How To Publish a WeChat Mini Program in China
Publishing a WeChat Mini Program (微信小程序) in China involves navigating both technical requirements and complex regulatory landscapes that vary significantly depending on your business structure. This guide will help you make informed decisions about market entry, compliance risk, and long-term operations. To learn more about how to develop a WeChat Mini Program, read our official guide.
How To Publish a WeChat Mini Program
Publishing a WeChat Mini Program involves the same technical steps regardless of your business structure. Here’s the universal publishing process:
Step 1: Register a WeChat Developer Account
- Access the Registration Page: Visit the official WeChat Mini Program registration portal
- Select Account Type: Choose “Mini Programs” (小程序) as your registration type
- Complete Basic Information: Enter the basic information of you Mini Program, including the name you intend to choose, a Mini Program icon, introduction and service scope.
- Submit Documentation: Submit your company documentation, including your company license. Once all documents have been submitted you will need to wait for 1 to 3 days to get approval for your developer account.
Required Information for Registration:
- Company business license and registration documents
- Administrator identity verification (must be a Chinese ID)
- Contact information and business address (Must be a Chinese phone number)
- Service category and subcategory selection (e.g., “Game” and “Casual Game”)
- Detailed description of Mini Program functionality
It is important to note that registration requires a Chinese ID number (身份证号) and a Chinese phone number. This means foreign entities cannot register a WeChat Mini Program account independently and must work through with a Chinese partner such as AppInChina or an authorized service provider.
After submitting the registration information, WeChat will complete an initial review within one to two working days and notify the applicant of the result. WeChat notes that applicants should keep their phone lines open in case the platform needs to contact them to verify the registration.
Step 2: Complete WeChat Miniprogram Filing
All Mini Programs must undergo a WeChat Mini Program Filing (微信小程序备案), regardless of entity type.
- Provide ID/business documentation, Mini Program details, and category.
- Review usually takes 3 to 4 weeks.
- Businesses that need payment functions must also complete WeChat Verification (¥300/year).
For more information on how to obtain the WeChat Mini Program Filing, read our official guide.
Step 3: Configure Basic Information
In the Mini Program dashboard, fill in:
- Name & short name
- Profile image & introduction
- Category (must align with intended features)
Step 4: Set Up Development Environment
- Download and install the WeChat Developer Tools.
- Log in via WeChat QR code scan.
- Create a project and enter your Mini Program AppID (found in the platform’s Developer Settings).
- Import your code and preview it on real devices via generated QR codes.
Step 5: Develop and Test Your Mini Program
- Build using WeChat’s framework (WXML, WXSS, JS, JSON).
- Configure server domains and security settings.
- Test functionality within Developer Tools.
To learn more about the development process for WeChat Mini Programs, read our full guide.
Step 6: Submit for Review
- From the dashboard, select a development version and submit for audit.
- Review time: typically 1–3 days (can take up to 7 for complex apps)
- Track review progress in the Version Management section.
Step 7: Go Live
- Once approved, manually publish the version.
- Users can access the Mini Program via:
- QR codes
- WeChat search
- Sharing in chats or official accounts
While the publishing process is the same regardless of your business structure, the entity you register with determines your access to advanced features, payment processing, industry-specific licenses, and compliance capabilities. International entities face significant limitations compared to Chinese entities or partnerships.
What Options Do I Have to Publish a WeChat Mini Program?
When it comes to publishing a WeChat Mini Program in China, you have three options: publish under an international entity, establish a Chinese subsidiary to publish under, or work with a local Chinese partner such as AppInChina.
Option 1: Publish Under an International Entity
This option requires you to register and publish your WeChat Mini Program directly using your overseas business entity without establishing a Chinese company. This is the fastest market entry option, but it comes with compliance limitations.
How Does This Option Work?
- Open a WeChat developer account with your company details.
- Complete Mini Program account registration using international business documentation.
- Handle mandatory Mini Program filing (小程序备案).
- Download WeChat Developer tools.
- Develop and publish Mini Program after WeChat approval.
For more detailed guidance on the process of creating a WeChat Developer account and developing your WeChat Mini Program, read our complete guide.
What Challenges Do International Companies Face?
WeChat Mini Programs also require an ICP Filing. This means that if the Mini Program backend is hosted overseas, international companies have to work with a local partner such as AppInChina to host the Mini Program under ICP-filed domains in China. Aside from the ICP Filing, various Mini Program functionalities can trigger specific licensing requirements, including:
- Commercial purchases and e-commerce
- Financial services and payment processing
- Healthcare consultations and medical services
- Educational content and online learning
- Media distribution and content publishing
- Data processing and user information services
Tencent only enforces a few industry-specific licenses. Therefore, as Tencent doesn’t officially enforce all of these licenses, you can publish a WeChat Mini Program without possessing the appropriate licenses, though it is against Chinese law to do so. It is therefore recommended that companies do obtain these licenses in order to stay fully compliant with local laws and regulations. Most licenses can only be obtained by Chinese business entities. Options 2 and 3 provide ways to overcome both the ICP Filing and industry-specific license challenge.
Option 2: Open a Chinese Subsidiary
In this option, you establish your own Chinese business entity to operate and publish your WeChat Mini Program with full regulatory compliance and feature access.
How Does This Option Work?
- Open a WeChat Developer Account under the Chinese subsidiary.
- Complete Mini Program account registration using Chinese subsidiary documentation. (If your WeChat Mini Program has any functionalities that trigger specific licenses, enforced or not by Tencent, you can provide them here.)
- Complete WeChat Mini Program Filing.
- Develop and finalise WeChat Mini Program. Here you need to make sure that the Mini Program is hosted under ICP-filed domains. Without the ICP Filing you will not be ale to publish the Mini Program.
- Publish Mini Program through your Chinese subsidiary.
What Challenges Are There When Using This Option?
- Significant capital investment for entity establishment
- Local staff or authorized representatives for operations
- Chinese bank accounts and local financial operations
- Ongoing compliance with Chinese corporate and tax regulations
- Long-term commitment to Chinese market operations
For businesses making substantial long-term investments in China and who wish to publish more complex Mini Programs with additional functionality in regulated industries, this is an option that can be considered.
Option 3: Work with a Chinese Partner
In this option, you work with a local Chinese partner, such as AppInChina who handle the complete publishing process, compliance management, and ongoing operations through established Chinese entities and regulatory compliance.
How Does This Option Work?
- Partner acts as official publisher using their Chinese business entity
- Complete service including development, compliance, filing, and ongoing management
- You maintain control over business decisions while partner handles Chinese regulatory complexity
What Do Partners Handle?
- Chinese entity requirements and regulatory relationships
- Complete Mini Program filing and can host your Mini Program under domains with the ICP Filing.
- Advanced licensing and industry-specific approvals when needed
- WeChat ecosystem integrations and payment processing setup
- Ongoing regulatory monitoring and renewal management
- Local customer support and operational management
Compared to establishing your own Chinese entity, this option requires lower upfront costs, utilising ongoing service fees rather than requiring capital investment in Chinese operations. You gain access to professional regulatory expertise and an established market presence without needing to build internal Chinese compliance or navigate complex entity establishment procedures.
This method is ideal for international businesses wanting full WeChat Mini Program capabilities without the complexity, timeline, and financial commitment of establishing their own Chinese subsidiary.
Which Option is Best For Me?
| Aspect | International Entity | Chinese Subsidiary | China Specialist Partner |
| Setup Time | 2-4 weeks | 3-6 months | 2-4 weeks |
| Initial Investment | Low (filing fees only) | High (entity establishment) | Medium (service fees) |
| Licensing Capability | Restricted | Full access | Full access (via partner) |
| Compliance Management | Self-managed from overseas | Self-managed locally | Partner-managed |
| Regulatory Risk | High | Low | Low |
- If you are testing the market with limited resources, an international entity is the fastest and cheapest path, though with more restrictions and higher risk.
- If you are committed to long-term operations, a Chinese subsidiary gives full access and control but requires more time and investment.
- If you want full features without establishing locally, a China partner such as AppInChina offers quick setup, manageable costs, and low regulatory risk.
Under Chinese law, WeChat Mini Programs with functionalities that trigger licenses need to hold the necessary licenses. However, in practice, Tencent does not enforce all of these licenses, only a select number of industry-specific licenses, which means that while your WeChat Mini Program will be available and functional in China, it will violate local laws. This means your business presence in China will be non-compliant.
How Can AppInChina Help?
To overcome the central compliance challenge, AppInChina can help by:
- Providing a free compliance assessment to confirm what is required to make your WeChat Mini Program compliant with Chinese laws and regulations.
- Fully developing your WeChat Mini Program. We can develop your WeChat Mini Program or help you liaise with trusted third-party providers that specialise in WeChat Mini Program development.
- Publishing your WeChat Mini Program under our Chinese entity with the ICP Filing and required licenses.
- Promoting your WeChat Mini Program through local channels to increase your user base.
Contact us to launch your WeChat Mini Program in China with full compliance with local laws and regulations.