WeChat 微信

How people in China message each other, plus Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) and the mini-programs that restaurants, museums and sights use for ordering and booking.

EssentialSet up before you flyWorks with your own phone numberTakes foreign cards

App Store Android Website

Set it up at home

1
Line up a helper before you start
Sign-up often asks an existing WeChat user to scan a code for you. They do not have to be a friend or nearby, but their account must be old enough: usually at least a month for accounts registered outside mainland China and six months for mainland accounts, and they cannot have helped anyone else in the past month.
2
Register with your own number
Install WeChat from the official store listing, tap Sign Up, pick your country code and enter the text code. Turn off any VPN. When the scan screen appears, send your helper the code straight away, because it expires within minutes. If you see Verify via Payment Card, you can use that instead.
3
Switch to English if needed
WeChat follows your phone’s language. To change it, go to Me > Settings > General > Language. Chats with people in China stay in Chinese; long-press a message and tap Translate.
4
Turn on Weixin Pay and add a card
Go to Me > Services (in some versions Pay and Services) > Wallet > Cards and add a card in your own name. Weixin Pay accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Global Network, JCB, Diners Club and UnionPay. US and Canadian cards may also ask for the billing address. Approve the card in your bank app if asked.
5
Verify your passport
WeChat will ask for your passport to finish real-name verification. Type your name exactly as in the two code lines at the bottom of the photo page. Do it at home on stable Wi-Fi, with your home SIM able to receive texts.

Using it in China

Scan or show to pay

To scan a shop’s code, tap + at the top right, choose Scan, enter the amount and confirm. To be scanned, open Money in your wallet and show the payment code. If a small vendor’s code fails, it is probably a personal code: show yours or pay cash.

Order and book in mini-programs

Scanning a QR code on a restaurant table opens its menu in WeChat; you order and pay there. Many museums and sights take bookings through WeChat mini-programs. Some ask for a Chinese phone number; then try the Alipay version, the official website or the ticket office.

Know the fees and limits

Each payment up to ¥200 has no foreign-card fee; above that, 3% applies. Tencent sometimes waives fees for new card users, so check the app. The limit is US$5,000 per payment and US$50,000 a year. With a foreign card you cannot send money, red packets or receive transfers.

Stay in touch

Guides, hotels and drivers will ask for your WeChat. Tap + > Add Contacts > Scan to add someone, or show your own QR code under Me. Only add people you have actually met, since many new contacts at once can get a new account restricted.

Problems and fixes

Sign-up is stuck at “ask a friend to scan”

Send a freshly generated code; old ones expire within minutes. Your helper can scan it from a screenshot. If it fails, ask a different helper whose account is older, and turn off your VPN. Look for Verify via Payment Card as an alternative. Do not post your code publicly or pay strangers to scan it.

My new account was blocked or restricted

New accounts are checked closely. On the login screen, follow the unblock steps WeChat shows, which may include a text code or a helper scan. Avoid VPNs, emulators and adding many contacts at once. If it stays blocked, use WeChat Help Center (help.wechat.com) and describe your case in English.

The text code does not arrive

Check the country code and that roaming is on. Wait before requesting a new code, since too many requests can pause sending for a while. Some screens let you send a text to WeChat instead of receiving one; follow the on-screen instructions.

My card will not link

Make sure the card is in your name, online and overseas payments are on, and the billing address matches if asked. Approve any request in your bank app. After a few failures, stop and try a card on another network, or call Weixin Pay support at +86 571 95017.

Passport verification fails

Enter your name exactly as in the two code lines at the bottom of the photo page, and make sure the passport has not expired. Retake the photo without glare. If it keeps failing, contact support from Me > Settings > Help & Feedback, or call +86 571 95017.

I cannot find Wallet or Pay

Look under Me > Services, or Me > Pay and Services in some versions. Update WeChat to the latest version first. If it is still missing, try again once you have finished passport verification.

I was charged a fee on a payment

Payments over ¥200 carry a 3% fee, and your own bank may add a foreign transaction fee on top. For large bills such as hotels, pay the business by card directly if it accepts cards.

A mini-program asks for a Chinese phone number

Some bookings still only accept Chinese numbers. Try the same service inside Alipay, the official English website, or Trip.com. At restaurants, ask staff to take your order by hand; at sights, go to the ticket office with your passport.