Does 
YouTube work in China?
No
on Chinese SIM cards and hotel Wi-Fi. The app opens, but videos don’t play.
Yes
on a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming. That traffic leaves China first.
Not tested yet.
YouTube is blocked on Chinese mobile networks and Wi-Fi. It does open on a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming, because that traffic leaves China first, but video eats roaming data quickly.
What to do: download what you want to watch before you fly, and use a roaming eSIM for anything else.
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 | Watch videos | Downloads you saved at home |
|---|---|---|
| China Mobile SIMLocal, 4G/5G | Blocked | Partly |
| China Unicom SIMLocal, 4G/5G | Blocked | Partly |
| Hotel Wi-FiChinese fixed line | Blocked | Partly |
| Roaming eSIMData exits abroad | Works | Works |
| Home SIM on roamingYour own carrier | Works | Works |
Why YouTube is blocked in China
YouTube has been out of reach in mainland China since March 2009, after an earlier block from October 2007 to March 2008. Video platforms have to host and filter content inside China under Chinese rules, and YouTube doesn’t. No reason tied to your account or your phone is involved, and there’s nothing to fix on your side.
On a Chinese SIM or hotel Wi-Fi, expect the app to open with a “You’re offline” message or a spinning wheel. In a browser, youtube.com simply times out. Anything embedded on other sites shows up as a blank box.
Watching YouTube on a roaming eSIM
A roaming eSIM sends your data abroad before it reaches the internet, so YouTube should open as normal, as it does on your home SIM’s roaming. Turn Wi-Fi off first, because your phone prefers hotel Wi-Fi and YouTube stops as soon as it joins.
YouTube will treat you as being in whichever country your data exits, so the videos on your home page may change and a few may be unavailable. Picture quality depends on your plan’s speed and on how busy the roaming route is, which is what our speed tests are there to measure.
Video is what uses up your data
This is the real catch. HD video can use a gigabyte or more an hour, so an evening of it can finish a small plan. Even unlimited plans commonly slow down after a daily allowance.
- Set quality to 480p or lower in the player when you’re on mobile data.
- Turn off autoplay so the next video doesn’t start by itself.
- Check whether your plan has a daily limit before you start a long video.
If you’re sharing your data with a laptop, a hotspot can be the first thing an eSIM restricts. Each plan’s hotspot rule is in the eSIM comparison.
Downloads from home
If you pay for YouTube Premium, download videos before you leave. They play with no connection at all, so they should work on the plane and on hotel Wi-Fi alike. The catch is that the app needs to check in online from time to time or the downloads stop playing, so don’t count on them for a very long trip with no roaming data.
YouTube Kids, YouTube Music and creator tools such as Studio all sit on the same blocked service. If you need to upload from China, do it on a roaming connection and expect a slow upload at busy times.
What people in China watch
Bilibili is the closest thing: long-form video, creators and comments, and nearly all of it in Chinese. iQIYI, Youku and Tencent Video are the main film and TV apps. Douyin, the Chinese sister app of TikTok, handles short video. All of these load quickly on local networks, though you may need a Chinese phone number to sign up.
What to use in China instead
- BilibiliWorks
China’s closest match to YouTube, for creators, explainers and long videos. Mostly in Chinese.
- Your own downloadsWorks
Films and shows saved to your phone at home keep playing with no connection. Check each app’s rules.
Netflix
Spotify
Google Search
TikTokBefore you fly
Do this at home on Wi-Fi, where a big download costs you nothing.
Setup for YouTube
Screenshot this list. Times are rough estimates.
- Install a roaming eSIM on home Wi-Fi5 min
- Download videos for the flight and the hotel15 min
- Set mobile video quality to 480p1 min
- Turn off autoplay1 min
Asked often
Update history. No test published yet.
Is YouTube banned in China?
It’s blocked on mainland networks and has been since 2009. That covers Chinese SIM cards and Chinese Wi-Fi. On a roaming connection it’s ordinary international data, which is why YouTube opens there.
Can you use YouTube in China?
Yes, on mobile data from a roaming eSIM or your home SIM’s roaming, with Wi-Fi turned off. On hotel or café Wi-Fi, it won’t load.
Why is YouTube blocked in China?
China requires video platforms to filter content under its rules, and YouTube operates outside that system. The block has run since 2009, following an earlier one in 2007 and 2008.
Do YouTube downloads work in China?
Premium downloads should play without a connection, so hotel Wi-Fi doesn’t matter. They need an occasional online check-in, so they may stop on a long trip with no roaming data.
Does YouTube work in Hong Kong?
Yes. Hong Kong and Macau aren’t affected, so YouTube works on any network there.
How much data does YouTube use on an eSIM?
It depends on quality: HD video can use a gigabyte or more an hour, while 480p uses a fraction of that. Lower the quality in the player to make a small plan last.
What’s the Chinese version of YouTube?
Bilibili is the closest, for long videos and creators. iQIYI, Youku and Tencent Video are the big film and TV apps, and Douyin handles short clips.