How to Watch Netflix in China in 2023 (despite Netflix blocking VPNs)

It’s basically the same process as streaming US content using the best VPN for Netflix.

How to Watch American Netflix in China? 2023 Guide

China, officially the People’s Republic of China, is home to the Great Wall, iPhone manufacturing, and one of the most powerful economies in the world – but not Netflix.

China is the world’s most populous country, with an estimated population of 1.404 billion citizens. In 2017, internet penetration in the country stood at 53.2% but varied considerably depending on the province. The average Speednet tested internet speed in China stood at 188 Mbps in June 2022.

Why Do I Need a VPN to Watch Netflix in China?

Netflix currently doesn’t offer any video streaming service in China due to a challenging regulatory environment in the country. The Chinese government is sensitive when it comes to the content being made available to its citizens. However, in many cases, VPN users can access the service. This lack of Netflix access can be disappointing to visitors to the country who are looking for a taste of their favorite movies and television shows from back home.

The easy way to access any Netflix library.

You don’t need to relocate to access the Netflix library from back home. All you need is a VPN, but not all VPNs will work properly.

I’ve tested a lot of VPNs, and I find NordVPN to be the most reliable for access to Netflix in the U.S., U.K., and other countries.

It’s really fast as well, so you can binge in HD without the buffering.

NordVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.

Why American Netflix Can’t Be Accessed in China

Chinese residents and visitors are SOL (simply out of luck) when it comes to viewing Netflix content.

In addition to the streaming giant’s lack of a Chinese version of its service, licensing agreements with content providers force Netflix to ban out-of-country connections to country-specific content. More about that in the next section.

Why Is American Netflix Content Inaccessible in China?

Netflix licenses movies and television shows from a variety of content providers, including movie and television studios.

The licensing agreements they sign include restrictions about where the content can be viewed. The streaming provider signs a separate contract for each region.

Netflix is legally required to stop attempts to access a country’s content from outside that country’s borders. If they don’t attempt to restrict such access, they face legal and financial penalties.

How Does Netflix Prevent Non-Residents From Viewing American Netflix Content?

When a computer or other connected device is connected to the internet, it’s given an IP address, which acts much as a street address does for a home. The address indicates where information is sent to and from.

Each country is assigned a range of IP addresses for use by its citizens. Netflix uses your IP address to detect if you should be allowed to access its content. If an IP address doesn’t match the licensed country’s IP range, the streaming provider blocks access to the content.

How a VPN Gets Around Netflix’s Barriers

What Is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) offers a variety of great features to its users. One of those features is the ability to make it appear as if a user’s internet connection is originating from a country other than their actual location.

A VPN also keeps users’ online activities safe from prying eyes by applying a layer of encryption to their internet connection.

This acts much like a tunnel, preventing any third parties from detecting your online travels, and keeping your personal and business-related information safe from outsiders. This is particularly important in overly-restrictive countries like China.

How a VPN Enables Access to American Netflix Content

A VPN makes use of its ability to “spoof” a user’s location to open up access to Netflix content located in another country. This makes it simple for users to access Netflix content in the United States, even from China.

By selecting a VPN server in the United States, the user is routed through that stateside server, which has a U.S.-based IP address. This makes it appear that the user is located inside the U.S., despite their physical location in China.

Netflix sees the U.S. IP address and allows the user to binge their buns off.

But, unfortunately, Netflix has become particularly adept in the past few years at detecting VPN usage by users from outside licensed countries.

Due to the pressure from their content providers, the streaming service immediately stops any IP address that they discover is being used by a VPN provider from accessing their country-specific content.

Netflix’s particular set of skills has frustrated a large number of VPN providers, to the point where they have given up on offering Netflix access to their users – and even the providers that have not given up are almost always slow to react when Netflix detects their IPs. This is particularly true of providers who have limited resources.

Luckily for VPN users, there are still providers who keep the tunnels to Netflix open and do an excellent job of responding promptly when Netflix blocks access. The best of these providers is NordVPN.

Best VPN for Accessing American Netflix in China: NordVPN

Apps Available:

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

In my experience, NordVPN provides the most reliable access to Netflix of any provider I’ve tried. NordVPN directs its considerable resources toward maintaining its top-notch VPN services.

The provider offers superior customer support and privacy protections, as well as excellent bandwidth, wide-ranging device support, and better-than-average global server coverage.

Plus, Netflix provides an ample amount of information on how to optimize your Netflix sessions, with helpful information about how to use NordVPN to enhance your streaming experience.

Please note: China blocks access to many VPN providers’ websites, making it difficult to download and install a VPN app while inside Chinese borders. Be sure to sign up for your VPN subscription and install the provider’s app before stepping inside China proper. NordVPN offers helpful information on how to connect via a VPN from inside restrictive countries like China.

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Connection Speeds

NordVPN’s average connection speeds, in my usage history, have always been more than enough to meet Netflix’s recommended connection speeds.

Connection speeds in China aren’t exactly blazingly fast, so it’s essential to use a VPN provider that doesn’t slow down your connection by much, such as NordVPN.

Multi-Platform Support

Netflix is available on most connected platforms around today, making multi-platform support an important consideration when deciding on a VPN provider. NordVPN provides native app support for all popular device platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Linux, and Android TV. (The Mac app now offers native M1/M2 Mac support.) Plus, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browser extensions help protect your browser viewing sessions.

If NordVPN’s six simultaneous connections allowance isn’t enough for your needs, you can take advantage of the provider’s comprehensive router compatibility. Pre-configured routers are also available.

Additional Services

The provider offers a “Complete” level of service that provides not only comprehensive VPN protection but also additional protective services, including a password manager, tracker and ad blocking, malware protection, dark web monitoring, and more.

Pricing

NordVPN provides its services to its customers via one-year and two-year subscriptions that come out to paying about the price of a really fancy cup of coffee per month. A month-to-month payment plan is available that costs a little less per month than a mid-range Netflix subscription.

Customer Support

Users who do have issues when using NordVPN, be they of the Netflix variety or other issues, can contact the provider’s customer support folk via their 24/7 chat option. A trouble ticket tracking system and a searchable support library are also available.

Global Server Coverage

Netflix aficionados will have handy access to Netflix content housed in the U.S. and any other country thanks to NordVPN’s over 5,600 servers, based in nearly 60 countries around the globe.

Privacy and Security

NordVPN follows a strict “no logs” policy, keeping no records of their users’ online travels.

Users can extend privacy protection to their payment information by paying for their VPN subscription with the Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

All NordVPN servers are run 100% from RAM, with no data ever being written to a physical hard drive. This means all data is wiped from a server when it is restarted or shut down.

NordVPN’s owned-and-operated servers also keep third-party contractors away from your personal data.

Conclusion

Visitors to China who are missing their usual Netflix binge sessions can easily access their favorite U.S. Netflix content by using NordVPN.

NordVPN offers fast connections, comprehensive global server coverage, optimal privacy protections, wide device support, responsive customer support, and more.

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American Netflix in China VPN FAQs

Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch Netflix in China?

No. China heavily restricts VPN use and does all it can to block VPN usage. I can almost guarantee that a free VPN will not work inside Chinese borders, as they don’t offer the required features to keep your VPN usage undercover.

You’ll find that free VPNs greatly throttle your internet bandwidth while also imposing daily or monthly data caps on your VPN usage. Neither one of these restrictions are compatible with an enjoyable streaming experience. Plus, free VPNs are known for logging their users online activities, selling that data to advertisers or anyone else willing to pay for the data or is willing to demand the data, like a certain government.

Is Any American Netflix Content Available in Chinese?

Quite a bit of American Netflix content is available in Cantonese and Mandarin. Available content includes the “IP Man” films, “Dynasty Warriors,” “A Chinese Odyssey,” “The Legend of Bruce Lee,” and much more.

Can I Watch Netflix in China?

Yes, you can. However, you’ll need to use a VPN. While there isn’t a version of Netflix that’s available to residents of China, you can use a VPN to access Netflix content from other countries. Subscribe, install, and test your VPN of choice before you enter Chinese airspace, as the Chinese government actively blocks access to VPN providers.

Why Does Netflix Geo-Control Its Content?

The contracts Netflix signs to license movies and TV shows all require the streaming service to restrict the viewing of the licensed content to an individual country or region. This requires Netflix to block attempts to view certain content from certain areas of the world. However, a reliable VPN, like NordVPN, will open up access to geo-fenced content like that offered by Netflix.

At a Glance
Why Do I Need a VPN to Watch Netflix in China?
The easy way to access any Netflix library.
Why American Netflix Can’t Be Accessed in China
How a VPN Gets Around Netflix’s Barriers
Best VPN for Accessing American Netflix in China: NordVPN
Conclusion
American Netflix in China VPN FAQs
Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch Netflix in China?
Is Any American Netflix Content Available in Chinese?
Can I Watch Netflix in China?
Why Does Netflix Geo-Control Its Content?

How to Watch Netflix in China in 2023 (despite Netflix blocking VPNs)?

Is it possible to watch Netflix in China in 2023? Well, I’ve got some good and bad news for you. The bad news is that Netflix is actively working to keep us from streaming shows while in China. The good news is that with the right tools and a bit of flexibility, it’s not too hard to overcome their efforts. Here’s a simple guide on how to watch Netflix in China.

Imagine this: your favorite Netflix series has resumed and you just can’t miss it.

There is, however, one slight problem…

…you happened to be physically located in China.

Watching Netflix in China is virtually impossible because of Netflix’s geo-restricting policies. Any attempt to access the Netflix library of shows in China will be met with the error message shown below:

Creative methods of using VPNs and SmartDNS in China can help you circumvent Netflix’s tight restrictions.

Here’s how to do it.

Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may be compensated if you choose to use one of the services listed.

Why Does Netflix Geo-Restrict Content?

Netflix geo-restricts their content for one reason:

Money.

Any entertainment product (music, movies, and TV series) is subject to something known as a licensing agreement. Netflix forges partnerships with content providers through licensing deals to ensure that you get the TV shows and movies you desire.

This is true of major networks, such as with CBS, which licenses shows like The Big Bang Theory on Netflix (although not in the USA!).

Netflix also creates licensing agreements for its original series such as Orange is the New Black or Stranger Things.

These licensing deals are meant to protect both the content and the producer. All licensing deals contain some form of royalty arrangement that allows the producer of the content to earn a percentage of the earnings.

These licensing agreements are country-specific, however, and won’t cover streaming outside the country the agreement covers. This is the same even for smaller sites that block content like Crunchyroll (anime).

Netflix has NO Licensing Agreement in China

Netflix has licensing deals in most countries around the globe, which means that changing Netflix regions gives you access to different content. This is a product of different licensing deals.

China, however, is a different beast.

Along with a few other countries (such good company as North Korea and Syria), China is very picky about what it allows on the internet.

Netflix at one point attempted to partner with a Chinese company but those negotiations fell through. In late 2017 they made a deal to stream Netflix-produced content on China’s iQiYi, but that still doesn’t help you want other shows you want.

You paid for Netflix…

…you should be able to watch it!

How to Watch Netflix in China | 3 Easy Steps

With Netflix dishing out so much money to license content, it is no surprise that they take a hard stance against the use of Virtual Private Networks, or “VPNs” to bypass geo-restrictions (read more if you don’t know what a VPN is).

Officially, the company prohibits the use of VPNs, proxies and unblocking tools allowing users to bypass viewing restrictions.

So how can you ensure that you’ll be able to use a VPN in China to watch your favorite Netflix shows?

Step 1: Research & Download a Reputable VPN

Lots of VPN and SmartDNS services claim to be “the best”, but not many of them actively target the China market, since it’s such a costly market to maintain (this is also why I recommend using a paid VPN instead of a free VPN).

China’s attempts to clamp down on the VPNs that are skirting their system have resulted in some VPNs just giving up on China altogether.

You need to find a VPN that is willing to play the game.

Over the decade that I’ve personally lived in China, I’ve tested both SmartDNS services and the best VPNs for China. Not all of them have performed well, but the ones that have consistently allowed me to stream content include:

Surfshark VPN

Using their “No Borders” setting in China, Surfshark has easily allowed people to stream Netflix in China without too many problems.

You can read my in-depth review of Surfshark here or try them risk-free for 30 days.

NordVPN

Another excellent VPN that works well with Netflix & offers numerous country server options. (I use this as my backup).

Read my full review of NordVPN here or try them risk-free for 30 days:

VyprVPN

Finally, I like VyprVPN as an option for watching Netflix in China. It’s worked well for me over the years both on my computer and phone.

Step 2: Adjust VPN Settings and Server Locations

Don’t limit yourself to one VPN service. I personally subscribe to both Surfshark and NordVPN (among others) so that I always have a backup.

Determine which VPN and which server that works best for your location (in China, every location reacts differently to VPNs). It also helps to switch connection protocols, including trying the new WireGuard protocol if your VPN has it.

If you log on to Netflix and you still get a proxy error, don’t give up! This happens to me often and I usually go through the following checklist:

Try at least 3-5 different servers on the same VPN service. If that doesn’t work…
Switch VPNs and try a few different servers. If that doesn’t work…
Switch between different VPN connection protocols (usually in the VPN software settings).

Step 3: Be Patient and Flexible

It’s possible that you’ll get an error message in the middle of watching a show on Netflix in China. Again, don’t despair.

This happens to me too, all the time. ��

No matter what, patience is absolutely essential if you want to watch Netflix in China.

In most cases, I’ve found that just reloading the page will reset the connection and allow me to continue streaming. In other cases I have to change servers or VPN services. Either way, patience is absolutely essential to watching Netflix in China.

Bonus: The Power of SmartDNS

Another viable solution (for some people, it’s the preferred solution) to watch Netflix in China is to use what is known as “SmartDNS” (not sure what that is? Learn more about SmartDNS here).

Unlike a VPN, which focuses on securing and encrypting your data while bypassing geo-restrictions, SmartDNS is only useful to bypass geoblocking.

In short, SmartDNS “tricks” Netflix into thinking that you’re watching from another country besides China. Almost like changing the license plate on a car.

Because there’s no encryption involved, using SmartDNS is can tend to be a better solution in China because it streams faster.

The only problem is that SmartDNS doesn’t help you access Facebook, YouTube, Gmail or any other blocked websites in China. That’s why most people tend to use a VPN to do it all.

Want to Stream in China? (Recommendation)

I recommend starting with Surfshark and then trying other options as necessary.

There are plenty of really good VPNs for China, but not all of them have been working well lately due to increased censorship.

What makes Surfshark stand out is not only their really low prices (probably the lowest of the popular services today), but also the fact that they offer a 30-day money back guarantee. This means that if you arrive in China and the VPN doesn’t work like you hoped it would, you have an entire month to request a refund.

If you find that Surfshark doesn’t work (some VPNs don’t work as well in certain parts of China), you can try one of the following VPN options to stream Netflix in China:

Before coming to China, download a couple different VPNs that offer 30-day money back guarantees.

Once you arrive, you can figure out which one works best for you and then return the other. Or better yet, you can do what I do and have a few VPNs to use as backup when you inevitably have trouble.

Final Thoughts | How to Watch Netflix in China

Watching Netflix in China is impossible without using some sort of VPN, proxy or SmartDNS technology. It may seem like a bit of a pain to set up, but in the end it will be worth the effort as long as you’re willing to be patient.