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In January 2025, TikTok had a brief ban in the U.S. before it was rolled back for negotiations after a public outcry. If you’re worried about TikTok getting banned again, consider using a VPN to change your location for continued access.
During the ban, we tried out different VPNs with TikTok and found the app was still blocked, but we were able to get access on a browser. We tested using a VPN with TikTok again and documented the step-by-step process. Below, we use CyberGhost VPN to show you how easy it is to use TikTok on a browser with the service active.
Read on for more information, as well as what we think are the best VPNs for you to try.
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When the brief TikTok ban went into effect in January 2025, Americans lost access to TikTok for a few days. During that time, we tested out a bunch of VPNs to see if we could restore access. For us, using TikTok on our phone with a VPN became difficult, but desktop access was a different story.
Using TikTok on a desktop is weird, but it works. As long as you stick to a reliable VPN, you should be able to use TikTok. For this test, we used our personal CyberGhost VPN.
To use a VPN with TikTok, try the following steps:
We set the server to Canada, as it’s an English-speaking country that doesn’t have a TikTok ban. For Americans, good choices would be Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Australia.
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Censorship and bans aren’t easy roadblocks to navigate around. During the January 2025 TikTok ban, we weren’t able to use it on our mobile devices, even with a VPN connected. This could be for a number of reasons, including the fact that the app configuration on our mobile may not be affected by the VPN. Desktops were much easier to access, and this likely correlates with how information is shared on different devices.
If you want to access TikTok from a banned country, make sure to activate your VPN first before opening your TikTok app.
If it still doesn’t work, you may need to switch to the desktop browser. Using a service like NordVPN, which offers a double VPN, can help you to sidestep any censorship issues by routing your internet traffic through two different VPN servers instead of just one.
The best VPNs for TikTok are going to have several features in common. To bypass censorship, you need a strong VPN connection with proven encryption technology and a strict no-logs protocol to keep your identity hidden.
Here are the necessary features we recommend in a VPN for TikTok:
Yes, we have successfully used a VPN with TikTok. We’ve had more success on a desktop browser than with the TikTok app on our mobile. Using TikTok on a computer might feel foreign, but at least you’ll have access. You may even be able to reduce the number of TikTok ads with a VPN.
You may get a shadowban on TikTok if you change your location too many times while using the app. That throws up red flags to the platform. If you stick with the same server and the exact location, you’ll likely have no issue.
Yes, a VPN will change the location where you appear to be by masking your real IP address and assigning you a fake one. If you’re an American looking for a way to bypass a possible future TikTok ban, we suggest using a reliable and trustworthy VPN service to change your location and continue to use the platform.
Even though the Trump administration mandated the TikTok ban in August 2020, it still hasn’t fully been executed in the United States. The app is currently still functional, likely because users became vocal in their opposition to a potential ban. TikTok isn’t out of the woods yet, so you still have time to get a VPN and get used to using it in case a real ban ever does go into effect.
A trustworthy VPN is going to make sure you can still access TikTok, no matter the political climate. Pick a VPN provider that fits your needs and budget, and make sure it’s set up and ready. We suggest NordVPN as the best overall, but there’s more than one VPN that’s the best for TikTok.
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