WeChat conversations can record an agreement, a payment request, a family arrangement, or notice of a dispute. A cropped screenshot may show a useful line but leave unanswered who sent it, whether the conversation is complete, and whether the content was changed. Evidence is stronger when the original source and surrounding context can be explained.
China's civil evidence rules treat online chat records and other electronic material as electronic data. Courts assess how the material was generated, stored, collected, and linked to the issue in dispute. Preserve the account and device when possible, save the complete exchange, and avoid editing, deleting, or forwarding material in ways that obscure its source.
Keep the source, not only an image
Do not delete the conversation or reset the device if the messages may matter. Keep the phone, account, and original chat available. If you export or print the conversation, make a note of the method and date and retain an unedited copy. A screen recording can help show how a message appears in the account, but it does not replace the underlying data or establish every disputed fact by itself.
Record the account identifiers and how you know who used each account. Preserve the profile information, phone number or other identifying context that connects the account to a person, while protecting unrelated personal information. Where the other party disputes identity, a bare display name may not be enough.
Preserve the full thread and related records
Keep messages before and after the key statement, including corrections, replies, and attachments. Save original voice notes, photographs, documents, and transfer receipts where available. If the conversation concerns money, preserve the related bank, payment-platform, invoice, or contract record. A payment record can corroborate that a transfer occurred, but it may not by itself prove why it was made.
Do not crop out dates or account details in the only copy, and do not annotate the original file. If privacy requires redaction for a working copy, keep an untouched original and record what was redacted and why. Avoid publishing sensitive messages online; broad disclosure can create privacy and confidentiality issues.
Prepare for questions about authenticity
The Supreme People's Court's civil evidence provisions direct attention to the source and form of electronic data, whether the content is complete and has been altered, and how it relates to the issue. The other side may dispute account ownership, timing, missing messages, or the context of a statement. Organize a short index that identifies the relevant date range and explains how each item supports a specific fact.
If the dispute is likely to be litigated, ask counsel whether a notarized preservation, platform record, forensic collection, or court evidence-preservation request is appropriate. The right method depends on whether the data may disappear, who controls it, and the cost and proportionality of preservation.
Evidence checklist
- Keep the original device and account accessible.
- Save the complete thread, including dates, participants, and attachments.
- Preserve related contracts, invoices, and payment records.
- Make an index without editing the source files.
- Limit sharing to people who need the material for the dispute.
Sources: Supreme People's Court Provisions on Civil Evidence.
