WeChat isn’t optional — it’s how locals message, pay, hail taxis, read news, and book tables. Add people by scanning their QR, set your Moments carefully, and your hotel’s front desk will appreciate you for it.
This page covers daily use scenarios — scanning QR codes, mini programs, messaging, and communicating with locals. If you haven’t set up WeChat Pay yet, check the Alipay & WeChat setup guide ↗ first.
1 WeChat vs the Apps You Already Use
One-line takeaway: the apps you message with at home are blocked in China, and WeChat replaces all of them at once.
| What you use at home | In China | What to use instead |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked without a VPN | WeChat messaging and voice messages | |
| Facebook / Instagram | Blocked without a VPN | WeChat Moments (朋友圈) |
| Email for customer service | Rarely monitored by Chinese businesses | WeChat — many businesses only respond there |
| App Store downloads for every service | Not needed | Mini programs (小程序) inside WeChat |
| Card payments | Rarely accepted | WeChat Pay QR codes |
Not sure what is reachable from your phone? See VPN & the firewall ↗.
2 Set Up WeChat
One-line takeaway: get the account and payment working first — everything else on this page depends on it.
3 Add a Chinese Contact
One-line takeaway: scanning a QR code is the fastest way — nobody types phone numbers here.
Open WeChat
Tap the plus icon at the top right of any screen.
Scan or search
Choose 扫一扫 (Scan) and ask “Show me your WeChat QR”, or 添加朋友 (Add Friends) and type their WeChat ID or phone number.
Add them
Tap 添加到通讯录 (Add to Contacts), or 添加 (Add) to send a friend request.
You’re friends
Once accepted you can chat, send photos, and split payments.
| Method | Steps | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scan QR code (fastest) | Open WeChat, tap the plus icon (top right), 扫一扫 (Scan), scan their code, then 添加到通讯录 (Add to Contacts). | Meeting someone in person |
| 2. Share your QR code | Open WeChat, tap your profile photo (top left), tap your profile, 我的二维码 (My QR Code), show the screen to be scanned. | When they hold the phone |
| 3. Search WeChat ID | Open WeChat, tap the plus icon, 添加朋友 (Add Friends), type their WeChat ID or phone number, tap 添加 (Add) and send a friend request. | Remote contacts, hotels, guides |
4 Mini Programs: Apps Inside WeChat
One-line takeaway: mini programs (小程序) are lightweight apps that live inside WeChat — you access them without downloading anything.
| Where you’ll meet one | What it does |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | Scan the table QR code and the menu opens as a mini program. |
| Hotels | Some hotels let you open your room door via a WeChat mini program. |
| Tourist attractions | Buy tickets via official mini programs and skip the queue. |
| Hospitals | Register appointments through hospital official accounts. |
| Supermarkets | Self-checkout at some stores uses WeChat mini programs. |
5 Ordering Food at a Restaurant via WeChat
One-line takeaway: scan, tap photos, pay — no Chinese needed for this flow, because photos do 90% of the work.
Sit down
Find the QR code on the table — printed on stickers, tent cards, or displayed on a small screen.
Scan
Open WeChat, choose 扫一扫, scan the table QR code.
Browse the menu
Most have photos. Tap items to add. Look for spice icons (辣 = spicy).
Submit
Tap 提交订单 or 去结算 (checkout).
Pay
Via WeChat Pay or Alipay. Food arrives at your table.
For the remaining 10%, use copied phrase cards or simply show your phone to a waiter.
6 Group Chats & Red Packets
One-line takeaway: if you’re at a hotel, on a tour, or working with a local fixer, you’ll be added to a group — mute it immediately.
| What happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| Constant notifications | Mute the group: long-press, then 消息免打扰. |
| Voice messages everywhere | Long-press the play button to listen at 1.5x speed. |
| Red packets (红包) | Group admins sometimes send money. Tap fast — they expire. |
| Location sharing | Tour guides often pin a meeting location in the group. |
| Photos and documents | These are shared here instead of by email. |
Red packets are digital gifts of money sent through WeChat. If someone sends one in a group chat or directly to you, tap it immediately. They often expire within 24 hours and unclaimed money goes back to the sender.
Red packet scam warning: only claim red packets from people you know.
Strangers sending red packets in unknown groups sometimes require you to “verify” by clicking a link — this is a scam. Never click links from strangers in WeChat.
7 Privacy Settings & Tourist Pro Tips
One-line takeaway: lock down notifications and Moments, then leave WeChat running — locals will message you there, not email.
| Privacy & safety | Pro tips |
|---|---|
| Moments (朋友圈) posts are visible to all WeChat contacts. As a tourist you likely won’t post, but your contacts can see your profile photo and name. | Keep WeChat open with notifications on — locals will message you here, not email. |
| Don’t share sensitive info — passport numbers, bank details, hotel room numbers — in chat. | Screenshot your QR code; people can scan screenshots too, useful when you have bad signal. |
| Turn message preview off: Settings, Notification, disable message content in notifications. This prevents shoulder surfing. | Use WeChat for customer service — many Chinese businesses only respond via WeChat, not email. |
| Add people you actually met. Random friend requests from strangers are often scams targeting foreigners. | WeChat works outside China too, so keep it for chatting with Chinese friends after your trip. Back up your chat history before the trip ends — it doesn’t auto-sync to cloud by default. |
You’re WeChat-ready.
WeChat will feel overwhelming at first, but after 2–3 days of using it to order food and pay for things, it becomes second nature. The combination of scanning QR codes, mini programs, and copy-paste phrases covers 95% of daily situations.