Does 
Google work in China?
No
on Chinese SIM cards and hotel Wi-Fi. Search and Google sign-in won’t load.
Yes
on a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming. That traffic leaves China first.
Not tested yet.
Google is blocked on Chinese mobile networks and Wi-Fi: Search, Gmail, Maps, Drive, Photos and “Sign in with Google” all stop. They do open on a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming, because that traffic leaves China first.
What to do: get a roaming eSIM before you fly, save your backup codes, and try Bing for search on local Wi-Fi.
Expected results
Not yet tested by us. One row per network: what public reports lead you to expect, until a dated test replaces it.
| Network | Search | Google account sign-in |
|---|---|---|
| China Mobile SIMLocal, 4G/5G | Blocked | Blocked |
| China Unicom SIMLocal, 4G/5G | Blocked | Blocked |
| Hotel Wi-FiChinese fixed line | Blocked | Blocked |
| Roaming eSIMData exits abroad | Works | Works |
| Home SIM on roamingYour own carrier | Works | Works |
What exactly is blocked
Not just search. Google took its search engine out of the mainland in 2010, and since mid-2014 nearly everything Google runs has been unreachable from inside China. Expect all of these to fail on a Chinese SIM or hotel Wi-Fi:
- Google Search and the address bar in Chrome, if Google is your default
- Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs and Photos
- Google Maps and Google Translate
- YouTube and the Google Play Store
- “Sign in with Google” on other sites and apps
The last one catches people out. Plenty of travel, booking and work apps use your Google account to log you in, so they can look broken when only their sign-in button is blocked.
Your phone behaves differently too
On an iPhone, the damage stops at Google’s own apps. Safari, the App Store and iCloud carry on as normal, so change Safari’s search engine to Bing in Settings and most people won’t notice much difference.
On Android it runs deeper, because the phone leans on Google for its app store and a lot of its background services. Without a connection that reaches Google, the Play Store won’t download anything and many notifications go quiet. Install every app you need before you leave home.
How to use Google in China
On mobile data from a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming, your traffic reaches the internet outside China, so Google should behave much as it does at home. Results may be localised to whichever country your data exits in, so you might see Singaporean or Hong Kong results and a different language on the page.
Google might also ask you to confirm a sign-in, since you appear to be somewhere new. That prompt may go by SMS to your home number or to another device, so keep your home SIM on and carry your backup codes. Print them or save them somewhere that doesn’t need Google to open.
Searching when you’re on local Wi-Fi
You won’t always be on your eSIM. In a hotel or café, Bing is the practical choice: it works on Chinese networks and handles English well, though expect its results to be filtered. Baidu is the main Chinese search engine and is far better for local shops, opening hours and Chinese-language pages, but it isn’t much use in English.
For anything specific to a place, a map app is often quicker than either. Amap and Apple Maps list restaurants, stations and shops with hours and phone numbers.
Things worth moving before you go
Anything you only keep in Google needs a second home for the trip: your boarding passes in Gmail, your bookings in Calendar, your itinerary in Docs. Download them to the phone, or copy them to iCloud or Outlook. If your eSIM fails on the first night, you’ll still have your hotel’s address in Chinese.
What to use in China instead
- BingWorks
Works on Chinese networks and handles English searches. Results are filtered, so expect gaps.
- BaiduWorks
The main search engine in China. Best for local shops and Chinese-language pages.
Apple Maps & AmapWorksFor anything with an address, these beat a search engine. See which to use.
Gmail
Google Maps
YouTube
Google TranslateBefore you fly
Do this at home while your Google account still signs in without any trouble.
Setup for Google
Screenshot this list. Times are rough estimates.
- Install a roaming eSIM on home Wi-Fi5 min
- Save Google backup codes off your phone5 min
- Set Safari or your browser to search with Bing1 min
- Download boarding passes, bookings and addresses10 min
- Android: install every app you’ll need10 min
Asked often
Update history. No test published yet.
Is Google banned in China?
Google’s services are blocked on Chinese networks, including mobile data from a Chinese SIM and hotel Wi-Fi. They open on a roaming connection, which leaves China before it reaches the internet.
Can you use Google in China as a tourist?
Yes, on mobile data from a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming. Turn Wi-Fi off first, because your phone will prefer hotel Wi-Fi, and that connection stays inside China.
Why is Google blocked in China?
Google stopped running a censored search engine for China in 2010 and its services were progressively blocked after that, with almost everything cut off from 2014. China’s internet rules require filtering that Google’s services don’t carry out there.
What’s the best Google alternative in China?
Bing for English searches, Baidu for local and Chinese-language results, and a map app such as Amap or Apple Maps for anywhere you need to go.
Does Google work in Hong Kong?
Yes. Hong Kong and Macau aren’t affected, so Google works there on any network, Wi-Fi included.
Will the Google Play Store work in China?
Not on a Chinese network. On a roaming connection it should, but it’s safer to install what you need before you fly. Mainland phones use their makers’ own app stores instead.
Does Google Authenticator work in China?
It should. Its codes are generated on the phone and don’t need an internet connection, so they keep working wherever you are, as long as the phone’s clock is right.