Messaging Apps in China

WeChat is the local messaging standard for accommodation staff, guides, drivers, restaurants and personal contacts. Ask a hotel or tour operator for its WeChat QR code or account name before arrival when possible. WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and other foreign services can be restricted on mainland networks, so they are poor choices for contacting a local business even if your roaming connection can reach them. WeChat supports text, voice messages, calls, location sharing, translated messages and business mini programs. The same registration caveat applies here as for payments: a foreign number is accepted, but automated security checks may request verification by an established user. Set up early, retain access to the original number, and avoid rapid device or number changes that can trigger account controls. If signup fails, use hotel email, Trip.com messaging or an ordinary phone call until staff can help. Alipay is useful for transactions but is not a general replacement for WeChat messaging. This category repeats WeChat intentionally because communication, rather than payment, is the reason many travelers need it. People in Hong Kong and Macao use a different mix of communication apps, so mainland advice should not be applied automatically there.