Jul 13, 2022, 8:15 am
Last edit by: moondog
The "FT People on WeChat" group
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
wechat（微信）
Mar 29, 2023 | 12:16 am
#451
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 62
You're right, I was permanently completely banned. I eventually reached out to customer service by continuously PM the official WeChat/Tencent account on other social media platforms. They told me they couldn't do anything because I was reported and banned by the "superior department".
Mar 29, 2023 | 1:56 am
#453
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
Mar 29, 2023 | 2:07 am
#454
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 42
I forwarded a link, and quoted a paragraph of it. I replaced sensitive names with emojis or other "slang" in an attempt to blur out these sensitive information. 🤷Obviously, the sensitive words library of GFW is updated faster than me.
Mar 29, 2023 | 2:29 am
#455
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 21,004
You're right, I was permanently completely banned. I eventually reached out to customer service by continuously PM the official WeChat/Tencent account on other social media platforms. They told me they couldn't do anything because I was reported and banned by the "superior department".
Mar 29, 2023 | 3:00 am
#456
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
Yes. In fact, I have two additional accounts tied to US phone numbers that I use primarily as folders for content that I want to save (sort of like favorites). But, these accounts don't work with any payment related features.
In the event my primary account was blacklisted, I suppose I could try to register a new phone number (ideally with a different ID) and see if that did the trick.
In the event my primary account was blacklisted, I suppose I could try to register a new phone number (ideally with a different ID) and see if that did the trick.
Last edited by moondog; Mar 29, 2023 at 3:12 am
Mar 29, 2023 | 11:06 am
#457
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 42
As long as you have other phone numbers you can always create a new wechat account. Actually after I registered another account with a different number I managed to unlink my phone number from the banned account and link it to the new account. I forget how I did it tho.
Last edited by ChillDude; Mar 29, 2023 at 3:04 pm
Mar 30, 2023 | 7:51 am
#458
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 62
Yes. In fact, I have two additional accounts tied to US phone numbers that I use primarily as folders for content that I want to save (sort of like favorites). But, these accounts don't work with any payment related features.
In the event my primary account was blacklisted, I suppose I could try to register a new phone number (ideally with a different ID) and see if that did the trick.
In the event my primary account was blacklisted, I suppose I could try to register a new phone number (ideally with a different ID) and see if that did the trick.
as long as you have multiple phone numbers, you can create many WeChat account.
But to use money-related features, you will need to be authenticated with ID.
Now they are grey-test to register two accounts using same phone number
Mar 30, 2023 | 7:51 am
#459
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 62
As long as you have other phone numbers you can always create a new wechat account. Actually after I registered another account with a different number I managed to unlink my phone number from the banned account and link it to the new account. I forget how I did it tho.
Jun 23, 2023 | 2:08 am
#460
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 4,122
Hahaha... My Chinese friends even asked me if I can only get locked-out during their daylight hours 
There are way too many possible triggers to get the account locked out. The good news is that most Chinese also experience lock out or account restrictions, so they understand the pain.
There are way too many possible triggers to get the account locked out. The good news is that most Chinese also experience lock out or account restrictions, so they understand the pain.I have the same phone number, I know my WeChat ID, and I know my password. I don't however, have my old phone, which has already been erased and traded in.
The app says that the account recovery option is only for people who have changed phone numbers, or who have forgotten their WeChat ID. Which option can I choose to get access to my account on my new phone, given that I have the same phone number, and I know my WeChat ID, and I know my password?
Thank you!
Jun 23, 2023 | 7:33 am
#462
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: SQ Gold, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Atmos Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,228
I think theres a password reset thing if your account is linked to a phone number. They text you a SMS (this works for foreign numbers too). Otherwise you can enter your password to login
FYI what youre supposed to do is transfer the account from the old to new phone before wiping the old phone. Password reset probably means you lose all of your messages
FYI what youre supposed to do is transfer the account from the old to new phone before wiping the old phone. Password reset probably means you lose all of your messages
Jul 24, 2024 | 1:55 am
#463
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
cleaning up WeChat without deleting things you might like
While I realize there are probably a million places on the internet better suited for this query than here, since one of our recent conversations (in another thread) touched upon the topic, I figured I'd give it a try.
I want to remove junk files from WeChat (on my computer only, this time) while preserving recent conversations, sticker collections, favorites, and maybe some media files. So, I'm curious about best practices. If there are any automated ways to do this, please share your experiences/comments. Or, let's figure out what should and shouldn't be deleted.
This is the top level view of my WeChat files. The wxid folder (I blocked out my actual ID) is the main space hog.
This the wxid folder (level 2).
And, here is the file storage folder (level 3), which seems to be the biggest within wxid.
I want to remove junk files from WeChat (on my computer only, this time) while preserving recent conversations, sticker collections, favorites, and maybe some media files. So, I'm curious about best practices. If there are any automated ways to do this, please share your experiences/comments. Or, let's figure out what should and shouldn't be deleted.
This is the top level view of my WeChat files. The wxid folder (I blocked out my actual ID) is the main space hog.
This the wxid folder (level 2).
And, here is the file storage folder (level 3), which seems to be the biggest within wxid.
Jul 24, 2024 | 11:57 am
#464
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 5,130
I have to deal with this on several computers and it always amazes me just how messy it is, and how many files are held open whilst the WeChat client is logged in (it's in the local user folders and OneDrive creates sync errors for the many open files).
Is there actually any unique content on your desktop device? Would it just be easier to either delete the maze of locally synced WeChat files, or just uninstall WeChat desktop and start again?
Is there actually any unique content on your desktop device? Would it just be easier to either delete the maze of locally synced WeChat files, or just uninstall WeChat desktop and start again?