How to Message and Chat with Locals on WeChat

Email is rarely used for day-to-day communication in China. Hotels, restaurants, tour guides, landlords, and local contacts all default to

View Guide →. Knowing how to add contacts and send messages is as essential as having a working phone number.

Adding Contacts

There are three ways to add someone on WeChat:

Scan their QR code (fastest in person): Tap the + icon at the top right of the Chats screen → Scan QR Code. Point at their WeChat QR code. Tap Add to Friend and send a request. They accept and you're connected.

Search by WeChat ID or phone number: Tap + → Add Contacts → search by their WeChat ID (a username they've set) or their phone number. Send a friend request with a short message.

Shake: Both people open WeChat and tap + → Shake at the same time. WeChat connects people shaking their phones simultaneously — a fun local feature that works well when you're standing next to someone.

Sending Messages

WeChat supports text, voice messages, photos, and location sharing. For communicating with locals who don't speak English:

• Voice messages: Hold the microphone button to record. Many Chinese users prefer voice messages over typing — don't be surprised if you receive a string of voice clips instead of text.
• Translation: Long-press any message → Translate to get an instant translation. Works for both text and voice messages.
• Location sharing: Tap the + icon in a chat → Location → Share Live Location. Useful for telling a driver exactly where you are.
• Photo sharing: Tap the + icon → Photo/Video to send photos. Useful for showing a hotel your taxi's license plate or sharing a screenshot of your booking.

Communicating with Hotels

Most hotels that accept foreign guests have a WeChat account. Common uses:

• Late check-in: Message ahead if your flight is delayed — far easier than calling
• Room service requests: Many hotels accept requests via WeChat
• Directions: Ask the hotel to send you a location pin — tap it to open in maps
• Checkout: Some hotels let you request late checkout or invoice via WeChat

Practical Tips

• WeChat groups: If you're traveling with others, create a group chat for the trip. Add your hotel, guide, and driver to the group for easy coordination.
• Stickers: WeChat has an extensive sticker library. Sending a thumbs-up or a smile sticker is a friendly way to acknowledge a message when you don't know what to say.
• Read receipts: WeChat doesn't show read receipts by default — don't assume someone hasn't seen your message just because they haven't replied.
• Moments: The social feed is visible to contacts. You can view it but don't need to post anything.