How to Create a Baidu Account from Outside China

Shopping on Taobao is usually straightforward for me. However, I recently encountered an issue where I purchased a digital item, and the seller provided a download link via Baidu Cloud. Baidu Cloud is similar to Dropbox but is China’s version. Consequently, accessing the purchased digital files requires a Baidu account. But there’s a catch: registering for Baidu requries a Chinese phone number.

As someone outside China, acquiring a Chinese phone number is challenging. This situation led me to explore alternative methods to register a Baidu account as a foreigner without a Chinese phone number. If you’re facing a similar dilemma in obtaining a Baidu account, this guide could be beneficial.

When you visit Baidu.com and switch to the English version, you’ll notice that there is no apparent option to register for an account.

The option to sign up is concealed within the “Log in” button.

Attempting to sign up here typically fails, as it requires a Chinese phone number for verification.

Signing up directly via Baidu.com’s official website doesn’t work. However, I discovered that adding ?reg&overseas=1 to the URL https://passport.baidu.com/v2/ allows non-Chinese residents to register.

The complete URL is: https://passport.baidu.com/v2/?reg&overseas=1

You simply need to provide the correct country code for your phone, a phone number, a username, and a password. Then click “get verification code,” verify your phone number, and you’re set!

However, I encountered an issue where the verification code was labeled “Likely-SCAM” and was hidden.

If you don’t receive your verification code via SMS, check your text inbox’s spam folder.

And that’s it! Now you know how to sign up for a Baidu account, giving you access to its search engine, Baidu Cloud, and other services. I hope this guide is helpful!