How to use WeChat ? List of things you can do

WeChat is China's most popular messaging app, with over 1 billion users in China and gradually gaining users globally. It is an all-in-one "super app" covering instant messaging, social media, digital payments, daily services and more. With WeChat, you can conveniently interact with friends and access various services all within a single app. For foreigners who want to understand Chinese culture and lifestyle, WeChat serves as an excellent window and tool.

Steps on How to Get Started with WeChat

1. Download WeChat App

Open app store. Android phone users can open Google Play, iPhone users open App Store.
Search "WeChat" Enter "WeChat" in the search bar. You will see the official WeChat app.

Click install
Select the WeChat app and click install. It's completely free.
Wait for installation to complete. The installation only takes a few minutes. After completion, you can see the WeChat icon on the phone's home screen.

2. Register WeChat Account

Open WeChat app: First, find and click on the WeChat app icon on your device to open WeChat.
Choose Sign up: On the WeChat welcome page, you will see "Login" and "Sign up" options. Since you do not have a WeChat account yet, please click the "Sign up button.
Enter phone number: On the Sign up page, you need to select the correct region code and enter your phone number. Make sure it is a valid number that can receive SMS verification codes

Set password: Next, you need to set a password to protect your WeChat account. Choose one that is both secure and easy to remember, and make sure to memorize it.
Request a verification code to be sent to the mobile number you entered. Verify the code to complete the security verification.
WeChat will verify your phone number and code, and if everything is correct, your WeChat account will be successfully created.
Please note that you may need to invite another WeChat or Weixin user to assist you with registration by scanning the QR code.

Agree to Terms of Service and Privacy Policy: During registration you need to read and agree to WeChat's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This is a basic requirement to use WeChat services.
Complete personal information (optional): After successful registration, WeChat may guide you to complete your personal information, like setting profile photo, nickname etc. Though optional, filling them allows a more personalized WeChat experience.

3. Add Contacts:

Login your wechat account, In the upper right corner of the Contacts interface, there is a "+" icon. Click this icon and then select "Add Contacts".

3.1 Choose adding method: WeChat provides multiple ways to add friends, including:

By WeChat ID: If you know the other person's WeChat ID, you can directly input to add them.
Scan: Add them by scanning their QR code card.
Mobile Contact: If your phone contacts also use WeChat, WeChat will automatically recommend them to you.

3. 2 Send friend request: After selecting the adding method you want, follow

the prompts to operate. For example, if you choose to add "By WeChat

ID", you need to enter the other person's WeChat ID and then click

"Search". After finding their account, click "Add to Contacts".

3.3 Wait for confirmation: After you send the friend request, the other person will receive a notification. They need to click to confirm before becoming your WeChat friend. You cannot start chatting before they confirm.

3.4 Start chatting: Once the other person has confirmed your friend request, you can start messaging each other, voice or video call.

WeChat Overview: What You Can Do

WeChat is not just a simple communication tool, it has become a comprehensive lifestyle service platform. Through WeChat, you can stay closely connected with friends, family and colleagues, while also enjoying a variety of convenient lifestyle services.

Real-time Text Chatting, Communicate Anytime.

The most basic and frequently used function of WeChat is the real-time text chatting function. Here, you can chat with friends, family, and colleagues anytime, share your daily life, mood, and important information, or organize offline activities.

Voice and Video Calls, Close Communication.

WeChat provides free voice and video call functions! When text is not enough to express yourself, you can choose to start a voice or video call to communicate with your friends and family face-to-face in real time. The high-definition and smooth network make every video call feel like you are there in person. This greatly enriches the social form of WeChat, allowing the original voice communication to become face-to-face. The instant sharing of audio and video has also become a major feature of WeChat. Click the "+" icon. You will then see buttons for video call and voice input. Please feel free to try them out.

Voice/Image/Video Messages, Richer Communication

.WeChat allows users to send richer content in the chat interface. In addition to text, it also supports sending voice messages, pictures, and videos. These richer forms of information allow you to better share the bits and pieces of your life. You can quickly share the food you took, life photos, travel scenery, or various life videos in the form of video messages.

WeChat Moments, Connecting and Sharing Life.

Similar to other social softwares like Weibo and Facebook, WeChat also has its own social platform - Moments. This is a place to directly connect and share your life status with friends. In Moments, you can post text statuses, upload photos and videos, and record your life. Your friends can also follow your latest shares in real time. Here, you can like and comment on each other, just like a two-way bridge of information flow, connecting each other's lives. Click the "Discover" icon. You will then see buttons for “Moments” . Please feel free to try them out.

WeChat Pay, Easy Shopping.

As the largest mobile payment platform in China, WeChat Pay has penetrated into most online and offline shopping scenarios. You can easily use WeChat to complete scenarios that Alipay cannot reach, especially offline physical store payments. Use WeChat to scan the code to pay, quickly, safely and conveniently. Online shopping also almost fully supports WeChat Pay. Overall, the payment convenience brought by WeChat has greatly promoted the development of mobile Internet life! The following three images will guide you on how to access the WeChat Pay interface: Image 1:Tap the "Me" button in the lower right corner. Image 2:Tap the "Services" button. Image 3:will now be in the WeChat Pay interface.

Hotels, Ride Hailing and Rail&Flights

In China, WeChat provides comprehensive travel services through in-depth cooperation with third-party travel service providers. These services include car-hailing, buying air and train tickets, booking hotels, and purchasing subway and bus tickets. Please refer to the image on the far right above. You can try these services by clicking on the corresponding buttons.

WeChat Translate

WeChat provides various translation functions to help users handle content in different languages in chat or daily life. The target language of the translation will be consistent with your WeChat language setting. For example: If your WeChat interface is in Chinese, the target language of the translation will automatically be Chinese. If your WeChat interface is in English, the target language of the translation will be English.

Chat Message Translation: In the chat interface, long press the message text you want to translate, and then select the translate function.

Image Translation: If you encounter an English image, you can click on the image, long press the image, and select the translate button in the pop-up menu.
Scan to Translate:　Open the "Scan" function in WeChat(Click “+” button) .Select the "Translate" option.Aim the camera at the text or sentence you want to translate.The system will automatically recognize and translate the text. The two images at the bottom show the original news article (in Chinese) and the translated English version.

Conclusion

In short, WeChat has a very rich product matrix, and new features are constantly being enriched and improved. With WeChat, our lives are more convenient, connections are more widespread, and the world becomes infinitely possible!