How to watch iQIYI abroad

For the iQIYI phone app, the Yinhe Qiyiguo TV app and the website

In short: many dramas, variety shows and films on the China version of iQIYI are licensed for mainland China only, so when you open them abroad you hit a region restriction. Install Homeway, light the moon gate, then fully close iQIYI and reopen it, and the show will play. It works with the China-version iQIYI app on your phone, Yinhe Qiyiguo on your TV and the iQIYI website on your computer.

What happens when you open iQIYI abroad

The China version of iQIYI opens and lets you sign in abroad, and you can see show covers and descriptions. It gets stuck when you press play. Typically:

you’re told the video is “only available in mainland China” or “not available in your region”;
only trailers, extras or clips play, and the full episode won’t start;
on the TV, Yinhe Qiyiguo shows a black screen or a spinner and never starts playing.

It has nothing to do with membership: paid accounts are blocked abroad too. The platform decides where you are from where its playback-check requests come from. See “Only available in mainland China” errors for the details.

iQIYI international vs. the China version

iQIYI runs a separate international version for viewers outside China (the app usually shows as iQIYI and the website is iq.com). It works abroad as is and doesn’t need Homeway, but it’s a different platform from the China version (iqiyi.com):

Different catalogue: the international version only carries shows licensed for overseas audiences. Many dramas, variety shows and films on the China version aren’t there, or update on a different schedule.
Separate accounts and memberships: a China-version membership doesn’t carry over to the international version, and vice versa.
Easy to mix up: search for iQIYI in an app store outside China and you’ll usually find the international version. Check which one you have: the China version looks exactly as it does in China.

Homeway supports the China version of iQIYI. If the international version has what you want, just use it. If it doesn’t, or you already have a China-version membership, use the China version with Homeway and you get the same catalogue as in China.

Getting started on phone, TV and computer

Phone or tablet

Install Homeway: on Android, follow the Android guide; on iPhone or iPad, get it from the App Store.
Make sure the iQIYI app on your phone is the China version. On Android you can download it from iQIYI’s official website.
Sign in to Homeway with an email code, light the moon gate, fully close iQIYI (swipe it away from recent apps), reopen it and play the show that was blocked.

TV or TV box: use Yinhe Qiyiguo

The TV version of iQIYI is called Yinhe Qiyiguo (银河奇异果) and is designed for a remote. Don’t install the phone app on your TV: the remote often won’t work and the layout is portrait.

Install the Homeway TV app on an Android TV / Google TV set or box; see the TV and TV box guide. Samsung and LG TVs can’t install it natively; see Samsung and LG TVs.
Yinhe Qiyiguo usually isn’t on Google Play outside China. Download the TV APK from iQIYI’s official website and install it the same way you installed Homeway. Stick to the official site rather than third-party download sites.
Scan the QR code on the TV with your phone to sign in to Homeway, light the moon gate, then open Yinhe Qiyiguo.

Computer

On Windows, install the Windows app; on a Mac or any other computer, use the browser extension for Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
Light the moon gate and open the China-version iQIYI website (iqiyi.com) in your browser. If the page was already open, just refresh it.

What about memberships?

Homeway only lifts the region restriction; it doesn’t include an iQIYI membership. Free content plays as soon as Homeway is on. For members-only episodes, early access and higher picture quality, sign in to your own membership account in iQIYI.

An account registered in China signs in abroad as usual, by phone number, WeChat or QR code.
A phone membership doesn’t always cover TVs. To watch members-only content on Yinhe Qiyiguo you may need a higher tier that includes TV, so check which devices are covered before you subscribe.

Will it buffer?

Homeway only relays the playback-check and stream-address requests. The video itself still downloads from the server nearest you, instead of detouring through China the way a VPN back to China does. 1080p generally needs a steady 5 Mbps or more, and 4K needs 15–25 Mbps. If it still buffers, work through how to fix buffering.

FAQ

I have an iQIYI VIP membership. Why am I still blocked abroad?

A membership decides which shows you can watch; the region restriction is about where you are, and the two are unrelated. Light the moon gate in Homeway, fully close iQIYI and reopen it, and the show will play. Members-only content still needs your own membership account.

Is my iQIYI app the international version or the China version?

Look at the website and account: the international version is iq.com and the China version is iqiyi.com, and the China version’s interface and channels match what you see in China. The app you find in app stores outside China is usually the international version. That one doesn’t need Homeway; Homeway supports the China version.

Which app should I install on my TV to watch iQIYI?

Install the TV app Yinhe Qiyiguo, downloaded as an APK from iQIYI’s official website. Your TV needs to run Android TV / Google TV, or you can plug in an Android TV box.

Homeway is on but I still see “only available in mainland China”. What now?

Check that the moon gate is lit and that no other VPN-type app is running at the same time. Then fully close iQIYI and reopen it, or refresh the page on a computer. If it still won’t play, email support@homeway.tv with your device model and the show’s name. More troubleshooting is in “Only available in mainland China” errors.

Will Homeway affect my other apps?

No. Homeway only works on supported Chinese video apps. Local streaming sites, browsing and games connect directly as usual, with no switching on and off.

Other platforms: Tencent Video, Youku, Mango TV, Bilibili, Migu Video and QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music; the full list is on Supported apps. For your country, see the country guides.

Try Homeway

New users get a 7-day free trial on every device, no card required. After that you can keep using it free on one phone, or subscribe to Standard (2 devices) or Family (5 devices) for your TV and computer.

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