WeChat on Android Now Supports Live Photos; HarmonyOS and Linux Versions Release New Official Updates

The multi-platform collaborative experience of WeChat is quietly improving, with a wave of updates covering both mobile and desktop platforms now underway.

As an important tool for daily socializing and office work, WeChat’s functional updates have always attracted attention. Recently, WeChat has made significant strides in cross-platform experience: Android users can now receive and view Live Photos, while the HarmonyOS desktop and Linux versions of WeChat have successively released the feature-rich official version 4.1.0.Although these updates are not revolutionary changes, they significantly enhance user convenience and consistency when using WeChat across different devices and systems.

01 Cross-Platform Advancement of Live Photo Feature

In September of this year, WeChat’s Android platform welcomed the internal test version 8.0.63, which added support for sending Live Photos in chats and adapted to mainstream brands such as Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Honor. This means that Android users can now share Live Photos that include dynamic images and sound, just like iOS users.When using this feature, users need to click into the large image preview page before sending a photo, and manually enable the Live switch for each photo. After sending, the photo will include dynamic images and sound; if the Live switch is off, it will be sent as a static photo. The recipient must click on the large image and then click the “Live” button in the lower left corner to view the full effect.This feature is currently still in the gray testing phase, and not all users can experience it immediately. Only a portion of users who are part of the internal test can enable the Live switch before sending, but users who are not part of the internal test can still receive and view Live Photos sent by others.The expansion of the Live Photo feature in WeChat began last year. In September 2024, WeChat first allowed iOS users to post Live Photos in Moments; subsequently, in April 2025, this feature was also opened to Android users. In July of this year, WeChat supported sending Live Photos in chats on iOS versions 8.0.61 and above, and now the follow-up on the Android platform marks the full popularization of the Live Photo feature on mobile.

02 Feature Expansion of WeChat on HarmonyOS Desktop

The HarmonyOS version of WeChat has recently undergone significant updates, with the version number upgraded from 1.0 to 8.0, and the official version 4.1.0 for HarmonyOS desktop has been released. This update brings over 40 practical features, focusing on high-frequency office scenarios, with deep optimizations in chat management, video communication, file collaboration, and the mini-program ecosystem.Backing up chat records to the computer is a major highlight of the new version. Users can back up their WeChat chat records from their phones to the HarmonyOS computer, allowing them to retrieve work materials or important conversations at any time, avoiding the loss of key information. For important schedule information mentioned in chats, users can set reminders by right-clicking on the chat content, helping them manage their time better.The file preview and screenshot experience have also been enhanced. Files and videos sent by work partners can be forwarded, selected, or quoted directly even if they have not been downloaded; Office document previews support opening with the system’s default program. When taking screenshots, users can choose to hide the chat dialogue window, and the shortcut keys have been further optimized to effectively reduce the risk of privacy leaks.The group chat feature has been further improved: a new group video call feature has been added, supporting team remote reviews or friends gathering in the cloud; the quoting function has been fully supplemented, allowing precise quoting of text, images, videos, and even emojis; the forwarding and downloading of public account content has become smoother; and the stability of mini-program operation has been enhanced.Additionally, users can now set pinned content in Moments, keeping the most important updates in a prominent position. Collected content can also be shared to the chat window with one click, improving information flow efficiency.

03 Enhanced Collaborative Office Features in WeChat for Linux

The Linux version of WeChat has also welcomed the official version 4.1.0 update, with its feature updates largely consistent with those of the HarmonyOS desktop version, reflecting the WeChat team’s efforts in cross-platform experience consistency.In this update, message reminders and collection features are the core upgrades. Users can set reminders for important messages to ensure they do not miss any key information; the chat toolbar has added a “collection” button, making it easy for users to send or collect important content directly. These improvements maintain consistency with the mobile WeChat experience, significantly enhancing the efficiency of Linux platform users.Communication methods have also become more flexible. Users can now reply to images, videos, or emojis when quoting messages, and can also quote parts of the text in messages, making communication more precise and efficient. These features are particularly useful in office scenarios that require frequent collaboration.There are also numerous optimizations in interface and operational experience: the display of the chat list has been improved, and messages @everyone and @me are clearly distinguished; independent chat windows support dragging; multiple images can be opened simultaneously; image editing supports cropping; and screenshots support one-click blurring. These detailed improvements make the experience smoother for Linux users in their daily use.Notably, the WeChat Linux version 4.1.0 has officially been listed in the deepin app store, allowing users to easily search for “WeChat” in the store for one-click installation or upgrade, greatly lowering the usage threshold. The WeChat team provides versions for x86, ARM, and LoongArch architectures, catering to the needs of different Linux users.With WeChat’s synchronized updates across Android, HarmonyOS, and Linux platforms, the barriers to cross-device communication are gradually being broken down. The similarity of version features between HarmonyOS desktop and Linux versions indicates that WeChat is committed to providing users on different platforms with as consistent an experience as possible.In the future, WeChat is expected to continue along the path of “monthly major versions and weekly minor versions“, further bridging the gap between mobile and desktop, allowing users to enjoy a smooth and uninterrupted social and office experience regardless of the device they use.