How to Use VPN for TikTok: A Step-by-Step Guide
4 min read
Why Can't I Access TikTok?
While there may be networking issues that cause short-term disruptions, we’ll focus on country-wide restrictions. At the time of writing, bans are not as widespread across the world, but restrictions are increasing quickly. Even the United States is considering a complete ban of TikTok.
Out of all the reasons, tracking is the chief complaint. TikTok is owned by a company that operates in China and due to some intelligence laws, they may be forced to give over any data collected to government entities. Additionally, cybersecurity analysts have constantly voiced concerns about the amount of data collected by the app.
As such, numerous bans and restrictions have been placed on TikTok. For example, many Western governments have banned the TikTok app on any government-owned device. Additionally, a few countries have implemented a complete ban with the United States currently waiting to make a decision.
So, if you’re from any of these countries, you can’t access TikTok without a VPN:
- India: Banned TikTok in June 2020 due to concerns over data privacy and national security.
- Pakistan: Temporarily banned TikTok several times.
- Bangladesh: Banned TikTok along with other social media apps.
- Afghanistan: TikTok has been banned under a blanket ban for many apps.
Additionally, there are a few countries that are either planning TikTok bans or have previously banned the app (such as Indonesia). So, while the list is exhaustive, there may be new entries to it quite frequently.
Why Do You Need a VPN for TikTok?
A TikTok VPN will bring you numerous benefits, but the primary reason people use such software is to avoid government restrictions. Using a virtual private network lets you connect to a country where no such restrictions exist, unblocking TikTok completely.
That’s not the only benefit of using a VPN for TikTok, however. A reliable VPN provider will come with a whole host of additional benefits and features, most of which focus on online security.
For example, almost all VPNs will encrypt your traffic, meaning that no one, including the government or your Internet Service Provider, can spy on your online activities. Encryption is also useful if you use public Wi-Fi frequently as these are easy targets for hackers.
Additionally, a good VPN provider will keep no logs on your activity within their servers. As such, even if they’re requested to hand over information by some agency, they have nothing to provide.
Finally, you’ll also get some privacy features. VPNs change your IP address to that of the server, meaning tracking you will be significantly harder. Your real IP address will not be associated with any online activity as long as you use a VPN.
How to Use TikTok with a VPN
Getting a VPN for TikTok is relatively easy. All you need to do is to find a reliable VPN provider and to purchase a subscription. We caution against using a free VPN due to many reasons.
First, a free VPN is never truly that. Getting a lot of VPN servers up and running is a costly endeavor, so a free VPN provider has to make back the money somehow. Usually, it’s through data harvesting, malware or adware. So, a free VPN will be using your machine to somehow make money and, usually, it’s not beneficial to you.
Therefore, instead of going the easy route and getting a free VPN for TikTok, find one with a subscription. VPNs are extremely cheap in comparison to other software – you can get one for less than $10 a month relatively easily.
Once you have a subscription and an account, download the provider’s app and install it. Most, importantly, connect to one of the VPN servers before opening the TikTok app. You have to choose a country where you can access TikTok freely, however.
If your connection has been established, you can now safely access TikTok. Simply open the app, login to your TikTok account, and you should be able to use the social media platform to its fullest potential.
Note that if your connection to the TikTok VPN drops, you’ll likely temporarily lose access to the platform. Simply restart the connection and you can again safely access TikTok once again.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I access TikTok even with a VPN?
First, check if you are not connected to a country that’s blocking access to TikTok. If not, check if your account is not banned. If that also fails, you may need to switch VPN providers. Their IP addresses may be known to the social media platform, so they might have banned them. Additionally, there could also be technical issues plaguing your VPN provider.
Does VPN stop TikTok from tracking you?
Only slightly. They may be unable to associate your IP address with your online activity, but that doesn’t stop TikTok from collecting data about your account. So, they’ll still definitely know which TikTok videos you watched, when, and a lot of other information.
Does your location affect the TikTok algorithm?
Location does affect the algorithm, albeit slightly. If you use a TikTok VPN with a new account, you may get localized content for a while, however, the algorithm will adapt quickly. You may still get a few localized TikTok videos once in a while, but they shouldn’t be frequent.
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