How to use TikTok in India – Bypass Ban and Download App
TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, are under fire from almost every country in which they operate. And it feels like bans could happen at any moment worldwide. That is the current situation for those living in India. When the Indian government took action and banned access to the hugely popular social media platform. But, don’t worry, there’s a way to bypass these bans and continue enjoying TikTok.
Why Was TikTok Banned in India?
Many people are asking why is TikTok Banned in India. Well, the Indian government, back in 2020, saw fit to ban a whole host of Chinese-made apps due to national security concerns.
ByteDance, in particular, was heavily impacted by the ban being based in China and having very strong ties to the Chinese government. Due to this, extremely popular apps such as TikTok and CapCut were both made completely inaccessible to Indian citizens.
What You Need is a TikTok VPN
Thankfully, for those in India, there is still a way to access TikTok, and that’s with a VPN.
A VPN bypasses the TikTok ban by sending your data in an encrypted tunnel through a VPN server located in a different country. Making it appear as though you are browsing the internet from that country. It’s super simple to set up and use as well!
How to install TikTok in India
Currently, if you live in India and go to your app store of choice and search for TikTok, you won’t find anything. Similarly, if you already have it installed, you won’t be able to access the service. That’s where a VPN comes into play. Here’s a quick guide to get you back to using TikTok:
- Choose a reliable VPN provider (recommendations below) that has dedicated apps for your device
- Download and install the VPN provider’s app to your device
- Open the VPN app, login, and select a VPN server located in a country where TikTok isn’t banned (the UK or Germany is a good choice)
- Once connected, go to the app store for your device (Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS)
- Search for TikTok and install the app on your device
- Login to your TikTok account and enjoy!
TikTok may still not show on your app store even with a VPN. This is due to your account being registered within India. If that happens, you should do the following – while VPN is turned on, you must change your app store location to country where TikTok isn’t banned, for example United Kingdom. After you change app store location, you should be able to see TikTok in the list of available apps and download it.
Now you know how simple it is to regain access to TikTok, let’s have a look at the best VPNs for the job:
Best Paid VPN for TikTok
If you want to make sure you can always access TikTok in India, then it’s worth paying and going with a premium VPN. Especially if you want to use it for more than just social media, like streaming.
1. Surfshark
If you want the benefits of a paid VPN without having to part with a considerable amount of cash, then Surfshark is the provider for you.
Key Features
- Servers in 100 countries mean TikTok will be accessible
- Audited and proven to not store logs
- Unlimited connections, so your whole family can use it
- Cleanly designed apps for all major platforms including Android and iOS
- Great pricing for the features you get
- Speeds are fast and connections are reliable
- Support for the latest protocols including WireGuard
- Server obfuscation feature allows you to hide your use of a VPN from your ISP
Pros
- Unlimited connections
- Prices start from just $2.19 a month
- 100 countries supported
- Independently audited
- Apps are well-designed and easy to use
Cons
- Based in the Netherlands, a country that partakes in mass surveillance
- If you care about streaming from platforms like Netflix, it isn’t great
Best Free VPN For TikTok
If you just want to use TikTok from India, a free VPN will cover you. Not all free VPNs are created equal though, so choose wisely!
1. hide.me VPN
When deciding on a free VPN, the most important thing is privacy. hide.me VPN don’t track or sell info of their free users. You also get unlimited data and a decent selection of servers so you can watch TikTok to your heart’s content.
Key Features
- Unlimited data for free users (speeds are throttled)
- Great free server selection for accessing TikTok
- Confirmed zero-logs with an independent audit
- Free and paid users get the same security and privacy
- Doesn’t inject ads or trackers for free users
- No account needed — get started without providing an email address
- Easy-to-use apps make using TikTok simple
Pros
- Doesn’t sell your data
- Headquartered in a country with good privacy laws
- Unlimited data allows you to watch TikTok without fear
- Android and iOS are both supported
- A good selection of server locations including France, Germany, and the UK
Cons
- Speeds are throttled, so TikTok content may sometimes feel sluggish
- Only one device is allowed per account
Quick Comparison of VPNs for India
| VPN Name | Lowest Monthly Price | Headquarter Country | Number of Countries Supported | Data Limit | Dedicated app support | Simultaneous Connections | Audited No-Logs Policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | $2.19 | Netherlands | 100 | Unlimited | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Smart TVs | Unlimited | Yes |
| hide.me VPN | Free | Malaysia | 8 (free plan) | Unlimited | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Smart TVs | 1 | Yes |
Freely Use TikTok in India
Think of a VPN as your passport to use the platforms you want without worrying about pesky governmental interference. Going forward, more apps could be banned, but a VPN will always be there to keep you connected to the people you care about the most.
FAQ about TikTok in India
It is perfectly legal to still use TikTok in India. The ban is only about ByteDance operating the social media platform in the country.
For those with an Android device, you can install apps from outside the Play Store. All you have to do is find the APK (similar to a .exe in Windows) and enable the option to install apps from unknown sources.
The problem with doing this is many malicious apps out there will steal your data. TikTok is no exception here. Only ever install apps this way if you are 100% sure they are legitimate. If you aren’t sure, don’t take the risk. You could lose your TikTok account or worse.
VPNs are legal in India. Though the Indian government has laws about operating a service in the country. It requires VPN providers to store logs of their users. This led to most VPN providers removing their servers from the country as they refused to compromise user privacy.
The first country to ban TikTok was Bangladesh back in 2018. It was banned by the Bangladeshi government as part of a wider effort to restrict access to pornography and gambling websites.
There have been no rumblings of India even starting to consider unbanning TikTok and other Chinese apps.