Douyin is Tiktok’s Chinese counterpart that has over 600 million active monthly users - however, those outside China can’t download it.
If you take a look at your phone’s Play Store or App Store, you can only find Tiktok and not Douyin. However, there are simple ways to download the app even if you’re not from China.
In this article, we’re going to show you how to easily download Douyin from anywhere in the world. But, before we get into that, let’s take a look at why China banned Tiktok domestically and Douyin internationally.
Why can't you install Douyin Through The App Store and Playstore Outside of China?
Douyin and Tiktok are both products of the same company - Bytedance. The tech startup first introduced Douyin to China back in September of 2016. Two years later, Douyin became popular enough for expansion overseas.
Afterward, Bytedance acquired Musical.ly, a popular video sharing app, and merged the features of Douyin with it and created Tiktok. However, Tiktok was never launched in China - it was only pushed internationally in 2017.
But, much like Tiktok, Douyin covers a broad range of niches ranging from fashion, cosmetics, music, film, food, gaming, and more! Furthermore, it also serves as a massive e-commerce platform for brands to advertise their products to.
However, despite all these features, China is notorious for its tight policies on foreign media platforms and content. Therefore, even though Douyin and Tiktok were both invented by a Chinese business, the latter cannot be used in China because of constraints.
Douyin also restricts access to content from other countries and has limits in place to keep children from overusing the program. Furthermore, a Time article stated that the Chinese state owns a stake in Bytedance and manages social media content and information networks.
So, now that we know why Douyin isn’t accessible outside of China, here is a simple guide on how to download the app from anywhere in the world.
How To Download Douyin App For Android and iOS [Updated 2022]
Even though you can’t install Douyin through conventional methods, there are still workarounds that we can use. The ways to download the app are slightly different for Android and iOS but it works all the same.
That said, here are the steps on how to get Douyin Outside of China:
Installing Douyin On Android
Unless you’re in Mainland China, there is no way that you can find Douyin on your App Store or Play Store. For this reason, you need to go to Douyin’s official website and get the installation files there.
Step 1: Go to Douyin’s Official Website and Download APK
Visit douyin.com on your device and scroll down to the bottom of the page until you find a button similar to the one in pink:
If you can’t manage to find it there or access the website using your mobile device. You can try changing your location or region. Alternatively, you can try and find the APK of the Douyin elsewhere. However, this is highly dangerous and not recommended.
Step 2: Approve the Installation
For unverified apps downloaded outside of Android’s Play Store, users will be prompted to “Allow From This Source” before installing the APK. Simply turn on this feature after the download and begin installing.
Step 3: Install the Douyin App
After verifying that you can allow installation from outside sources, all that’s left to do is to install the application. To do so, go to your file manager and look for your most recent downloads and find the APK file you downloaded earlier.
Click on it and proceed with the installation.
Step 4: Open The App
You can’t automatically change the language settings for Douyin with Android. That’s why installation and creating an account can be a bit tricky. Luckily, all that’s left to do are a series of simple steps in order to finalize the installation process and use Douyin:
Accept the terms and conditions, click 'OK.' (好的) pop-up
In the lower right corner, click the 'Me' (我) tab.
Enter your cell phone number in the space provided (with the correct country code)
To send a code, press the pink button marked "Send code" (获取短信验证码).
For security purposes, use the slider to move the puzzle piece and finish it.
Input the code that was delivered to your phone through text message.
In the pink button (登录), click 'Login'.
Installing Douyin on iOS
Downloading and installing apps on iOS requires more effort than android due to security features built into the system. However, you can easily download Douyin on iOS with these simple steps:
Step 1: Change your Apple ID Region to Mainland China
Unlike for Android phones that require you to download an APK, you need to install Douyin through the official Apple App Store. To do this, you need to trick the App Store into thinking you’re inside Mainland China.
Here are the steps on how to do so:
Launch the App Store.
Click the symbol located in the upper right corner of the screen to access your profile
After that, open up your profile by clicking on your name or email address.
Simply select your country or region from the menu.
From the list of countries, select "China Mainland" to proceed.
Step 2: Find Douyin on the App Store
Now that you’ve successfully changed your region, you can proceed with finding Douyin within the App Store. Now, all that’s left to do is to click on install.
Step 3: Launch Douyin and Create an Account
From your home screen, launch the Douyin app that you just installed. Thankfully, Apple phone users don’t have to go through the trouble of looking at Chinese characters when creating an account. After changing your region, the App will automatically convert into English.
Similar to what we did for Android, Apple users have to follow these steps to create a Douyin account:
Click 'OK' to accept the terms.
On the lower right, click 'Me'.
Enter your mobile number (with the correct country code)
Press "Send code" to receive a code from Douyin.
Use the slider to complete the puzzle for security purposes.
Enter the code you received from the SMS/text message.
Press the pink login button.
No Hassle Way Of Downloading And Creating An Account With Douyin
Douyin is a powerful platform for marketers and brands alike. And, for aspiring influencers, the platform is a great place to find new ideas that are sure to go viral!
Unfortunately, the download process can be difficult especially for those who aren’t tech savvy. More importantly, even if you managed to download the app, the main issue is access to a cell phone number registered in Mainland China. You can’t finalize your account without it.
Luckily, you can skip all this hassle with SODA Global Marketing. With the help of our services - all you have to do is focusing on your brand or product while we connect you to a massive Chinese audience through Douyin.
And, with the help of our professional Marketing Team, you’d gain access to powerful tools that will help boost your brand in the highly competitive Chinese market. So, talk to us and our expert team will help you create a strong marketing strategy in China! Book a free meeting today!