How to Unblock Facebook in China: A Brief Guide

December 8, 2025 ByJanne SmithNo Comments 8 minutes

culprit behind these inaccessibilities, makes unblocking Facebook in China a hassle. As hard as it may seem, it isn’t entirely impossible to unblock Facebook in China. 

Facebook has been banned since 2009 in China. This is due to the State’s strict control over the internet and censorship. And in case of non-compliance, online services are banned, and it’s almost impossible to hop through the Great Firewall. Not if you’re using a reliable VPN for Facebook in China that paves the way to unblock Facebook China. 

This guide covers 3 reliable ways to access Facebook China, which is the most reliable VPN that works in China, and the Facebook alternative in China. Kee reading to find out all!

Note: Ensure you install FastestVPN before travelling to China. Once you land there, all VPN websites will be inaccessible, and you won’t be able to download any VPN that works in China. 

Why Is Facebook Banned in China?

Facebook has been banned in China since 2009. The ban soon came after the riots and protests taking place in China’s Xinjiang region. Google, X (formerly Twitter), and various other social media services are inaccessible in China. This ban was intended to curb communications among independent activists. 

China is known for its most sophisticated censorship technologies. The Great Firewall is a prime example. It successfully bans social media, websites, and other online modes of communication that the State doesn’t have supreme control over. This is an attempt to curb anti-nationalist activities. 

The Great Firewall not only makes Facebook inaccessible, but most international news sites as well. Here’s a list of banned news sites in China: 

• The New York Times
• BBC
• The Wall Street Journal 

How to Use Facebook in China: Our 3 Trusted Methods

Facebook hosts over 3 billion monthly users. And if it was accessible in certain regions, such as China, the graph would have been much higher. Unblocking Facebook in China isn’t impossible. The right methods can help you bypass censorship and unblock Facebook China. Here are three reliable ways to unblock Facebook in China:

1. Use a VPN: Hands Down, the Best Method

Not every VPN can make the cut for you. We recommend using FastestVPN to unblock Facebook in China. The VPN for Facebook in China makes restricted social media services accessible in China by creating an encrypted tunnel that transfers all your browsing activities through it. 

FastestVPN offers an AES 256-bit encryption, ensuring that the encrypted tunnel is impossible to breach. Along with this military-standard encryption, premium features like an Internet Kill Switch ensure your IP address never leaks even if the VPN connection terminates. 

Here’s how to use FastestVPN to unblock Facebook in China:

• Go to FastestVPN > Pricing.
• Subscribe to a VPN plan. Follow the on-screen instructions for confirmation. 
• Install FastestVPN app on your device. 
• Log in with your account credentials. 
• Connect to a US server, or any other of your choice. The US server is best suited for unblocking Facebook or a US-based social media service in China. 
• Wait for the connection to establish. You can confirm the connection by checking your new IP via What is My IP?
• Once done, go to Facebook via the browser or app. Log in to your account. 
• Facebook shouldld be accessible now. 

2. Use the TOR Browser

TOR browser isn’t your average browser. While it often leads to questions of is TOR browser safe? It’s one of the safest methods to browse the web. The name, TOR, is an abbreviation for The Onion Router. Similar to the layers of an onion, TOR encrypts your browsing data in different layers, i.e., nodes. 

Does it help unblock Facebook in China? Yes, but not always. China is known for employing the world’s most sophisticated censorship technology. It might not always be easy to bypass, but it does work. 

Since the TOR browser is blocked in China, you need a VPN to access it. Connect to FastestVPN and go to torproject.org. We recommend downloading TOR when you’re in your home country; it’s much easier.

Once downloaded, connect to TOR. Try the Meek Bridge. However, working bridges keep fluctuating. If this alone doesn’t work, set up the Obfsproxy protocol. This should do the trick. Then go to Facebook (the onion version of it). In case the website doesn’t load, disable HTML5 Canvas. You can do so by changing the settings from Standard to Safer or Safest. 

3. Use a Proxy

Using a proxy to unblock Facebook in China is possible, but not the most reliable method. Along with unreliability, China considers proxies a violation of the Chinese internet regulations. Instead, it’s better to use a reliable VPN, like FastestVPN. 

Proxies come with the highest detection chances. They aren’t as secure as using a VPN; there may be unstable connections, and legal risks are a freebie here. Despite how similar a VPN and a Proxy may seem, they work quite differently. There is a possibility it would work, but it may lead to legal risks. 

Which VPN Can Unblock Facebook?

FastestVPN is a premium VPN that works in China, which can unblock Facebook in China. If you’re new to VPNs, here’s a brief introduction. There are both, free and paid VPNs. The former being free doesn’t offer any premium features and only offers crowded servers, which make bypassing the geo-limits almost impossible. 

Then come the paid VPNs. These offer premium features that make bypassing censorship much easier. If you’re looking for an affordable option, FastestVPN is your way to go. It offers all premium features while being affordable. 

FastestVPN: The Best VPN For China

China uses strict censorship technologies. Bypassing these limitations can be hard, but not impossible. A VPN that works in China goes beyond hopping the borders virtually; we recommend using FastestVPN in China for enhanced privacy and security protection as well. 

FastestVPN offers a military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, ensuring that intercepting the encrypted tunnel almost becomes impossible. In case of any instability, the Internet Kill Switch terminates the Internet connection to avoid any IP leaks. 

Can Tourists Use Facebook in China

You can’t normally access Facebook in mainland China. And the same goes for Instagram, WhatsApp, X/Twitter, Google, and many other international platforms. These sites are blocked by China’s Great Firewall.

To use Facebook or any other restricted service, you must bypass these filters. The usual solution is to use a VPN, such as FastestVPN.

We recommend installing the VPN on your preferred devices before traveling to China. You won’t be able to install them after arriving, as all VPN websites and apps are also blocked once you’re inside the country.

Is It Illegal to Use Facebook in China?

It isn’t illegal to use Facebook in China. But Facebook and other social media apps are inaccessible in China due to the Great Firewall. However, you can use a reliable VPN to access Facebook in China. Before getting a VPN that works in China, ensure that the VPN is known for bypassing geo-restrictions.

While some individuals may face legal consequences, the policies are more lenient for the tourists. The government limits the use of unauthorized VPNs only and monitors the online activity of individuals who use them. 

What Is the Equivalent of Facebook in China?

Chinese social media platforms are similar to the Western ones. For example, China has its own TikTok Douyin, its own Facebook, Instagram, and all other social media services. If you’re in China and want to use other Facebook alternatives, here’s a list of Facebook alternatives in China. 

Facebook Alternatives in China

China creates equivalents of almost all online services that are inaccessible in the region. If you want to explore other social media services instead of Facebook, here are the top ones: 

1. WeChat: The largest social platform in China. It offers messaging, social feeds (Moments), payments, mini-apps, and business tools. WeChat currently hosts 1.4 billion global active users.
2. Weibo: This is a microblogging platform, similar to X and Facebook. It’s a mix of both. It’s widely used for news, trends, public discussions, and celebrity topics. 
3. Douyin: This is a TikTok alternative. The primary aim is different than TikTok. It includes livestreaming, shopping, and influencer community features that offer a Facebook-style engagement. 

Final Note

China bans Western social media services that don’t comply with its censorship policies. Facebook was also banned in 2009 to limit communications between the activists. Currently, China allows the use of authorized VPN for Facebook in China apps. 

As a tourist, it’s important to download the VPN that works in China before travelling to China. All VPN websites will be inaccessible after you land there. It’s best to already have FastestVPN or your preferred VPN app installed on your devices, which you plan to unblock Facebook China.