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How to Install WeChat Desktop App in Ubuntu 16.04 & Higher

Last updated: July 17, 2017

WeChat is one of the most popular Chinese social media (instant messaging and payment services) mobile application developed by Tencent.

For desktop computers, there’s an open-source project, electronic-wechat, allows you to run WeChat on Linux, Mac OS.

The application features:

  • Modern UI and all features from Web WeChat.
  • Block message recall.
  • Stickers showing support.
  • Share subscribed passages on Weibo, Qzone, Facebook, Twitter, Evernote, and email.
  • Mention users in a group chat.
  • Drag and drop to send photos.
  • Behaves like a native app, based on dozens of optimization.
  • Removes URL link redirects and takes you directly to blocked websites.
  • Press Esc to hide application windows.

wechat for Linux

The app is available via Snappy store for all Linux distributions. For Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 16.04, and higher, do following steps to install it:

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching it from app launcher. When it opens, run command to install snapd daemon and snapd-xdg-open if you don’t already have them installed:

sudo apt install snapd snapd-xdg-open

Type in your password (no visual feedback while typing due to security reason) and hit Enter.

2. Then install the wechat app via command:

sudo snap install electronic-wechat

install wechat snap

Once installed, launch the desktop app from your app launcher and enjoy!

Uninstall:

To remove the app, run following command in a terminal window:

sudo snap remove electronic-wechat
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    8 responses to How to Install WeChat Desktop App in Ubuntu 16.04 & Higher

    1. Jim August 30, 2017 at 10:48 am

      Fantastic! Downloaded & can’t log in because it displays that stupid screwy pixilated square – now what???

    2. Riko September 15, 2017 at 4:33 am

      How to change the language setting to English ?
      In ubuntu, it’s using pinyin.

    3. Aaron Staley September 25, 2017 at 2:22 pm

      Is there a way to use the desktop-equivalent app? The web one lacks video chat

    4. Md Khaza Moin Uddin(Moin) October 6, 2017 at 6:13 pm

      Thanks, Mr. Jim for your great job.It’s working properly on my pc.

    5. Michelle February 4, 2018 at 2:35 am

      cannot find it after installed in 17.10。。。。

    6. Sergije March 15, 2018 at 10:56 am

      installed snap, but when tried to install wechat, it says:
      ~$ sudo snap install electronic-wechat
      error: snap “electronic-wechat” not found

      What could be the problem?
      Thanks.

    7. sajal March 28, 2018 at 12:57 pm

      error: snap “electronic-wechat” not found