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WeChat Login

WeChat Login is a common choice for Mainland China user bases because it enables a low-friction sign-in experience via the WeChat ecosystem.

When to choose WeChat Login​

  • Your target audience primarily uses WeChat
  • You want fast onboarding and reduced password/OTP friction
  • You can operate a backend service to handle code exchange and identity mapping

Pros​

  • Low-friction UX for WeChat-native users
  • Strong user adoption in many China-focused apps
  • Avoids many password-reset/support workflows (you still need account recovery strategy, but it shifts)

Cons / gotchas​

  • Backend required: you must handle the login callback/code exchange server-side
  • Account linking complexity: users may need to link WeChat with phone/email login (or multiple WeChat accounts)
  • Not a complete identity system by itself: you still need user profiles, internal IDs, sessions, and recovery paths

Implementation notes​

  • Do not use the WeChat openid/unionid as your primary key.
  • Instead, map the WeChat identity to your own stable internal userId.
  • If you support multiple login methods, implement account linking so a user has one stable internal userId.

Official documentation​

  • WeChat Open Platform docs (EN): https://developers.weixin.qq.com/doc/oplatform/en/
  • WeChat Login (Website App, EN): https://developers.weixin.qq.com/doc/oplatform/en/Website_App/WeChat_Login/Wechat_Login.html
  • WeChat Open Platform docs (ZH): https://developers.weixin.qq.com/doc/oplatform/