How to Set Up a Xiaohongshu Account as a Foreigner

View Guide → (小红书, Little Red Book) is accessible to foreign tourists without a Chinese phone number or ID. You can register with an international phone number and browse all content immediately. This guide walks you through the setup process.

Before You Start

• Download the app: Search "Xiaohongshu" or "小红书" in the App Store or Google Play
• VPN note: Xiaohongshu is accessible in China without a VPN. Outside China, you may need a VPN to access it — set this up before your trip if you want to browse before arriving
• Phone number: You'll need a phone number that can receive SMS — your home country number works fine

Creating Your Account

1. 1. Open the app and tap Sign Up

   Open Xiaohongshu. On the welcome screen, tap 注册 (register/sign up). You'll see options to register by phone number or with a third-party account (Apple, WeChat).

2. 2. Enter your phone number

   Select your country code from the dropdown (tap the flag icon to change it). Enter your phone number. Tap 发送验证码 (send verification code). You'll receive an SMS with a 6-digit code.

3. 3. Enter the verification code

   Type the 6-digit code from the SMS. The app verifies it automatically. If you don't receive the code within 60 seconds, tap 重新发送 (resend).

4. 4. Set a password

   Create a password for your account. It must be at least 8 characters. Tap 确认 (confirm) to proceed.

5. 5. Complete your profile

   You'll be prompted to set a username (昵称, nickname) and optionally upload a profile photo. Your username can be in English. Tap 完成 (done) to finish.

Setting Up for Travel Use

After creating your account, a few settings make the app more useful for travel:

1. 1. Set your language preference

   Go to your profile (bottom right) → tap the three dots (···) → Settings → Language. Xiaohongshu has a partial English interface in some regions. If available, switch to English for easier navigation.

2. 2. Follow travel accounts

   Search for travel accounts in cities you're visiting. Search '[City name] 旅游' or '[City name] travel' and follow accounts that post regularly. Their content will appear in your feed.

3. 3. Save your first posts

   Search for your destination and save useful posts by tapping the bookmark icon. Saved posts are accessible offline — useful when you're out exploring without reliable internet.

What You Can Do Without an Account

You can browse Xiaohongshu without an account — just open the app and start searching. An account lets you:

• Save posts to your favorites
• Follow accounts for a personalized feed
• Comment on posts (useful for asking questions)
• Access your saved content across devices

Practical Tips

• Username: Choose an English username — it's perfectly acceptable and makes your account easier to manage
• Profile photo: Optional, but adding one makes your account look more legitimate if you want to comment or interact
• Notifications: Turn off notifications in your phone settings if you don't want alerts — Xiaohongshu sends frequent push notifications by default
• Privacy: Your saved posts and browsing history are private by default. You don't need to post anything to use the app for research
• Account security: Use a unique password. Xiaohongshu accounts are occasionally targeted by credential stuffing attacks