WhatsApp QR Code Generator
One scan opens a WhatsApp chat with your number — no contact-saving, no number-typing. Ideal for storefronts, delivery bags, market stalls, and support desks. Generated entirely in your browser.
Print checklist
- Keep the white margin around the code — it is the quiet zone scanners need, not empty space to crop.
- Size for the scan distance: at least 2 × 2 cm for arm's-length scanning, and roughly one tenth of the farthest scan distance for posters.
- Scan a test print with a real phone before making copies.
How wa.me click-to-chat works
WhatsApp publishes an official "click to chat" link format:
https://wa.me/<number>, where the number is the full international number
with every zero, bracket, dash — and the plus sign — removed. Scanning the code opens that
link, and WhatsApp (app or web) opens a chat with the number. An optional
?text= parameter pre-fills the visitor's first message; they still have to press send
themselves, which is exactly the consent step you want.
Because the payload is an ordinary https link, this code behaves well everywhere: phones without WhatsApp simply open the wa.me page in a browser, which explains what to do next.
Worked example
Number +44 7911 123456 with the pre-filled greeting "Hi! I scanned your code at the
shop." becomes:
https://wa.me/447911123456?text=Hi!%20I%20scanned%20your%20code%20at%20the%20shop.
Note the number appears as bare digits (447911123456) — that is the wa.me rule,
and the generator strips the formatting for you.
Why the number must be in international format
wa.me has no idea which country a scanner is standing in, so a local number like
07911 123456 is ambiguous — it only works dialed from the same country, and wa.me rejects
the leading zero outright. The international (E.164) form
+44 7911 123456 — country code first, no leading zero — identifies the account globally.
The generator validates this and tells you exactly what to fix.
Pre-filled message etiquette
The pre-filled text is typed on the visitor's behalf, so keep it useful and neutral:
- Give context, not marketing: "Hi, I'm interested in the corner sofa" beats "I WANT TO BUY NOW!!" — the message should sound like something the visitor would say.
- Keep it short. The visitor should be able to read it at a glance before sending — a sentence, not a paragraph.
- Use it for routing. A code on the repairs counter can pre-fill "Repair enquiry", the one at the till "Order status" — you know instantly what the chat is about.
- Never pre-fill personal data. The visitor's name or details are theirs to type, not yours to assume.
WhatsApp QR code FAQ
Does this work with WhatsApp Business?
Yes — wa.me links open chats with any WhatsApp account, personal or Business, as long as the number is registered on WhatsApp. WhatsApp Business also offers in-app QR codes; the advantage of a wa.me code from this page is that you control the styling, the file, and the pre-filled text, and nothing depends on an app menu.
What happens if someone scans it without WhatsApp installed?
The link opens in the browser, where WhatsApp shows a page explaining that the number uses WhatsApp and offering the app. The scan never dead-ends.
Can people see my number before messaging?
Yes. The number is inside the code (it is part of the link), so treat the code like printing the number itself. If you don't want your personal number public, use a business number.
Group invites?
Group invite links (chat.whatsapp.com/…) are ordinary URLs — encode one with
the URL generator. Be aware anyone with the code can join and
that WhatsApp lets you revoke the invite link, which kills the printed code.
Prefer plain calling or texting? See the phone call code and the SMS code. For a full contact card, use the vCard generator.