WeChat rolls out elderly ‘Care Mode’ as Tencent answers the call for an internet friendlier to China’s ageing population
- When ‘Care Mode’ is enabled in WeChat, fonts and buttons are enlarged and the colour scheme is changed to make objects easier to see for the visually impaired
- Beijing called on tech companies earlier this year to make apps more accessible to the elderly as it seeks to close the digital divide

In addition to enlarging text, activating Care Mode also changes the colour scheme to make certain objects more recognisable and gives the app’s main functions larger buttons. The move is an attempt to “improve the convenience for user groups that include senior citizens and the visually impaired”, the company said in a statement announcing the new feature on Monday.
WeChat is China’s largest social network, with 1.25 billion monthly active users in the second quarter, and is widely used for everything from mobile payments to health codes. Care Mode is meant to address the country’s changing demographics, but the design change does not yet extend to all third-party mini programs that launch within WeChat.
The company said it would continue to explore more elderly-friendly services for Care Mode.