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🛡️ Preparing to use a VPN
NordVPN / VPN
As of September 2026 · app interfaces and menu names may change
This guide shows the setup using NordVPN as an example. You need a Nord Account and an active subscription. Everything is done at home before the trip begins.
⚠ No guarantee: a VPN may work in China, but availability can change at any time. The use of VPN services is regulated by law in China — find out about the current situation before you travel. Don't rely on a VPN alone.
What you need
- Android smartphone with Google Play Store (iPhone: App Store)
- Email and password for the Nord Account
- An active NordVPN subscription
- Your own internet connection for the trip (eSIM or roaming)
Step by step
Step 1 — Install NordVPN
- Open Google Play Store and search for “NordVPN”.
- Choose the official NordVPN app — not a similar-sounding one.
- Install and open it.
Don't download APK files from other sites. If a manual installation is necessary, use only the official NordVPN website.
SCREENSHOT 01 — Play Store – NordVPNPlaceholder — real screenshot to follow
Step 2 — Sign in
- Tap “Log in”.
- If the browser opens, that's not an error — sign in there.
- Then return to the app.
- No account yet? Choose “Sign up”, create an account and return to the app.
SCREENSHOT 02 — Nord Account – sign-inPlaceholder — real screenshot to follow
Step 3 — First connection at home
- Tap the quick-connect button, roughly “Secure my connection”.
- Android asks whether the app may set up a VPN connection: confirm with “OK”.
- Wait until the app shows “connected”.
This is the most important step: you're testing not just the installation but whether your phone can really establish a connection.
SCREENSHOT 03 — Android prompt – allow VPNPlaceholder — real screenshot to follow
Step 4 — Disconnect and reconnect
- Disconnect.
- Wait a few seconds.
- Reconnect and check the status.
SCREENSHOT 04 — Active connectionPlaceholder — real screenshot to follow
Typical pitfalls
| No connection in China | First check whether there's internet at all (eSIM/roaming). Then use NordVPN's current help page for connecting from China. |
| Wanting to install only in China | Don't — app stores and sign-in pages are often unreachable there. |
| Relying only on the VPN | Alipay, WeChat, Amap and the translator work without a VPN and must be prepared too. |
Video
🎬 Video to follow — a tested tutorial video will appear here.
Quick checklist before departure
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