China · Great Firewall

A VPN that works in China

The Great Firewall blocks most VPNs within hours. PremierVPN's apps carry VLESS with REALITY, xHTTP and CDN: protocols built to look like ordinary secure web traffic, so your connection blends in with everything else on the network.

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Windows
macOS
iPhone & iPad
Android
Linux

Auto mode · hotel Wi-Fi, ShanghaiConnected

Example

WireGuard®Blockedno handshake reply
AmneziaWGBlockedconnection reset
VLESS · REALITYConnectedTLS 1.3 on port 443, like any secure website

Protocol: REALITY
Port: 443 / TCP
Looks like: HTTPS

The problem

Why most VPNs stop working in China

The Great Firewall doesn't need to break your encryption. It recognises the shape of VPN traffic, probes servers that look suspicious, and adds their addresses to blocklists.

OpenVPN and IKEv2

Blocked

Recognisable handshakes and standard ports. Usually detected and cut off within minutes on mainland networks.

WireGuard®

Blocked

Fast and secure, but its UDP packets have a fixed, easy-to-spot pattern, so it's throttled or blocked outright.

VLESS in our apps

Gets through

REALITY, xHTTP and CDN all travel as ordinary HTTPS on port 443. To the firewall it looks like someone visiting a website.

How it works

Hidden in ordinary web traffic

With REALITY, your device opens a genuine TLS 1.3 connection that borrows the certificate of a large, well-known website, using the same fingerprint as Chrome. Anyone watching sees a normal visit to that site. Only our server can tell it's you, because only it holds the matching key.

Everything runs over port 443, which every secure website uses. Blocking it would break the web for the whole country, so it stays open.

How REALITY works →

Three options, one app

If one is blocked, try the next

REALITY: The first choice. Fastest, and looks like a visit to a big HTTPS website.
xHTTP: For networks that cut long-running connections. Shapes traffic like everyday web requests. More
CDN: For when server addresses are blocked. Your connection goes through a content delivery network, which the firewall can't block without breaking the sites that use it. A little slower.

On iPhone and iPad, Auto mode tries these in turn and remembers what worked on each network. On Windows, Bypass does the same.

No separate app

Built into every PremierVPN app

One account covers all of them. Install on your laptop and phone before you travel.

Windows Turn on Bypass and choose VLESS, or leave Bypass on Auto. Get the app → macOS Choose a VLESS server and connect. Get the app → iPhone & iPad Auto mode finds what works, or pick from the VLESS tab. Get the app → Android Open the VLESS tab and start with a Reality server. Get the app → Linux Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora. Pick a server in the VLESS tab. Get the app →

Who it's for

Stay connected while you're in China

Business travellers

Gmail, Google Workspace, Slack, Teams, Zoom and your company's own tools, without the firewall getting in the way.

Expats and remote workers

The social media, news, banking and streaming you'd use at home, every day you're there.

Students and academics

Google Scholar, Wikipedia, YouTube and international university portals that are blocked or throttled.

Tourists

Maps, messaging and social media from the moment you land. Set it up at home and it's ready when you arrive.

Blocked in China

Reach the services you use at home

All of these are blocked or restricted on mainland networks.

Google
Gmail
YouTube
WhatsApp
Instagram
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Slack
Wikipedia
Reddit
Discord
Telegram
Netflix
ChatGPT
Signal
Dropbox
BBC News

Before you fly

Set up at home, in under five minutes

Subscribe
Any plan includes VLESS. Use code ANNUAL50 for 50% off your first year. Card, PayPal and crypto are all accepted.
Install the app
On every device you're taking: laptop, phone and tablet. One subscription covers them all.
Sign in and test
Connect once to a VLESS server while you're still at home, so the server list is saved on your device.
Connect in China
Pick a server outside China (Japan is usually fastest) and connect. On iPhone and iPad, Auto mode does the choosing.

Install before you arrive. Our website, the App Store, Google Play and many download sites can be hard to reach from the mainland. With the app installed and tested at home, you're ready the moment you land.

Also tested in

Other places that block VPNs

The same apps are tested in Iran, Russia, the UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.

IranVLESS for everyday use, plus DNS tunnels for shutdowns.Iran guide → RussiaGetting past TSPU filtering on every major ISP.Russia guide → Anti-censorship toolsEvery protocol and tunnel we offer, and when to use each.See them all → StormDNSYour connection carried inside DNS lookups.How it works →

FAQ

Using a VPN in China

Does PremierVPN work in China?

Yes. Our apps include VLESS with REALITY, xHTTP and CDN, which are built to look like ordinary HTTPS traffic and get through the Great Firewall where OpenVPN, IKEv2 and standard WireGuard are blocked. We test from mainland networks regularly.

Is it legal to use a VPN in China?

China only permits VPNs that the government has approved. In practice VPNs are widely used by businesses, expats and visitors, and enforcement has mostly been aimed at people selling VPN services rather than individual users. Rules and enforcement can change, so check the current position before you travel. We can't give legal advice.

Which app do I need?

The normal PremierVPN app for your device. VLESS is built into the apps for Windows, macOS, iPhone, iPad, Android and Linux, so there is nothing extra to install.

Will it work on hotel and airport Wi-Fi?

Usually, yes. VLESS runs over port 443, the same port every secure website uses, so it works on hotel, airport and mobile networks that only allow web traffic.

What if the firewall blocks REALITY?

No method is guaranteed to work forever, which is why the apps carry several. If REALITY is blocked on your network, try xHTTP, then CDN. On iPhone and iPad, Auto mode tries them in turn for you, and on Windows, Bypass does the same.

Should I set it up before I travel?

Yes. Our website, the App Store, Google Play and many download sites can be hard to reach from the mainland. Install the app, sign in and connect once before you fly, so the server list is already on your device.

Which server should I use from China?

Japan usually gives the lowest latency from mainland China. Our UK, US and European servers work too, and are the ones to use for services from those countries.

Can I use it on my phone?

Yes. The iPhone, iPad and Android apps all include VLESS. On Android it needs a 64-bit phone, which covers almost every phone sold in recent years.

Does it work for streaming?

Yes. Connect to a server in the country whose service you want, for example the UK for BBC iPlayer, and stream as normal. Bandwidth is unlimited on every plan.

Get set up before you travel

Don't lose the internet in China

VLESS with REALITY, xHTTP and CDN, in the app on every device you take. 50% off your first year with code ANNUAL50.

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