Blocked Apps by Country: Where WhatsApp, Google and Others Don't Work (2026)
The countries that block the most apps travelers rely on are China (Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and more), Russia (WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, YouTube since 2026) and Iran. In the Gulf, including the UAE, messaging works but app voice and video calls are often blocked. Most other popular destinations, from Turkey to Vietnam, work normally apart from occasional short blocks. Check the table below for your destination, set up alternatives before you fly, and remember that a travel eSIM does not get around every block.
This guide is the hub for our country-by-country guides. It shows which major apps work in 12 countries travelers ask about most, what changed in 2025 and 2026, and where to read more. Status was checked on October 10, 2026; blocks change quickly, so check again in the week before you travel.
Blocked apps by country: the 2026 table
| Country | WhatsApp messages | WhatsApp calls | Telegram | YouTube | Instagram / Facebook | X | TikTok | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked (Douyin instead) |
| Russia | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Works | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Limited by TikTok |
| Iran | Restricted | Restricted | Blocked | Heavily filtered | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked | Blocked |
| United Arab Emirates | Works | Blocked | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
| Saudi Arabia | Works | Mostly blocked, unclear | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
| Qatar | Works | Unreliable, unclear | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
| Oman | Works | Reported working since late 2024 | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
| Egypt | Works | Restricted | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
| Turkey | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
| Pakistan | Works, disrupted at times | Works, disrupted at times | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works since May 2025 | Works |
| India | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Blocked since 2020 |
| Vietnam | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works | Works |
"Works" means no standing block we could find. Several of these countries throttle or cut access temporarily during protests, elections or exams, and a few cells rest on user reports rather than official statements, which is why we say "unclear" or "reported" where that is the case.
Country notes
China
China's national filter blocks Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, Telegram, Wikipedia and most foreign news sites on Wi-Fi and Chinese SIM cards. A travel eSIM whose data exits in Hong Kong or Singapore usually gets around this on mobile data. Read our guides to Google in China and YouTube in China.
Russia
Russia tightened sharply in 2025 and 2026: WhatsApp and Telegram calls were restricted in August 2025, WhatsApp was blocked in February 2026, and Telegram was largely blocked from March 2026. YouTube has been blocked since February 2026 after about 18 months of throttling, Instagram, Facebook and X have been blocked since 2022, and FaceTime has been restricted since late 2025. Since July 2026 roaming traffic is filtered too, so a travel eSIM no longer helps, and new foreign SIMs lose data and SMS for 24 hours. Start with WhatsApp in Russia, then our guides to the 24-hour data block, mobile internet shutdowns, Wi-Fi, travel apps and SIM cards.
Iran
Iran unblocked WhatsApp and Google Play in December 2024, but Instagram, Telegram, YouTube and X stayed blocked. In 2026 the country went through long internet shutdowns, starting in January and including a near-total blackout from late February until late May, and access since then has been heavily filtered, with WhatsApp working only intermittently.
The Gulf: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman
Messaging apps work across the Gulf; the restriction is on voice and video calls through apps. In the UAE, WhatsApp, FaceTime Audio and similar calls are blocked and only licensed calling apps work. In Oman users have reported WhatsApp calls working since late 2024, without official confirmation. In Saudi Arabia brief reports of working calls in 2025 were not confirmed and most users still find them blocked, and in Qatar calls are often unreliable. Plan on ordinary calls or licensed apps for anything important.
Egypt
Egypt has long restricted app voice calls, and Freedom House still reported several calling services inaccessible in 2025, although many travelers find calls work. Many websites, especially news sites, are blocked.
Turkey
Turkey blocks many individual websites and accounts, and it throttled social and messaging apps for about 42 hours in March 2025, mainly in Istanbul, and for about 21 hours in Istanbul in September 2025. Outside those episodes, the major apps work. Turkey has also blocked dozens of eSIM sellers' websites and apps since July 2025, so buy and install your eSIM before you fly.
Pakistan, India and Vietnam
Pakistan blocked X from February 2024 until May 2025, has disrupted WhatsApp at times, and has been blocking unregistered VPNs since late 2025. India has banned TikTok since 2020 and uses regional internet shutdowns. Vietnam blocked Telegram from May to July 2025; otherwise the major apps work.
Also heavily restricted, though fewer travelers visit: North Korea, Turkmenistan and Myanmar, where most foreign platforms are blocked and VPN use is restricted or illegal.
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View eSIM plansDoes a travel eSIM get around app blocks?
Sometimes. A travel eSIM usually sends your data back to its operator abroad, so local filters often do not see it. That is why it usually works for Google and WhatsApp in mainland China. It does not help in Russia since July 2026, it does not help on hotel Wi-Fi, and no SIM gets around a network shutdown. Our guide to whether an eSIM bypasses censorship explains the details country by country, and each Zyesims plan page now shows the country where its data exits.
What Zyesims plans can and cannot do
Our plans give you mobile data from the moment you land, and each plan page shows where its data exits: Hong Kong or Singapore for China, the United Kingdom for Russia, Europe for the UAE, and the Netherlands for Turkey. In China that usually means Google and WhatsApp work on mobile data. In Russia it does not get around the blocks, and in the UAE the call block may still apply. We do not sell plans for Iran. Our plans are data-only, so ordinary calls need your own SIM.
How to prepare for a country with blocked apps
- Check the table above and our country guide for your destination in the week before you fly.
- Agree on a backup with family: ordinary calls, iMessage, WeChat or a locally licensed app.
- Install and update apps at home, because app stores and app websites can be blocked locally.
- Download offline maps, documents and translation packs.
- Buy and install your eSIM before departure, and check where its data exits.
- Check the law before using a VPN: some countries prohibit unapproved VPNs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries block WhatsApp in 2026?
China blocks WhatsApp completely, and Russia blocked it nationwide in February 2026. Iran unblocked it in December 2024 but access remains restricted. In the UAE, and less clearly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, messages work but WhatsApp calls are blocked or unreliable. North Korea and Turkmenistan also block it.
Which apps don't work in China?
Google services, Gmail, Google Maps, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, Telegram and Wikipedia are blocked on Chinese networks. They usually work on a travel eSIM whose data exits in Hong Kong or Singapore, but only on mobile data, not hotel Wi-Fi.
Is Telegram blocked in Russia?
Mostly, yes. Telegram calls were restricted in August 2025, the app was throttled from February 2026 and largely blocked from mid-March 2026, with a near-total block reported in April. A travel eSIM no longer gets around Russian blocks.
Can you make WhatsApp calls in Dubai?
Usually not. The UAE blocks voice and video calls through WhatsApp, FaceTime Audio and similar apps, while WhatsApp messages work. Use ordinary phone calls or one of the calling apps licensed in the UAE.
Is X (Twitter) working in Pakistan?
Yes. Pakistan blocked X from February 2024 and restored access in May 2025. The country has disrupted other apps, including WhatsApp, at times, and has been blocking unregistered VPNs since late 2025.
Which countries ban TikTok?
Among popular destinations, India has banned TikTok since 2020 and China only offers its domestic version, Douyin. Iran blocks it, and in Russia TikTok itself has limited its service since 2022. Several other governments have restricted it for government devices or for short periods.
Keep reading
- Does an eSIM Bypass Internet Censorship? It Depends on the Country (2026)
- Does WhatsApp Work in Russia? 2026 Status, Telegram and What to Use Instead
- Does Google Work in China? Service-by-Service Guide for Travelers (2026)
- YouTube Blocked in China? Where It Works and How to Watch It (2026)
- Russia's Mobile Internet Shutdowns and Whitelist (2026): What Travelers Need to Know
A travel and tech enthusiast who loves to wander and discover new places. Mihi writes Zyesims' guides to eSIMs and mobile data abroad, built from carriers' and app makers' own documentation, published plan terms and Zyesims' current plan data, with sources named in each article. Mihi also writes about travel at MihiTravel and Notemeeting.
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