How to Use Xiaohongshu in English: Complete Interface & Navigation Guide
Date Published
Table Of Contents
• Understanding the Xiaohongshu Interface Challenge
• Getting Started: Download and Account Setup
• Main Navigation Bar: Your Home Base
• The Home Feed (首页) Explained
• Explore/Discovery Tab (发现) Navigation
• Shopping Features (购物) Interface
• Messages and Notifications (消息)
• Profile Page (我) Complete Breakdown
• Content Creation Interface: Publishing Posts
• Search Functionality and Filters
• Settings Menu: Essential Configurations
• Business Account Features and Analytics
• Common Interface Challenges and Solutions
Xiaohongshu (小红书), also known as RedNote or Little Red Book, has become an essential platform for international brands targeting Chinese consumers. With over 300 million monthly active users and unprecedented engagement rates, it's no wonder global brands are rushing to establish their presence. There's just one significant hurdle: the entire platform is in Chinese, with no official English version available.
For international marketers, navigating Xiaohongshu's interface can feel like solving a puzzle blindfolded. Every button, menu option, and feature is labeled in Chinese characters, making even basic tasks like posting content or analyzing performance metrics challenging for non-Chinese speakers. This language barrier has kept many Western brands from fully leveraging the platform's massive commercial potential.
This comprehensive guide walks you through every element of Xiaohongshu's interface in plain English. Whether you're setting up your first brand account, trying to publish content, or attempting to decode the analytics dashboard, you'll find clear explanations of what each button does, where to find specific features, and how to navigate the app confidently without reading Chinese. By the end of this guide, you'll be navigating Xiaohongshu like a pro, positioning your brand for success on China's fastest-growing social commerce platform.
Understanding the Xiaohongshu Interface Challenge
Before diving into specific navigation instructions, it's important to understand why Xiaohongshu remains Chinese-only and what this means for your marketing efforts. Unlike platforms like Instagram or TikTok that offer multiple language options, Xiaohongshu is designed exclusively for Chinese-speaking users. This isn't an oversight—it's a deliberate choice that reinforces the platform's authenticity and local focus.
The interface uses Simplified Chinese characters throughout, with no language toggle in the settings. While this creates an initial learning curve, the good news is that Xiaohongshu's interface is remarkably consistent. Once you learn where key features are located and what the main Chinese labels mean, navigation becomes intuitive. Many international marketers find that after a few weeks of regular use, they can navigate the platform efficiently without constantly referencing translation guides.
For brands serious about Xiaohongshu marketing, understanding the interface is just the beginning. The platform's cultural nuances, content preferences, and algorithm behaviors require deeper expertise. That's where specialized resources become invaluable for transforming interface knowledge into marketing success.
Getting Started: Download and Account Setup
Your Xiaohongshu journey begins with downloading the app and creating an account. The app is available on both iOS and Android, though international users may encounter some download challenges depending on their location.
For iOS users: Search for "小红书" (Xiaohongshu) in the App Store. You may need to temporarily switch your App Store region to China to find the official app. Alternatively, search for "RedNote" which sometimes appears as the international listing. The app icon features a red background with a white underline symbol.
For Android users: The app is available on Google Play Store in most regions. Search for "Xiaohongshu" or "RED" (the English branding the company sometimes uses). If unavailable in your region, you can download the APK from the official Xiaohongshu website.
Once downloaded, the registration screen appears entirely in Chinese. Here's the breakdown of the signup process:
The main screen shows two options at the top. The left option (密码登录) means "Password Login" for existing users. The right option (验证码登录) means "Verification Code Login" and is highlighted by default. Below this, you'll see a phone number input field where you'll enter your mobile number. The app accepts international numbers—just select your country code from the dropdown that appears when you tap the flag icon.
After entering your phone number, tap the red button labeled "获取验证码" (Get Verification Code). You'll receive an SMS with a 6-digit code. Enter this code in the verification field that appears. The system will then prompt you to create a username and select interests for content personalization. These screens include image-based category selections, making them relatively easy to navigate without Chinese knowledge.
Main Navigation Bar: Your Home Base
The bottom navigation bar is your constant companion while using Xiaohongshu. It contains five icons that serve as the primary navigation structure:
首页 (Home): The leftmost icon resembling a house. This is your main feed where you'll see recommended content based on your interests and browsing behavior. The algorithm here is incredibly sophisticated, quickly learning your preferences and serving highly relevant content.
发现 (Discover/Explore): The second icon looks like a compass or magnifying glass. This section allows you to browse trending content, search for specific topics, and explore different categories. It's essential for market research and understanding trending topics in your industry.
Plus Icon (Content Creation): The central, larger icon (usually a red plus sign or camera icon) is your gateway to creating content. Tapping this opens the content creation interface where you can publish photos, videos, or carousel posts.
购物 (Shopping): The fourth icon represents the shopping/commerce section. This area showcases products available for purchase directly through Xiaohongshu, including links to Tmall and other e-commerce platforms. For brands, understanding this section is crucial for social commerce integration.
我 (Me/Profile): The rightmost icon is your profile page. This section houses your published content, saved posts, drafts, settings, and analytics (for business accounts). It's your command center for managing your Xiaohongshu presence.
The Home Feed (首页) Explained
The Home feed is where most users spend their time on Xiaohongshu, and understanding its layout helps you grasp how your target audience consumes content. The feed uses a dual-column, waterfall layout similar to Pinterest, optimized for visual browsing.
At the very top, you'll see two tabs: "关注" (Following) on the left and "发现" (Discover) on the right. The Following tab shows content from accounts you follow, while the Discover tab displays algorithmically recommended content. Most users spend significantly more time in the Discover tab, which is why Xiaohongshu's algorithm is so crucial for brand visibility.
Each post preview in the feed shows a cover image or video thumbnail, title text (if added), and basic engagement metrics. In the bottom-left corner of each post preview, you'll see a small heart icon with a number indicating likes. Tapping anywhere on the post preview opens the full post.
One unique aspect of Xiaohongshu's feed is the "种草" (grass-planting) concept, which roughly translates to "inspiring desire to purchase." The feed is designed to make users discover products and experiences they didn't know they wanted. This consumer psychology principle should inform how you think about your content strategy on the platform.
Explore/Discovery Tab (发现) Navigation
The Discover tab is your research headquarters and content inspiration source. The top of this screen features a search bar with placeholder text that changes based on trending topics. Below the search bar, you'll find several horizontal scrolling categories.
The first row typically displays trending search terms and hashtags. These are goldmines for understanding what's currently popular on the platform. The Chinese characters change based on trends, but you can use your phone's built-in translation feature to understand them quickly.
Below the trending section, you'll find content categories organized by interest areas:
• 穿搭 (Fashion/Styling)
• 美妆 (Beauty/Makeup)
• 美食 (Food/Cuisine)
• 旅行 (Travel)
• 家居 (Home/Interior)
• 健身 (Fitness)
• 母婴 (Mother & Baby)
• 宠物 (Pets)
Tapping any category filters the content feed to show only posts from that vertical. This is incredibly useful for competitive research—you can explore how successful accounts in your industry create content, what topics resonate, and which posting formats perform best.
For international brands looking to dive deeper into industry-specific strategies and best practices across these verticals, Industry-Specific Xiaohongshu Marketing Strategies provides data-driven insights across 20+ categories.
Shopping Features (购物) Interface
The Shopping tab bridges Xiaohongshu's dual identity as both a social media platform and e-commerce destination. Understanding this section is essential for brands planning to sell directly to Chinese consumers.
The top of the shopping interface features several tabs:
推荐 (Recommended): Algorithmically selected products based on your browsing history and interests. This feed uses the same sophisticated recommendation engine that powers the content feed.
品牌馆 (Brand Pavilions): Official brand stores and flagship presentations. If you're establishing an official brand presence, your store will appear in this section.
好物体验站 (Product Experience Stations): Curated collections and themed shopping experiences, often tied to seasonal campaigns or trending topics.
Each product listing shows the product image, title, price (¥ symbol indicates Chinese Yuan), and a shopping bag icon. Tapping a product opens a detailed page that includes user reviews, related posts from the content side of the platform, and purchase options. Many products link to external e-commerce platforms like Tmall or JD.com rather than selling directly through Xiaohongshu.
The integration between content and commerce is seamless. Users often discover products through inspirational posts in their feed, then navigate to the shopping section to purchase. This journey from inspiration to transaction is what makes Xiaohongshu so powerful for brands—and why understanding both the content and commerce interfaces is crucial.
Messages and Notifications (消息)
While there isn't a dedicated messaging icon in the main bottom navigation, message and notification features are accessible through the profile page and in-app notifications. Understanding how to manage communications is important for community engagement and customer service.
Notifications appear in two main ways. First, a red numerical badge appears on the Profile (我) icon when you have unread notifications. Second, in-app notification banners appear at the top of the screen when you receive new interactions.
Tapping into your profile and then the notification area (usually indicated by a bell icon or message symbol in the upper right) reveals several notification categories:
赞和收藏 (Likes and Saves): Shows when users like or bookmark your posts. These metrics indicate content resonance and are important engagement signals for the algorithm.
新增关注 (New Followers): Alerts when someone follows your account. Building a follower base is important for long-term brand presence, though Xiaohongshu's algorithm prioritizes content quality over follower count for reach.
评论和@我 (Comments and Mentions): Shows when users comment on your posts or mention your account in their content. Active engagement with comments significantly boosts your content's algorithmic performance.
私信 (Private Messages): Direct message functionality for one-on-one communication. For business accounts, this is often where customer service inquiries arrive.
Responding to comments and messages in Chinese is important for authentic engagement. Many international brands use bilingual team members or translation tools combined with human review to maintain responsive community management.
Profile Page (我) Complete Breakdown
Your profile page is the most complex interface area, containing numerous features and settings. The top section displays your profile information: profile photo, username (账号), follower count (粉丝), and following count (关注).
Directly below your profile header, you'll see several tabs:
笔记 (Notes/Posts): Your published content appears here in a grid layout. This is what visitors see when they land on your profile—your content showcase.
收藏 (Saved/Bookmarked): Content you've saved from other users. This is organized into folders called "专辑" (Collections) that you can create and name.
赞过 (Liked): Posts you've liked, visible only to you unless you change privacy settings.
Below these tabs, business accounts see additional sections including analytics and professional tools. The three horizontal lines or gear icon in the upper right corner opens your settings menu, which we'll cover in detail in the settings section.
One particularly useful feature on the profile page is the "草稿箱" (Draft Box), accessible through a button or menu option. This is where partially completed posts are automatically saved, allowing you to work on content across multiple sessions without losing progress.
Content Creation Interface: Publishing Posts
The content creation interface is where your Xiaohongshu marketing strategy comes to life. Tapping the central plus icon in the bottom navigation opens a menu with content type options.
You'll see three primary options:
图文 (Image/Text Post): Standard posts combining images and text, the most common content format on Xiaohongshu. You can upload up to 9 images in carousel format.
视频 (Video): Video content, which can be up to 5 minutes for business accounts (shorter for personal accounts). Video content has seen explosive growth on the platform recently.
直播 (Live Streaming): Live broadcasting feature, requiring certain account eligibility criteria to access.
When creating an image/text post, you'll proceed through several screens:
Image Selection: Choose photos from your device or take new ones. The interface allows cropping and basic filters. You can adjust the order by pressing and dragging thumbnails.
Image Editing: Basic editing tools appear at the bottom, labeled with Chinese characters: 滤镜 (Filters), 亮度 (Brightness), 对比度 (Contrast), and other adjustment options. The editing tools are icon-based and relatively intuitive even without reading Chinese.
Text and Tags: The main composition screen includes several key fields. The top field (标题) is your title, limited to around 20 characters and displayed prominently in feeds. The larger text area below (正文) is your main caption, with a 1,000-character limit. Below this, you'll see options to add location tags (添加地点), topic hashtags (#话题), and product links (@商品).
Publishing Options: Before posting, you'll see several toggles and options at the bottom. These control visibility settings, comment permissions, and whether the post is visible in certain feeds. The red "发布" (Publish) button in the upper right publishes your post immediately, while "存草稿" (Save Draft) saves it for later.
For brands developing comprehensive content strategies with proven frameworks and templates, Free Xiaohongshu Resources provides ready-to-use content planning tools designed specifically for international brands.
Search Functionality and Filters
Xiaohongshu's search function is remarkably powerful, offering granular filters that help users find exactly what they're looking for—and help marketers conduct competitive research.
The search bar appears at the top of the Discover tab. After entering a search term (in Chinese or pinyin), you'll see a results page with several filter options at the top:
综合 (Comprehensive/All): Default view showing all content types ranked by relevance and engagement.
最新 (Latest/Newest): Sorts results chronologically, showing the most recently published content first. This is useful for identifying trending topics and current conversations.
最热 (Hottest/Most Popular): Displays the highest-engagement content for your search term. This is where you'll find viral posts and top-performing content in your niche.
Below these primary filters, you'll see content type filters:
• 视频 (Video only)
• 图文 (Image posts only)
Additional filter buttons may appear depending on your search term, including category refinements and attribute filters specific to product searches.
On the right side of each search result, you'll see a small icon with three dots. Tapping this reveals options including "不感兴趣" (Not Interested), which helps train the algorithm about your preferences, and "举报" (Report) for flagging inappropriate content.
Mastering search is crucial for market research. By searching relevant keywords in your industry and analyzing top-performing content, you can identify content gaps, trending topics, and successful creative approaches that inform your own content strategy.
Settings Menu: Essential Configurations
Accessing settings requires navigating to your profile page (我) and tapping the three horizontal lines (≡) or gear icon in the upper right corner. This opens the settings menu, labeled "设置" at the top.
The settings menu contains numerous options, but several are particularly important for international brand accounts:
账号与安全 (Account and Security): Manages your phone number, password, and security settings. This section also shows whether you have a personal account (个人账号) or professional account (专业号).
隐私设置 (Privacy Settings): Controls who can see your content, send you messages, and interact with your account. For brand accounts, you typically want maximum visibility, but these settings allow granular control.
通用设置 (General Settings): Contains language settings (though Chinese is the only option), push notification preferences, and data usage controls. The notification settings (通知设置) are particularly useful for managing how you receive alerts about engagement.
切换账号 (Switch Accounts): If you manage multiple accounts, this option allows switching between them without logging out. Many international brands maintain separate accounts for different product lines or markets.
升级专业号 (Upgrade to Professional Account): If you haven't already converted to a business account, this option initiates the process. Professional accounts unlock analytics, advertising tools, and e-commerce features essential for serious brand marketing.
帮助与客服 (Help and Customer Service): Access to Xiaohongshu's help center and customer support. While support is in Chinese, this is where you'd submit technical issues or policy questions.
One particularly useful setting for international users is the notification language for email communications. While the app remains in Chinese, some email notifications can be configured to include English translations or summaries.
Business Account Features and Analytics
Upgrading to a professional account (专业号) unlocks a comprehensive suite of business tools. After upgrading, your profile page gains a new section called "创作中心" (Creator Center) or "专业号中心" (Professional Account Center).
Tapping this opens your business dashboard with several key sections:
数据中心 (Data Center): Your analytics hub showing follower growth, content performance, and engagement metrics. Key metrics include:
• 笔记曝光 (Note Impressions): How many times your posts appeared in feeds
• 笔记阅读 (Note Reads): How many times posts were actually viewed
• 新增粉丝 (New Followers): Follower growth over time
• 互动率 (Engagement Rate): Likes, comments, and shares relative to impressions
The analytics interface is entirely in Chinese, but the data visualizations (graphs and charts) are relatively universal. Numbers are displayed using Arabic numerals, making quantitative data accessible even without Chinese reading ability.
薯条推广 (Shu Tiao Promotion): Xiaohongshu's content boosting tool, similar to Instagram's "Promote" feature. This allows you to pay to increase the reach of your organic posts. The interface shows pricing options (in Chinese Yuan) and expected reach estimates.
品牌合作 (Brand Collaboration): Features for connecting with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and managing influencer partnerships. This section is particularly relevant for brands executing influencer marketing campaigns.
商品橱窗 (Product Showcase): Tools for adding shoppable product links to your profile and posts. This bridges your content to commerce, allowing users to discover and purchase products directly.
For international brands seeking comprehensive guidance on leveraging these professional features for maximum ROI, Expert Xiaohongshu Marketing Service provides hands-on support from platform specialists who understand both the technical interface and the strategic nuances.
Common Interface Challenges and Solutions
Even with this comprehensive guide, international users often encounter specific interface challenges. Here are solutions to the most common issues:
Challenge: Pop-up messages appear and you can't understand the options.
Solution: Most pop-ups follow a standard format with two buttons: left typically means "Cancel" (取消) and right means "Confirm" (确定) or "I understand" (我知道了). When in doubt, screenshot the pop-up and use your phone's built-in translation feature.
Challenge: Your post fails to publish with an error message.
Solution: Common issues include content policy violations, inappropriate hashtags, or restricted keywords. The error message usually contains the word "违规" (violation). Try removing branded terms, external links, or controversial topics, then republish.
Challenge: You can't find certain features mentioned in guides.
Solution: Xiaohongshu frequently updates its interface, and some features are region-specific or account-level dependent. Professional accounts see different features than personal accounts, and some tools are only available to accounts with certain follower thresholds.
Challenge: Analytics show data but you can't interpret the context.
Solution: Focus on trends rather than absolute numbers. Growing lines on graphs are positive regardless of the Chinese labels. Compare your posts against each other to identify which content types and topics perform best for your specific audience.
Challenge: You accidentally changed a setting and can't undo it.
Solution: Settings changes are rarely permanent or damaging. Navigate back to 设置 (Settings) and look for recently changed toggles. Most settings use toggle switches that are visually clear—red or green typically indicates "on" and gray indicates "off."
The learning curve for Xiaohongshu's Chinese interface is real, but it's also finite. Most international marketers report feeling comfortable with navigation after 2-3 weeks of regular use. The key is consistent engagement with the platform and willingness to experiment with different features.
Remember that interface navigation is just the foundation. Successful Xiaohongshu marketing requires understanding cultural nuances, content preferences, algorithm behaviors, and platform-specific best practices that go far beyond simply knowing which buttons to press. The interface is your tool; strategy and cultural intelligence are what drive results.
Navigating Xiaohongshu's Chinese interface might feel daunting at first, but as you've seen throughout this guide, every element has a logical place and purpose. From the five main navigation tabs to the detailed analytics dashboard, understanding where to find features and what each section does transforms the platform from an intimidating maze into a powerful marketing tool.
The interface challenge actually creates a competitive advantage for brands willing to invest time in learning the platform properly. While many international companies are deterred by the language barrier, those who push through gain access to one of the world's most engaged and commercially active social media audiences. The 300+ million monthly active users on Xiaohongshu aren't just scrolling—they're actively seeking product recommendations, making purchase decisions, and sharing their discoveries with friends.
As you become more comfortable with the interface, you'll discover that visual consistency and muscle memory make navigation increasingly intuitive. Many marketers find themselves navigating efficiently without consciously translating, simply recognizing icons, positions, and visual cues. This fluency allows you to focus on what truly matters: creating compelling content, building authentic community engagement, and driving measurable business results.
The next step in your Xiaohongshu journey goes beyond interface mastery to strategic execution. Understanding which content formats resonate with Chinese consumers, how to optimize for the platform's unique algorithm, and how to navigate cultural nuances that determine success or failure—these are the deeper competencies that separate brands that merely have a Xiaohongshu presence from those that genuinely thrive on the platform.
Ready to Transform Interface Knowledge Into Marketing Results?
Understanding Xiaohongshu's interface is just the beginning. Success on the platform requires cultural intelligence, strategic content planning, and data-driven optimization that goes far beyond knowing which buttons to press.
At AllXHS, we've helped hundreds of international brands navigate not just the interface, but the entire Xiaohongshu marketing ecosystem. Our comprehensive suite includes 378+ industry reports, a 21-module training academy, and 25+ ready-to-use tools spanning 20+ verticals from beauty to F&B to mother & baby.
Whether you need self-serve resources to guide your in-house team or hands-on expert consultation to accelerate your results, we bridge the gap between Western marketing approaches and Chinese consumer expectations.
[Contact our team today](https://www.allxhs.com/contact) to discuss how we can help you transform your Xiaohongshu presence from functional to phenomenal.