Connectivity & apps
Install what you need at home. Hotel Wi-Fi is not a plan.
We have not yet written a Shenzhen page in this chapter. The China-wide guides below already apply.
Related China-wide guides
Staying Connected in China: eSIM, Roaming, and Which Apps Actually Work
On mainland networks and hotel Wi-Fi, many familiar Google and social apps are restricted. An international roaming eSIM often reaches them on cellular data — hotel Wi-Fi usually does not. How to plan, without a product pitch.
China essentials · InternetMaps and Translation in China: Why Amap Beats Google Maps
Google Maps is a poor primary map inside China, even when it opens. Install Amap (高德地图), save Chinese addresses, and pack an offline translation pack. How to set it up, and how to show a driver the characters.
China essentials · ConnectivityA Chinese SIM, or an eSIM? An Honest Comparison for Visitors
A practical comparison of buying a Chinese SIM after you land versus installing an eSIM before you fly. Passport registration, what actually works, and no product ranking.
China essentials · ConnectivityWeChat Mini-Programs Foreigners Can Actually Use — and the Many That Will Say No
After WeChat and WeChat Pay are set up, some mini-programs work for a foreign passport holder. Many still demand a Chinese national ID and fail. Honest limits, not a ranked app store.
China essentials · ConnectivityCan You Use Google, WhatsApp and Instagram in China? Usually Not — Here Is the Practical Picture
On a mainland China connection, Google, WhatsApp and Instagram often do not work as usual. An eSIM is a data plan, not a loophole. What to use instead, and what this site will not recommend.
China essentials · AppsCan Foreigners Use DiDi, Meituan, Dianping and Taobao? DiDi Often; the Others, Don’t Count On It
DiDi often works once WeChat Pay or Alipay is set up. Meituan, Dianping and Taobao typically want a Chinese number and often a mainland ID. We will not invent a tourist workaround.