Foreigners can register WeChat with a non-Chinese phone number: choose your country, enter your number, pass a security check and enter the SMS code. The step that surprises most people comes next: WeChat may ask an existing user to confirm your account by scanning a QR code, known as friend verification. Below is the full sign-up process, what to do when the SMS doesn't arrive, how friend verification works, and how to avoid getting a new account restricted.
WeChat registration for foreigners, step by step
- Install WeChat from your app store and tap Sign Up.
- Choose your country or region, enter your mobile number, a display name and a password.
- Accept the terms and complete the security check, usually a slider puzzle.
- Enter the code WeChat sends by SMS.
- If prompted, complete an extra verification step, such as friend verification.
- You're in. Set up your profile before adding contacts.
The exact screens change between versions and regions, so follow what the app shows. Foreign numbers are more likely to see step 5.
WeChat SMS code not arriving?
- Country and format: select your country, then type the number without the leading 0 and without repeating the country code.
- Too many requests: asking for codes repeatedly triggers a temporary block. Wait a few hours, then try once.
- Filters and signal: check your spam or unknown-senders folder, your blocked list, and that you have mobile signal.
- Number type: landlines and most VoIP numbers can't receive WeChat's registration SMS; use a mobile number. Our explainer on non-VoIP vs VoIP numbers shows why.
- Travelling: a data-only eSIM can't receive the code. Keep your home SIM on for SMS; see receiving codes abroad.
How friend verification works
To slow down fake accounts, WeChat can ask an existing user to vouch for you. You'll see a QR code; a friend scans it in their WeChat and confirms. Guides for travellers report a few conditions for the helper, which WeChat may change at any time:
| Commonly reported condition | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The helper's account has existed for a while (reportedly longer for mainland China accounts) | Brand-new accounts usually can't help |
| The helper hasn't helped anyone else recently | Helping is limited per month and per year |
| The helper's account is in good standing | Restricted accounts can't vouch |
| The QR code expires quickly | Arrange the scan before you generate it |
Ask someone you actually know: a colleague, a host, a friend already in China. Avoid strangers or paid "verification services" online. Whoever completes the step is linked to your registration, and paying a stranger is a common way people lose new accounts. If you have no helper, use any alternative verification method the app offers on that screen, or try again later.
Using a one-time number for the SMS step
If your own number can't receive WeChat's SMS, for example because you're travelling on a data-only eSIM, a one-time mobile number can receive the code. On smsvar.com you choose WeChat and a country, see the price before you buy on our prices page, and the code appears on your order screen; if nothing arrives within 20 minutes, the order is cancelled and the fee is refunded to your balance.
Be clear about what this solves: only the SMS step. If WeChat then asks for friend verification, you still need a real helper. And because WeChat relies on your phone number when you log in on a new device, a temporary phone number should be swapped for one you keep as soon as possible.
Avoid having a new account restricted
- Register on the phone and network you'll keep using; avoid creating several accounts on one device.
- Fill in your profile and chat normally for a few days before adding many contacts or joining large groups.
- Don't send the same message to many people; it looks like marketing.
- Set a WeChat password and keep your number reachable, as WeChat may ask for SMS verification again.
Follow WeChat's rules: mass registration, marketing accounts and spam are exactly what its checks are designed to stop.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use WeChat without a Chinese phone number?
Yes. WeChat accepts mobile numbers from many countries. Choose your country on the sign-up screen and enter the number without its leading 0. Expect extra checks, such as friend verification, more often than with a Chinese number.
Can I skip friend verification?
There's no reliable way to skip it when WeChat asks for it. Use a friend you know, or the alternative method the app offers, if any. Don't pay strangers to verify your account; it puts the account at risk.
Why does WeChat say my number is already registered?
That number is already linked to a WeChat account. If it's your old account, log in instead. If it's a recycled or one-time number, use a different number, or cancel the order and pick another country.
How do I keep my account if I change my number?
Before your old number stops working, change the linked mobile number in WeChat's account security settings and make sure you know your WeChat password. Otherwise logging in on a new phone becomes difficult.
Need a number that receives WeChat's code? Open our virtual number page, choose WeChat and a country, and pay only when the code arrives. New to this? Read how receiving SMS online works.