The Chinese government has had a tense history with Google, who shut down its Chinese search engine back in 2010. While there are plenty of local options available, they usually won’t return search results from Western countries. If you’re traveling to China, maintaining access to these sites is essential. There’s an easy way to get around the Google ban from within China’s borders. Using a good VPN service will both bypass the government censorship while also protecting your activity from surveillance. However, not all VPNs can get around the Great Firewall of China. Our top choice of VPN that actually works in China is ExpressVPN.

Why You Need a VPN to Access Google in China

The internet faces heavy censorship by the Chinese government. The list of websites they block includes almost all of the services under the Google umbrella. To bypass their firewall, you’ll need to connect to a foreign server. A VPN will first encrypt your data, creating a secure channel for it to travel through. This both protects your activity from hackers and hides it from government surveillance. Your encrypted data is then funneled to a server run by the VPN service, rather than the ISP (internet service provider). ISPs have to follow government restrictions, but foreign VPNs don’t fall under the same umbrella. This is how the VPN can mask your true IP location, which allows access even to censored websites like Google. However, as the Chinese government’s internet censorship increased, they began working to ban VPNs as well. Known VPN encryption protocols are banned by the Great Firewall, making those services ineffective. China also uncovers VPNs through deep packet inspection. We’ve compiled a list of the best VPNs for China to help you figure out which VPNs still work. ExpressVPN bypasses this ban by offering obfuscated servers, which are specifically configured to help users connect from highly restricted areas. It’s important to note that you MUST download your VPN before you travel, as their websites are blocked from within China. Now we’ll show you how to connect to ExpressVPN step by step from within China.

How to Use a VPN for Google in China

  1. Open the ExpressVPN app on your device. Look for the specialty servers. These are important for connecting in China.
  2. Go to your Advanced Settings. You can find this by click on Settings in the top left corner. On the left-hand side of the screen, you’ll find the Advanced options. Switch on Obfuscated Servers. The switch will turn blue when it’s on.
  3. Return to the Servers screen. On the side, you’ll now have a choice of countries with Obfuscated Servers. For the fastest speeds, we recommend choosing a server that is geographically close to China, such as Hong Kong or Singapore. If you want to connect to one of the regular servers outside of China, it’s easy to switch off the Obfuscated Servers button. Just return to your advanced settings and click “off.” Get ExpressVPN NOW!

Summary

Accessing the internet without restrictions in China isn’t the easiest of tasks. However, a good VPN can help you access the Western websites that you rely on day to day. ExpressVPN, for example, offers users Obfuscated Servers to get around China’s strict VPN blocks. Though the technology does make the VPN service more accessible, the effort China puts into blocking VPNs can sometimes make it more challenging to connect. You may find that you’re having trouble accessing censored websites in China even with an obfuscated server. In this case, ExpressVPN’s excellent 24/7 customer service will help you troubleshoot. You won’t have to worry about navigating a restricted and monitored internet as long as you’re in the People’s Republic.

Further Reading

Check out our complete list of the websites blocked by the Great Firewall of China. Or, you can type in a website here to test if it’s blocked in China. We’ve also written guides to help you access Gmail and YouTube. The information above can be used to track you, target you for ads, and monitor what you do online.

         VPNs can help you hide this information from websites so that you are protected at all times. We recommend ExpressVPN — the #1 VPN out of over 350 providers we've tested. It has military-grade encryption and privacy features that will ensure your digital security, plus — it's currently offering 49% off.        
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