How to use Douyin without a Chinese number

The popularity of douyin, already known as the Chinese version of TikTok, is growing like wildfire. Especially among international users. But, Can you use Douyin without a Chinese number? We are obviously referring to a telephone number in this country.

In principle, this app is designed primarily for the Chinese market. This entails a number of restrictions when creating an account outside of China. These include: the need to have a Chinese phone number to register. And this creates a barrier that, for many foreign users, becomes an insurmountable obstacle. Or maybe not...

What is Douyin and why is it so interesting?

Douyin is the original, local version of TikTok in China, developed by tech giant ByteDance. While TikTok and Douyin share many similarities in terms of aesthetics and functionality, they operate as two completely independent applications. Basically, it all comes down to this: while TikTok is used outside of China, Douyin is optimized exclusively for the Chinese market. To better understand these differences, we recommend reading this article where we explain it in more detail.

But Why is Douyin so attractive to international users? Above all, it's due to the type of content it hosts: educational videos, high-quality entertainment, unique local trends, and a very active and diverse community of creators. In fact, many consider Douyin's content to be more elaborate and valuable than TikTok's.

In addition to this, the ban on TikTok in countries like the United States has pushed many people to seek similar alternatives. And Douyin appears to be one of the most interesting options.

Access restrictions from outside China

Douyin does not allow registration with phone numbers from most Western countries. The app verifies the country of the number during the registration process., and in most cases requires it to be Chinese. Or through a number of other Asian countries authorized to use Douyin without a Chinese number.

You can try it with VPN to simulate a Chinese IP, but even then the Douyin system will request additional validations, such as a Chinese phone number or a Chinese ID.

Douyin has officially denied opening registration to users outside of China, despite the appearance of videos recorded in regions such as Egypt and the United Kingdom. Company officials asserted that many of these accounts are managed from China but by foreigners, using verified local accounts.

In other words: although It is possible to access Douyin from abroad as a viewer., creating an account without a Chinese number is a more complex task.

What options are available for creating a Douyin account from outside China?

One of the most widespread solutions currently is the using Chinese virtual numbers to register on Douyin. Platforms like Grizzly SMS They allow you to acquire temporary numbers that meet the app's requirements to create an account.

Using this method You don't have to live in China or know someone who lives there, which makes things much easier. This way it is possible to use Douyin without a Chinese number

Steps to get a Chinese virtual number

Here's how to create a Douyin account using a virtual Chinese number from the Grizzly SMS website. The process is quite simple:

1. Visit the official Grizzly SMS website and create a personal account (or log in if you already have one).
2. Search for “Douyin” in the list of available services.
3. Select China as your country in the supported country selector.
4. Click “GET” next to the selected country to receive a temporary number.
5. Open the Douyin app and enter the number along with the correct international prefix (+86).
6. Wait for the verification SMS to arrive in your Grizzly SMS account and enter the code into the app to complete your registration.

This process has certain limitationsDouyin may not always send the SMS on the first try, or registration may fail. In this case, Grizzly SMS allows you to cancel the number purchase within the first 20 minutes if no message has been received.

What to do if you can't log in even with a created account?

Sometimes, even after completing the registration successfully, The app may give you access problems if it detects inconsistencies in the IP or connection type. This situation is quite common and does not mean that the method is invalid; to use Douyin without a Chinese number, you simply have to repeat the process with another number.

Grizzly SMS allows you to purchase multiple numbers, so you can try several until one works correctly. Keep in mind that Douyin is very restrictive with foreign connections, and its system easily detects when an account does not belong to a person residing in China.

Legal and technical limitations to take into account

Douyin is under heavy pressure content censorship imposed by the Chinese government, Therefore, certain topics or posts may result in the account being deleted. This is especially relevant for foreign users who are unfamiliar with the "sensitive areas" of Chinese cyberspace.

Furthermore, The app can detect suspicious usage patterns if you change your number or IP location frequently. It's recommended not to overuse inconsistent VPNs or location-changing tools. Therefore, if you're going to use Douyin professionally, it's best to have a stable account with a local number that doesn't trigger alerts on the platform's security systems.

In the last months, Douyin has removed thousands of fake accounts or those managed by foreign users. who were posing as Chinese citizens. Therefore, to use Douyin without a Chinese number, it's important to follow the platform's rules if you want to keep your account active.