DeepSeek Availability by Country: Where DeepSeek Works and Where It’s Restricted

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

DeepSeek availability by country is not a single yes-or-no question. As of May 9, 2026, DeepSeek promotes access through web chat, mobile app, and API, but availability can differ by country, app store, API eligibility, government rules, and workplace policy. Some countries restrict DeepSeek only on official devices, while others have app-store, privacy, or consumer-level measures. Use this guide to check DeepSeek availability before using it for personal, business, development, or regulated work.

Not legal advice: This article summarizes public availability signals and official restrictions. For regulated, government, legal, financial, healthcare, or confidential work, check your organization’s policy and local legal requirements.

At a glance

Question	Quick answer
Is DeepSeek available worldwide?	Not guaranteed. DeepSeek’s own terms say services may not be available, or may vary, in some jurisdictions.
Is DeepSeek available on web, app, and API?	DeepSeek’s official site advertises web, app, and API access, and its API docs list current API models and endpoints.
Are there DeepSeek banned countries?	Some countries or public-sector bodies restrict DeepSeek, but many are government-device bans rather than nationwide consumer bans.
Why is DeepSeek restricted in some places?	The most common reasons are data-transfer, privacy, public-sector security, and confidentiality concerns. DeepSeek’s privacy policy says personal data is directly collected, processed, and stored in China.
What should users check first?	Check the official website, official app stores in your country, the API platform, the service status page, and your employer or government policy.

Methodology

This guide was last checked on May 9, 2026. Availability was assessed from DeepSeek’s official website, Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, API documentation, service status page, government notices, privacy-regulator statements, and high-quality news reports from Reuters and other reputable sources.

The table separates consumer access from government or workplace restrictions because a country may allow private users to access DeepSeek while still banning it on government devices, public-sector networks, or official systems. DeepSeek’s official status page showed the API and web chat services as operational on May 9, 2026, but service uptime is not the same as country-level availability.

DeepSeek availability by country: quick answer

DeepSeek appears broadly accessible to private users in many countries, but DeepSeek availability by country depends on the channel:

• Web chat: Access through DeepSeek’s website may work even where the app store listing is limited.
• Mobile app: Apple App Store and Google Play availability can vary by country or region.
• API: API access depends on DeepSeek’s platform, account eligibility, sanctions/export rules, billing, and local compliance.
• Government/workplace use: Several governments and public bodies restrict DeepSeek on official devices, even where private consumer use is not banned.

DeepSeek’s own Terms of Use state that it does not warrant that services are available or will continue to be available in certain jurisdictions, and that features may vary by jurisdiction. The same terms also include export-control and sanctions restrictions.

How to read DeepSeek availability status

Use these definitions when reading the table:

Available means consumer web, app, or API access appears available and no public nationwide consumer restriction was found as of the last checked date.

App-store limited means the web version may work, but the iOS or Android listing may be unavailable, removed, or region-limited.

Government restricted means private users may still access DeepSeek, but government employees, public-sector bodies, official devices, or state-managed systems are restricted.

Under regulatory scrutiny means regulators have opened inquiries, requested information, filed complaints, or warned users, but no confirmed nationwide consumer ban was found.

Blocked or unavailable means there is a confirmed consumer-level access block, app-store removal, or official access limitation.

Unknown / verify locally means no reliable current source confirmed access for that specific channel. App-store listings can change quickly, so users should check their own Apple or Google region.

DeepSeek country-by-country availability table

Country/Region	Web chat	iOS/Android app	API	Government/workplace restrictions	Current status	Notes
United States	No public nationwide consumer ban found as of May 9, 2026	Verify locally	Available via platform, subject to terms and policy	Commerce Department bureaus and some states restrict DeepSeek on government devices	Government restricted / under scrutiny	Reuters reported Commerce bureau restrictions; Texas and New York announced state government-device bans.
Canada	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and organization policy	Restricted on some Canadian government mobile devices	Government restricted	Canadian reports cited serious privacy concerns and restrictions on Shared Services Canada-managed devices.
United Kingdom	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and organization policy	No nationwide public ban found; government says public use remains personal choice	Available / monitored	UK government said DeepSeek use remains a personal choice for the public while it monitors security risks.
Australia	Private consumer ban not indicated in official direction	Verify locally	Government systems restricted; private API use should check terms	Australian Government entities must prevent use or installation on systems and devices	Government restricted	Australia’s PSPF Direction 001-2025 covers DeepSeek products, apps, web services, and removal from government systems.
New Zealand	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and workplace policy	Parliamentary network restriction reported	Workplace/public-sector restricted	MPs were reportedly told to delete DeepSeek from devices connected to the parliamentary network.
Italy	Restricted / verify current access	Reported unavailable or removed in Italian app stores	Verify locally	Regulatory action by Italy’s data protection authority	Blocked or app-store limited	Italy’s Garante ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after privacy concerns; Reuters also reported Italian app-store unavailability.
Germany	Verify locally	App removal/blocking request made to Apple and Google	Verify locally	Data-protection authority action focused on app stores	Under regulatory scrutiny / app-store risk	Berlin’s data protection commissioner notified Apple and Google that DeepSeek was illegal content in Germany due to data transfers to China.
France	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and compliance	CNIL inquiry	Under regulatory scrutiny	France’s CNIL said it would question DeepSeek about how the system works and privacy risks.
Netherlands	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and workplace policy	Civil-servant/government restrictions reported; privacy investigation	Government restricted / under scrutiny	The Dutch privacy watchdog launched an investigation and urged caution; Reuters later summarized a civil-servant ban.
Belgium	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and workplace policy	Federal government services ban in force	Government restricted / under scrutiny	Belgium’s federal workplace restriction entered into force on December 1, 2025; Belgium also had a privacy complaint.
Czech Republic	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Public administration use banned, including APIs	Public administration ban	Government restricted	NÚKIB said government bodies must not use DeepSeek products, websites, web services, or APIs on state-owned devices.
Ireland	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and compliance	Data regulator requested information	Under regulatory scrutiny	Ireland’s Data Protection Commission requested information about processing related to Irish users.
Spain	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and compliance	Consumer group asked regulator to investigate	Under regulatory scrutiny	Reuters reported that Spain’s OCU asked the data protection agency to investigate, with no ban in force at that time.
Portugal	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and compliance	Consumer complaint reported	Under regulatory scrutiny	Euroconsumers reported that Deco Proteste filed a complaint with Portugal’s data-protection authority.
India	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and workplace policy	Finance ministry employees advised to avoid AI tools for official purposes	Workplace/government restricted	Reuters reported an internal finance ministry advisory covering ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and similar AI tools for official use.
Taiwan	Private consumer ban not confirmed	Verify locally	Public-sector use restricted	Government and critical infrastructure restrictions	Government restricted	Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs advised government agencies and critical infrastructure entities to restrict DeepSeek.
South Korea	Available again after prior suspension	Available again according to Reuters, verify locally	Check platform and compliance	Some ministries temporarily blocked or restricted employee access	App restored / government caution	South Korea’s PIPC said DeepSeek suspended app service in February 2025; Reuters reported downloads became available again in April 2025.
Japan	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and workplace policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
China	DeepSeek is China-based	Verify locally	Available through official platform, subject to account rules	Local rules apply	Available / verify locally	DeepSeek’s services are controlled by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd., registered in China.
Hong Kong	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Singapore	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
UAE	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Saudi Arabia	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Egypt	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
South Africa	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Nigeria	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Brazil	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Mexico	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform and policy	Organization-specific policies may apply	Available / verify locally	No public nationwide consumer restriction found as of May 9, 2026.
Russia	No public nationwide consumer ban found	Verify locally	Check platform, sanctions, and local rules	No DeepSeek-specific consumer ban found	Available / verify locally	Reuters summarized Russian AI collaboration interest involving Chinese researchers, but not a consumer DeepSeek ban.
Iran	Verify locally	Verify locally	High sanctions-compliance risk	Local and sanctions rules may affect access	Unknown / verify legally	DeepSeek’s terms prohibit use in or for the benefit of countries subject to comprehensive sanctions under applicable export-control and sanctions laws.

Countries where DeepSeek appears broadly available

In many countries, no public nationwide consumer ban was found as of May 9, 2026. This includes countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, and others listed above.

However, “available” does not mean guaranteed. DeepSeek’s own Terms of Use say services may vary by jurisdiction, and the company’s official site separates access across web chat, app, and API.

For most users, the safest interpretation is:

• Web chat may be available even when a mobile app listing is not.
• Mobile app availability can vary by Apple or Google store region.
• API access may be available but still subject to sanctions, export controls, billing eligibility, account approval, and organization policy.
• Workplace use may be restricted even where personal use is allowed.

Countries where DeepSeek is restricted or blocked

The strongest public restrictions are not all the same type.

Italy is the clearest example of consumer-facing regulatory action. Italy’s Garante ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after DeepSeek’s responses to privacy questions were considered insufficient. Reuters also reported that DeepSeek had removed or was unavailable from Italian app stores at that time.

Australia restricted DeepSeek across Australian Government systems and devices. The official PSPF direction requires government entities to prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications, and web services, and to remove existing instances. This is a government-device and government-system restriction, not a stated private-citizen ban.

Taiwan restricted use by government agencies and critical infrastructure entities. The Ministry of Digital Affairs cited cross-border data transmission, potential information leakage, and cybersecurity risk.

South Korea temporarily suspended new app downloads in February 2025 after privacy concerns, but the app became available again in April 2025 after updates and regulator engagement. This is why South Korea should not be listed simply as “banned” without the date and current resumed status.

Czech Republic banned DeepSeek use in public administration, including products, websites, web services, and APIs on state-owned devices.

Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal have had varying levels of regulatory scrutiny, data-protection complaints, app-store removal requests, or public-sector restrictions. These should be described precisely, not grouped together as a single EU-wide ban.

The United States, Canada, India, and New Zealand have public-sector or workplace-related restrictions or advisories, but no verified nationwide consumer-level DeepSeek ban was found as of May 9, 2026.

Is DeepSeek available in the United States?

Yes, for private users, no public nationwide consumer ban on DeepSeek was found as of May 9, 2026. However, DeepSeek availability in the US is more complicated for government, state, and official-device use.

Reuters reported that U.S. Commerce Department bureaus banned DeepSeek on government-furnished equipment, and several states have taken their own actions. Texas banned DeepSeek and other China-affiliated apps on government-issued devices, while New York prohibited DeepSeek downloads on ITS-managed government devices and networks.

For regular users, this means DeepSeek may be accessible, but developers, contractors, state employees, and federal employees should check their exact agency, state, or employer policy before using DeepSeek with any sensitive information.

Is DeepSeek available in Europe?

There is no single Europe-wide consumer answer. DeepSeek availability in Europe depends on the country and on whether you mean web access, app-store access, API use, or public-sector permission.

Italy took the most direct consumer-facing action by ordering DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country. Germany’s Berlin data-protection authority notified Apple and Google that the DeepSeek app was illegal content in Germany because of alleged unlawful personal-data transfers to China. France and Ireland requested information or said they would question DeepSeek, while the Netherlands launched an investigation and urged users to be cautious.

Belgium has both privacy scrutiny and a federal workplace restriction. Spain and Portugal have had consumer-organization complaints or requests for regulator action, but public reports did not show a nationwide consumer ban in force at the time of the cited reports.

The main EU concern is not simply that DeepSeek is an AI tool. It is that DeepSeek’s privacy policy says personal data may be processed and stored in China, while EU data protection law imposes strict conditions on international data transfers.

Is DeepSeek available in Asia-Pacific?

Asia-Pacific availability is mixed.

In China, DeepSeek is operated by a China-registered company and is promoted through its official web, app, and API channels.

In South Korea, the app was suspended temporarily in early 2025 but became available again on app markets after privacy-related updates.

In Taiwan, government agencies and critical infrastructure entities were advised to restrict DeepSeek because of cybersecurity and cross-border data concerns.

In Australia, government entities must prevent use or installation of DeepSeek products, apps, and web services on government systems and devices.

In India, the publicly reported restriction was an official-use advisory from the finance ministry, not a confirmed nationwide consumer ban.

For Japan, Singapore, and New Zealand, no public nationwide consumer ban was found in this review, but app-store access and public-sector policies should be verified locally.

DeepSeek web, app, and API availability: what’s the difference?

DeepSeek web chat availability refers to whether a user can access the hosted chat interface from a normal internet connection in their country.

DeepSeek app availability refers to whether the official app is listed and downloadable from Apple App Store or Google Play in that country. App availability can change faster than web access because it depends on Apple, Google, developer listing decisions, and regulator actions.

DeepSeek API availability refers to developer access through DeepSeek’s platform and API endpoints. DeepSeek’s API documentation lists the API base URL, current model names, and OpenAI/Anthropic-compatible formats.

Service outages are different from country restrictions. If the DeepSeek status page reports a web or API incident, that is a platform availability issue, not necessarily a country-level ban. On May 9, 2026, DeepSeek’s status page showed all systems operational and no incidents reported that day, although it showed resolved web/API incidents on earlier dates.

Corporate firewalls and workplace policies are another category. A company, school, ministry, agency, or public-sector body can block DeepSeek internally even where the country has no consumer ban.

Why is DeepSeek restricted in some countries?

The main reasons are privacy, security, and control of sensitive information.

DeepSeek’s privacy policy says it collects account data and user inputs such as text prompts, uploaded files, photos, feedback, and chat history. It also says personal data collected from users may be stored outside the user’s country and that DeepSeek directly collects, processes, and stores personal data in the People’s Republic of China.

For governments, the concern is often not casual consumer chat. It is the risk that public officials may enter confidential documents, personal data, procurement details, cybersecurity information, legal material, or other sensitive content into a foreign-hosted AI system.

Regulators in Europe have focused on data-protection law, transparency, and international transfers. Public-sector restrictions in Australia, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, and parts of the United States have focused on government-device, official-system, and sensitive-data risks.

How to check whether DeepSeek is available in your country

Use this checklist:

1. Check DeepSeek’s official website and avoid unofficial mirrors.
2. Visit the official web chat from your normal connection.
3. Check the official iOS App Store listing in your country or region.
4. Check the official Google Play listing in your country or region.
5. Check DeepSeek’s API platform and service status page.
6. Read DeepSeek’s Terms of Use, especially jurisdiction, export-control, and sanctions language.
7. Check whether your employer, school, ministry, agency, or regulated industry has a policy on DeepSeek.
8. For confidential or regulated work, ask legal, compliance, cybersecurity, or data-protection staff before entering sensitive data.

What to do if DeepSeek says “not available in your country”

First, confirm that you are using the official DeepSeek website or official app-store listing. Do not download unofficial APKs, unofficial “DeepSeek” apps, browser extensions, or mirrors that could expose your data.

Next, check whether the limitation is specific to the mobile app or whether the web version and API are also unavailable. App-store restrictions can differ from web access.

Then, check the DeepSeek service status page. A temporary outage can look like an availability problem even when there is no country restriction.

For workplace or government users, use your organization’s approved alternatives. Do not try to bypass official restrictions. VPN use may violate DeepSeek’s terms, local law, or workplace policy depending on your jurisdiction and the reason for the restriction.

DeepSeek availability FAQ

Bottom line

DeepSeek availability by country depends on whether you mean consumer web access, mobile app availability, API access, or government/workplace permission. Many countries do not have a public nationwide consumer ban, but several governments and regulators have restricted or scrutinized DeepSeek because of privacy, data-transfer, and public-sector security concerns.

Before using DeepSeek for anything sensitive, check the official DeepSeek website, official app stores, API docs, service status page, and your local or organizational rules. For casual personal use, availability may be straightforward in many countries. For business, public-sector, or regulated use, DeepSeek availability is a compliance question as much as a technical one.