Tutorial on how to unlock Bilibili overseas

Are you living outside mainland China but finding it impossible to watch your favorite Chinese TV shows or access awesome content on Bilibili? You’re not alone! Millions of people abroad love Chinese dramas, variety shows, and the unique user-generated content on platforms like Bilibili. But when you try to watch, you often see a frustrating message like “Due to copyright restrictions, this content is not available in your region.” This problem is called geo-restriction. It can really ruin your plans to enjoy Chinese entertainment.

So, why does this happen? And more importantly, how can you fix it? This guide will break down why these regional blocks exist and give you clear, easy steps to get around them. We’ll show you how to enjoy Chinese TV shows and unblock Bilibili from anywhere in the world. Get ready to dive back into the amazing world of Chinese online content!

Understanding Geo-Restrictio

Before we jump into solutions, it’s good to know why these regional blocks happen. It’s not just to make things difficult; there are several important reasons behind them.

1. Copyright and Licensing Deals: The Main Reason

The biggest reason you can’t watch Chinese TV shows or Bilibili content abroad is because of copyright and licensing agreements. Think of it like buying movie tickets.

• Buying Rights to Play: Streaming platforms like Bilibili, Tencent Video, iQiyi, and Youku buy the rights to show TV shows, movies, and animations from the companies that make them. But these rights are usually sold for specific areas, not the whole world.
• Specific Regions Only: Often, these rights are sold for specific regions or territories. For example, an animation studio might sell the streaming rights for a new show only to Bilibili within mainland China. At the same time, they might sell the rights for the same show to Netflix in the US, or to a local TV channel in Southeast Asia. This is a common way content is distributed globally.
• Making the Most Money: Why do they do this? It’s all about making the most money. By selling rights separately for different regions, content owners can get more money overall. If Bilibili could stream a show everywhere, Netflix might not buy the rights for their region, which would cost the production company money. This careful division helps them maximize their profits from a single piece of content.
• Controlling Content Use: From the content owner’s point of view, geo-restrictions also help them control where and how their content is watched. If a show is supposed to be only on a certain platform in one area, allowing it to be easily watched somewhere else would break that agreement. It would also make it harder for the other platforms that paid for exclusive rights in their region to attract viewers.

So, when you try to watch a show on Bilibili from outside mainland China, the platform checks your IP address. Your IP address is like your internet home address; it tells websites where you are. If your IP address shows you’re in Canada, but the show is only licensed for mainland China, Bilibili has to block you. They are legally required to do this based on their deals with the copyright holders. If they don’t block you, they could face big legal problems and lose their right to show content.

2. Business Strategies and Market Focus

Beyond just copyright, streaming platforms and content makers have specific business strategies that lead to geo-blocking.

• Focusing on Main Markets: Bilibili’s main market is mainland China. Most of their money from ads, premium memberships, and live streams comes from their Chinese users. Investing a lot of money to get global streaming rights for every piece of content might not be their main goal right now. This is especially true if it means trying to compete with huge global streaming services like Netflix or Disney+. They might choose to focus their resources on where their biggest audience is and where their business model works best.
• Different Demands in Different Places: What people want to watch can be very different from one region to another. A drama that’s extremely popular in China might only have a small group of fans in the US, while a different type of show might be more popular there. Content providers create their distribution plans based on these different demands. They try to match the right content to the right audience in each region.
• Exclusive Deals with Other Platforms: Sometimes, content creators make exclusive deals with specific platforms in certain regions. For example, a popular Chinese drama might be exclusively licensed to a local TV network in Malaysia for a certain time. If Bilibili then made that show available in Malaysia, it would break that exclusive deal. This could lead to serious legal issues and financial penalties for Bilibili. These exclusive deals are a big part of how the global entertainment market works.
• Different Ways to Make Money: Different regions also have different ways to make money from content. In some places, free streaming with ads is common, while in others, you pay a monthly fee for a subscription. Getting licenses for these different ways of making money can be complicated and costly. Platforms like Bilibili often decide to focus on regions where their current way of making money works best.

In short, geo-restrictions are a complex mix of legal agreements, money decisions, and rules. They are a necessary part of how content owners and platforms manage their businesses and protect their creations in a global world.

3. Rules and Legal Differences Between Countries

The internet isn’t completely open. Every country has its own laws and rules about online content.

• Content Rules and Compliance: What’s okay to show in mainland China might not be okay in other countries, and vice-versa. Some countries have strict rules about violence, nudity, political topics, or even how history is shown. To show content in a new country, a platform might need to change the show or get special permission to follow local laws. This can be very expensive and take a long time. Bilibili mainly focuses on following Chinese rules, which means they might not have gone through the process to make sure every show follows, for example, broadcasting rules in Australia or Canada.
• Data Privacy Laws: Different countries also have different laws about your personal data (like GDPR in Europe). If a service wants to operate in a new country, it has to follow those laws, which adds another layer of difficulty and cost. Companies have to invest in new systems and legal advice to make sure they are compliant.
• Local Licensing Requirements: Besides the content itself, running a streaming service in a new country might need specific local business licenses or permits. Bilibili, as a Chinese company, might not have these for every country. This makes it legally difficult or impossible to provide full services everywhere without going through a complex application process. This means they are often limited to operating in their primary market.

In summary, geo-restrictions are like a big puzzle made of legal agreements, money choices, and government rules. They are a necessary part of how content companies and streaming platforms do business and protect their intellectual property around the world. These factors combine to create a global internet that is segmented by region, even though it feels like one big network.

Other Problems When Using Bilibili Outside Mainland China

While geo-restrictions on content are the biggest annoyance, people outside mainland China might face other issues when trying to access Bilibili.

1. Poor Network Connection and Slow Loading Speeds

Even if you manage to get past the geo-restrictions, you might find that videos are poor quality or take a very long time to start playing. This is a common problem due to the distance and how the internet works across countries.

• Long Journeys for Data: Bilibili’s main computer servers are in mainland China. When you try to access them from a country like the UK or Australia, your data has to travel a very long way. It crosses continents and oceans through special undersea cables. This physical distance directly causes high latency (also called high ping). High latency means there’s a noticeable delay between when you click something and when it responds.
• Internet Traffic Jams: The internet lines that connect China to the rest of the world can get very busy, especially during peak viewing hours in China (which might be your evening or night). Imagine a highway during rush hour – if too many cars (data packets) try to use it at once, everything slows down. This “digital traffic jam” severely affects how fast videos load and how good the quality is for people outside China. It means your videos will constantly buffer, where they pause to load more data, or the video quality will automatically drop to a blurry lower resolution.
• Limited International Bandwidth: There are a huge number of internet users in China. This means that the amount of international bandwidth (the capacity of the internet connection) available to connect China with other countries can become a bottleneck. Even if your home internet speed is very fast, the connection to Bilibili’s servers in China might be slow because of these shared limitations. This leads to frustrating buffering, where the video keeps stopping to load, or forces the video quality to drop to a much lower resolution. In some cases, the connection might even drop completely because of too much traffic.

2. Account Registration and Login Difficulties

Trying to sign up for a new Bilibili account or even just log in to an old one from abroad can also be surprisingly hard.

• SMS Verification Problems: Many Chinese online services, including Bilibili, rely heavily on SMS (text message) verification using a mainland Chinese phone number. You need these codes to register, reset your password, or for other security checks. If you only have an international phone number, you might not receive these verification codes. This makes it impossible to finish signing up or get back into your account. Some international phone numbers just don’t work with these systems, or the messages get lost.
• Security Checks for Overseas Access: Bilibili and other streaming platforms have strong security rules to stop fraud or people logging in without permission. If their systems see that you’re logging in from a very different IP address (like an international one) than usual, or if your IP address changes often, they might ask you for extra security steps. This could mean asking for your password again, showing you a CAPTCHA (those “prove you’re not a robot” puzzles), or even temporarily freezing your account. These checks are annoying and can stop you from watching your shows quickly.
• Server Connection Problems: Sometimes, the actual login servers themselves might have problems connecting from outside China. This can lead to “login failed” messages, long waits, or error messages during the login process. These issues can be unpredictable and very frustrating when you just want to watch something.

3. Limited Features Beyond Videos

It’s not just the videos that might be blocked. Other parts of the Bilibili experience might also not work when you’re abroad.

• Live Streaming Restrictions: Bilibili’s live streaming is a big part of its community. However, many live events, concerts, specific gaming streams, or even some individual streamers might be geo-restricted. This is often due to specific licensing deals for live broadcasts or certain events. You might find you can’t watch a particular live show, even if other pre-recorded videos from the same creator are available.
• Interactive Games and Community Events: Bilibili often has interactive games, lucky draws, or community events linked to its videos. Many of these might be restricted to mainland Chinese users only. This could be because they use local payment systems, require specific user verification (like a Chinese ID), or are simply designed for the mainland audience. This means you might miss out on a lot of the community fun.
• Payment Method Restrictions: If you want to subscribe to a premium Bilibili membership or buy specific content, you might find that overseas credit cards or international payment methods aren’t accepted. Or, the payment system itself might be geo-restricted. Chinese payment apps like Alipay and WeChat Pay are widely used, but linking them to international bank accounts can be complex or impossible. This makes it hard to access premium content or support your favorite creators.
• Specific Content and Services: Bilibili has a rich ecosystem that includes not just videos but also comics, novels, merchandise shops, and more. Some of these comics or novels might not be available outside China due to copyright. The merchandise shop might not ship internationally or accept international payments, making it impossible to buy Bilibili-themed items. This means overseas users can’t fully experience all that Bilibili offers.

These extra challenges can make using Bilibili from abroad quite frustrating, even when you try to get around the main content blocks.

Practical Solutions

Now that we understand why these problems happen, let’s talk about how to fix them. There are several effective ways to bypass geo-restrictions and enjoy Chinese TV shows and Bilibili content. The most reliable way is using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or a special “Return-to-China” accelerator.

1. Use a VPN or Return-to-China Accelerator

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is your strongest tool for solving geo-restriction and network speed issues. A VPN works by making a secure, encrypted connection (like a private tunnel) between your device and a server that is in a different place. When you connect to a VPN server in mainland China, your internet traffic looks like it’s coming from that server’s location. This means Bilibili (or any other Chinese platform) will see a Chinese IP address, allowing you to get past regional blocks.

Main Benefits of Using a VPN/Accelerator:

• Bypass Geo-Restrictions: This is the biggest benefit. By getting a Chinese IP address, you can watch content that’s usually blocked outside mainland China.
• Improve Connection Speed and Stability: Good VPNs and accelerators use optimized servers and special network lines. This can greatly reduce latency (ping) and buffering, making your streaming much smoother, even for high-definition (HD) videos.
• Boost Security and Privacy: Most VPNs encrypt your internet traffic. This protects what you do online from your internet provider (ISP), hackers, and other groups. It keeps your personal information and Browse history private.

Your VPN guide for returning from overseas! Super professional review!

When choosing a VPN or accelerator, look for services that:

• Have servers located in mainland China or Hong Kong. (Some Chinese streaming services accept Hong Kong IP addresses for certain content.)
• Offer fast speeds and stable connections for streaming.
• Are good at getting past China’s “Great Firewall” (a system that watches and blocks internet traffic).
• Have easy-to-use apps for all your devices (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, etc.).
• Have a “no-logs” policy (meaning they don’t keep records of your online activity) to protect your privacy.
• Offer good customer support in case you have problems.

Here are 7 recommended VPNs/Accelerators that can help you access Chinese content from abroad:

1. ExpressVPN
   • Highlights: ExpressVPN is a top VPN service, very well-known for its super fast speeds and incredibly stable connections. It has a huge network of servers all over the world, including very good servers in Hong Kong (which often work well for Chinese streaming platforms like Bilibili and Tencent Video).
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: It uses strong encryption (AES-256) to keep your data safe and private. Its apps are very easy to use on many devices (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, routers). Even though it costs a bit more, its excellent performance and reliable service make it a top choice if you want smooth streaming without interruptions. It’s often praised for consistently getting past geo-blocks.
2. NordVPN
   • Highlights: NordVPN offers a huge number of servers globally, with a strong presence in Asia. It’s famous for its strong privacy features, including a strict no-logs policy, meaning your online activities stay private.
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: NordVPN has special features like Double VPN (for extra encryption) and Obfuscated Servers. These are designed to get past strict network rules, which makes them very good at bypassing China’s Great Firewall. This helps you get a stable connection to Chinese streaming services. NordVPN often has special deals, so you can get a lot of features and good security for your money.
3. Surfshark VPN
   • Highlights: Surfshark VPN is very popular because it lets you have unlimited simultaneous connections with just one subscription. This means you can secure all your devices – laptops, phones, tablets, smart TVs – and even share the account with family members, all watching Bilibili or Chinese shows at the same time.
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: It has many servers and offers fast, stable connections that are perfect for watching high-definition videos. Surfshark also cares a lot about user privacy and offers customer support 24/7. It’s often a more affordable choice while still working very well.
4. IPVanish VPN
   • Highlights: IPVanish VPN does a great job at protecting user privacy, letting you browse and stream without worrying about your personal information. It has a good network of servers and generally provides fast connection speeds, which is important for watching HD content on Bilibili or other Chinese platforms.
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: It works on a wide range of devices, including computers, mobile phones, tablets, and smart TVs, giving you many ways to access Bilibili. IPVanish usually offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try the service without risk to see if it works well for accessing Chinese content.
5. Private Internet Access VPN (PIA VPN)
   • Highlights: PIA VPN is known for its strong privacy features and excellent security. It uses advanced encryption to create a safe channel for your data, protecting your information from being stolen or watched.
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: PIA VPN has servers all over the world, and it offers fast connection speeds, which helps you get a stable streaming experience on Bilibili. It’s generally more affordable with good prices and often has discounts, making it a good choice if you have a smaller budget but still want a reliable service. While it might have fewer servers in some specific places compared to more expensive VPNs, it’s usually enough to unblock Bilibili.
6. VyprVPN
   • Highlights: VyprVPN is special because of its unique Chameleon protocol. This protocol is made to stop VPN blocking and deep packet inspection (DPI), which internet providers and governments (like China’s Great Firewall) often use to find and block VPN traffic.
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: The Chameleon protocol helps your VPN connection stay strong and smooth, even in places where VPNs are strictly controlled. This makes it very good for accessing Chinese streaming services. It has a good number of global servers and easy-to-use apps for many devices. They also have different payment plans to fit your needs.
7. Sixfast
   • Highlights: Sixfast is a special “Return-to-China” accelerator made just for Chinese users living abroad who want to access online services in mainland China. It’s designed to solve the specific problems of connecting from outside China.
   • Why it’s great for Bilibili: Sixfast has a network of global server nodes and dedicated lines, which gives you fast and steady internet connections back to China. It’s usually very easy to use, often with a “one-click” connect button that makes getting to Bilibili content simple. It uses strong encryption to keep your privacy safe and works on many devices like Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Sixfast is built to specifically get past geo-restrictions on popular Chinese platforms and give you a smooth streaming experience.

How to Use a VPN/Accelerator:

1. Sign Up: Choose a trusted VPN/accelerator service and buy a plan.
2. Download & Install: Get their app for your device (computer, phone, tablet).
3. Connect to a Chinese Server: Open the app and choose a server located in mainland China or Hong Kong.
4. Open Bilibili/Streaming Site: Once you’re connected, open the Bilibili app or website. You should now be able to watch the content that was blocked before!

2. Account Problems

If you’re having trouble signing up or logging in, don’t worry. Here’s what you can try:

• For Sign-Up Problems (SMS Verification):
  • Ask a Friend/Family in Mainland China: The easiest way to get past SMS verification is to ask a trusted friend or family member in mainland China to receive the verification code for you. They can then tell you the code so you can finish signing up. After you’ve signed up, you might be able to add an email address or another way to verify your account in your settings.
  • Look for Other Sign-Up Methods: Sometimes, platforms like Bilibili might offer other ways to sign up for people outside China. This could be through email verification or linking to international social media accounts (though this is less common for their main services). Always check their official website for new options.
• For Login Problems:
  • Check Your Internet and Time Settings: If you keep getting login errors, first make sure your internet connection is working well. Also, check that your device’s date and time (including the time zone) are correct and synced. Wrong time settings can sometimes stop you from logging in.
  • Reset Password: If problems continue, try using the “Forgot Password” or “Reset Password” feature for your account.
  • Contact Customer Support: If nothing else works, get in touch with Bilibili’s official customer support. Give them all the details: the exact error message, what you’ve already tried, your account details (username, email/phone linked to the account), and where you are right now. More details help them find and fix the problem faster. Look for “Contact Us,” “Help Center,” or “Feedback” options on their website or in the app.

3. Find Other Content Sources: More Ways to Watch

If you still can’t access a specific show on Bilibili, or if you don’t want to use a VPN for everything, think about these other ways to watch:

• Local Streaming Services in Your Country: Many popular Chinese dramas are also licensed to main streaming platforms where you live. For example, Netflix, Viki, or YouTube might have some Chinese dramas with subtitles in your language. Check what they offer. While they might not have everything that’s on Bilibili, they often have a good selection of popular shows.
• Official YouTube Channels: Some Chinese production companies or TV channels have official YouTube channels where they upload full episodes of their dramas, sometimes even with subtitles in different languages. This is a legal and free way to watch some content.
• Physical DVDs/Blu-rays: For older or classic dramas, you might find physical DVDs or Blu-rays that work in your region. This lets you watch offline without any internet restrictions.
• Fan-Made Subtitle Sites (Be Careful): Some fan communities create subtitles for shows and share them online. Be very careful with these, as they might not be legal and can sometimes have security risks. Always try to find legal and official sources first.

Conclusion

Living outside mainland China and wanting to watch your favorite Chinese TV shows or Bilibili content can definitely be a challenge. These issues are caused by complicated copyright laws, business decisions, and differences in internet systems and rules across countries.

However, as we’ve discussed, these problems are not impossible to solve. By understanding why these restrictions exist and using the right tools, you can significantly enhance your watching experience.

Don’t let country borders stop you from enjoying amazing Chinese entertainment. With the right approach and the proper tools, you can easily open up a world of captivating stories and rich culture from anywhere. So, pick your solution, get connected, and get ready to enjoy your favorite Chinese shows and Bilibili content! Happy streaming!