How to Install WeChat on Ubuntu 26.04 – Complete Guide

Set up the Tencent WeChat client on your Ubuntu system. Learn how to install via the official .deb package, run the portable AppImage, or use the community Flatpak from Flathub.

WeChat Installation Methods Compared

Review the three available installation methods to evaluate source, format, system integration, and update behavior.

Before installing any new software, refresh your local APT package cache and apply pending system updates:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Open your web browser and navigate to the official WeChat Linux download page. Select the .deb format matching your system architecture (x86_64 for standard PCs, arm64 for ARM-based devices):

https://linux.weixin.qq.com/

Save the downloaded file to your ~/Downloads directory. The filename will follow the pattern WeChatLinux_x86_64.deb (the exact version number may vary).

Open your terminal using Ctrl+Alt+T and install the downloaded .deb file. Replace the filename with the exact file you downloaded:

cd ~/Downloads
sudo apt install ./WeChatLinux_x86_64.deb

APT will automatically resolve and install any required library dependencies. If you see dependency errors, run sudo apt --fix-broken install and then repeat the install command.

Confirm that WeChat was installed successfully by checking for the package in your system’s installed packages list:

dpkg -l | grep wechat

Visit the official download page and select the AppImage format for your architecture:

https://linux.weixin.qq.com/

Downloaded files do not have execute permissions by default on Ubuntu. Grant the permission before running:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/WeChatLinux_x86_64.AppImage

Run the AppImage directly from the terminal. It will launch the full WeChat desktop client without installing anything to your system:

~/Downloads/WeChatLinux_x86_64.AppImage

If Flatpak is not yet configured on your system, install the core package via APT:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak -y

Add the official Flathub remote server to your Flatpak configuration:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Fetch and install the community-maintained WeChat package from the Flathub registry:

flatpak install flathub com.tencent.WeChat -y

Confirm that the Flatpak reference for WeChat is registered on your system:

flatpak info --show-ref com.tencent.WeChat

Open your desktop application grid, type WeChat in the search bar, and click the application icon. For Flatpak installations, you may need to log out and log back in for the icon to appear after the first install.

Open your terminal using Ctrl+Alt+T and run the launch command matching your installation type:

For .deb installations:

wechat

For AppImage:

~/Downloads/WeChatLinux_x86_64.AppImage

For Flatpak installations:

flatpak run com.tencent.WeChat

On fresh or minimal Ubuntu installations, the WeChat .deb may depend on libraries that are not yet present. APT will report unmet dependency errors during the install:

dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of wechat

Solution: Run the APT fix command to automatically download and install any missing dependencies, then verify the installation:

sudo apt --fix-broken install

Some users report unclosable blank windows or notification popups that persist on screen. This is a known rendering issue in earlier WeChat Linux builds.

Solution: Force-close all WeChat processes and relaunch the application:

killall wechat

If killall does not find the process, locate it manually and terminate by PID:

On GNOME-based Ubuntu desktops, system tray icons require a shell extension to function properly. WeChat’s tray icon may not appear or may stay highlighted after reading messages.

Solution: Install the AppIndicator GNOME Shell extension. On Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, you can install it from the Ubuntu repositories: sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator. After installation, log out and back in to activate the extension.

If Chinese character input does not function correctly inside WeChat on Ubuntu, the issue is typically related to the system input method framework. WeChat works best with fcitx5 rather than the default iBus framework. Install fcitx5 with sudo apt install fcitx5, set it as your default input method in Settings, and restart your session. The WeChat client should recognize fcitx5 input correctly after the switch.

Remove the WeChat binaries using the package manager that matches your current installation:

For .deb installations:

sudo apt remove wechat -y
sudo apt autoremove --purge -y

For AppImage:

rm ~/Downloads/WeChatLinux_x86_64.AppImage

For Flatpak installations:

flatpak uninstall com.tencent.WeChat -y
flatpak uninstall --unused -y

Uninstalling the application does not remove your chat history, login cache, or configuration files. These are stored in your home directory. To perform a complete cleanup, delete the following directories:

## Clean .deb or AppImage configuration and cache
rm -rf ~/.local/share/WeChat
rm -rf ~/.config/WeChat

## Clean Flatpak application data
rm -rf ~/.var/app/com.tencent.WeChat

Deleting the WeChat data directories permanently removes all locally cached chat history, transferred files, and login session data. Back up any important files before running the cleanup commands.

Use the links below to access the official download page, community Flatpak listing, and version tracking for WeChat on Linux: