google Maps is out of bounds, making it very difficult for tourists or the new arrivals to navigate to any place. This is popularly known as the “Great China Firewall” that isolates you from all your loved ones technologically. Interesting Read : VPN Crackdown in China 2019 There are alternate options available such as Bing, Baidu, Apple Map, and the like, but the results are not exactly compatible or feasible for daily use. There are several reasons why a VPN is needed in China. Some of them are as follows: 1 . The very first reason you would want to use a VPN in China is to access all the blocked websites. Regardless of whether you’ve moved there on a long-term basis, or are visiting the country just for travel and leisure reasons, you can’t be expected to not have access to Facebook, YouTube, and the like. Therefore, a VPN is a must if you wish to access your favorite online platforms. 2. Although China’s broadband runs at a faster speed when compared to certain other countries, the speed can be an issue when you’re trying to browse the websites that are hosted outside China. In order to save you from the slow internet, a VPN is what will come as a rescue. 3. Bypassing geo-restrictions is another reason to get a VPN in China, as many websites are region-restricted in the country. You will also need it to avail of discounts for a particular location. For example, imagine there’s a discount deal available only for US citizens. What do you do, then? You grab the discount by using VPN in China. 4 . Anyone who needs to continue working, especially on websites like Blogger or WordPress.com, will most definitely have to download a VPN in China. If you don’t do so, then you’ll constantly have to look at messages such as “waiting for fonts.googleapis.com”, “waiting for ajax.googleapis.com”, or “resolving host” on every browser. This is a hurdle for every professional, and can only be resolved by downloading VPN. 5. Last, but definitely not the least, download VPN to keep all your data safe. If you’re a surfer just casually browsing through websites in China, then you have to be extra-careful. Many Chinese websites are homes to viruses and scams, and surfing through them is like inviting malware attacks to your device. Therefore, if you want to protect yourself from hacking and privacy threats, it’s best to download a VPN.
How to Download VPN in China?
The banning of VPN was a part of President Xi Jinping’s aim to achieve internet sovereignty. However, this has had a negative impact on almost everyone, starting from students and software developers to researchers and businessmen in China. Researchers find it extremely difficult to dig up information for journalistic purposes, and the common people, too, face issues when they have to surf certain websites. Despite being put into practice for internet sovereignty, it seems to have done little good. This is why many have found ways to download VPN. If you’re looking to download VPN in China, read on to discover ways in which you can do so. 
1 . Use the VPNs in Hotels
If you’re in China for a short amount of time as a tourist or for business purposes, it’s possible that you’re staying in a hotel. If that’s the case, then bypassing censorship in the country won’t be as tough for you. Most of the hotels provide their guests with VPN-enabled wi-fi hotspots. Big hotel chains such as Marriott hotel, Shangri-La, and Hilton have this facility, and you should definitely make use of it while in the country.
2. Make a Trip to Macau or Hong Kong
The two special administrative regions in China that have way less stringent laws pertaining to online censorship are Hong Kong and Macau. If you’re visiting either of the regions, you can test out, buy, and download one of their VPN services. Once you’re back in China, you can check whether the same service works in the country or not, and if it does, continue using it as your VPN service while in China.
3. Continue Using the Sim Card from Your Home Country
If the sim card you used in your home country is on roaming, you can continue using that while you’re in China. This is especially useful if you’re there for a short period of time, like on a trip or so. This way you will be able to access all the sites that fall under your network provider.
4. Download an APK VPN File
If you’re using Google Play and can’t access the Play Store, or in case the previous methods haven’t exactly worked out for you, then you can try to find an APK online by using a friend’s VPN on a computer. Once the file has been downloaded on your computer, you can then transfer it to your phone and get it working from there.
5. Get Hold of the VPNs that Work in China
There are several VPN services that are accessible in China. Some of the popular ones are PureVPN, ExpressVPN, Astrill, VyprVPN, NordVPN, and StrongVPN. You can install them either in your laptop, Android, or iOS device. Using a free proxy to access the VPN provider’s website is something you can look into. Contacting the tech support team of the VPN service provider via email will also help. Here’s a quick guide as to how to download VPN on your respective devices: Ø Windows and Mac: As long as you can access the VPN provider’s website, installing it on Windows or Mac won’t be an issue. Just purchase a plan that best suits your needs, access your account, download the software from the website, install it on your computer, and connect it to the VPN and access whatever websites you wish to surf. Ø Android: Since Google Play won’t work on your Android in China without an active VPN, you will have to download the .apk file. Just access the VPN provider’s website you’ve chosen and purchase a plan, download the .apk file, open the file once it is done being downloaded, and open the app and connect your VPN and access whatever app you wish to use. Ø iOS: After choosing a VPN provider, go to their website and purchase a plan. Look up the manual configuration settings for the VPN. Go to Settings–>General–>VPN–>Add VPN Setting and add the configuration given to you by your VPN provider, and activate the recently configured VPN. Go to the app store, download the VPN app, disconnect the manually configured VPN, and use the app to browse as you please.
6. Download a VPN Before Going to China
Once you know about the VPNs that work best in China, such as NordVPN, VyprVPN, and the like, you can install them before you head to China. This ensures that you already have everything ready before you step into the country.
7 . Ask a Friend
If you have expat friends who have access to any VPN APKs, you can ask them to send it to you using Bluetooth or WeChat. They can also send you the file via email. Make sure you’re using an email that isn’t blocked by the firewall. Therefore, something like Outlook will work.
Accessing a VPN in China isn’t Impossible
Not having access to certain sites can indeed be bothersome. However, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world, because there are always ways to turn the situation around. If you’re living in China, planning to move there, or are visiting the country, just make sure to download VPN for whatever you wish to browse. LimeVPN is a VPN service you can use to access the blocked websites and surf the internet to watch videos, stay in touch with your loved ones, and the like. Buy vpn now!.
