Make a WhatsApp QR code
Scan, and a chat with your business opens with the message already typed.
For a lot of small businesses WhatsApp is the shop front, and the fastest way to get someone into a chat is a code on the counter, the delivery bag or the poster. A WhatsApp link is an ordinary web address with your number in it, so it makes a perfectly normal static QR code: no app, no service in the middle, no expiry. You can even prefill the first message so the enquiry arrives with the product name already in it.
How to make a WhatsApp QR code
- 1
Build the link
Use https://wa.me/ followed by your number in full international form, digits only, with no plus sign, spaces or dashes.
- 2
Add a first message if you want one
Append ?text= and your message, with spaces written as %20. Something like "Hi, I saw the poster" tells you where the enquiry came from.
- 3
Generate and print
Paste the link, set your colours, add the logo, and download the PDF or PNG.
Why this is better than printing your number
A printed number has to be typed in without a mistake, by someone standing on a pavement. A code opens the conversation in one tap, with your first message already there.
Frequently asked questions
What format does the number need?+
Country code and number, digits only. For Nepal that is 977 followed by the mobile number, for India 91, for the UK 44 with the leading zero dropped.
Does the person need my number saved?+
No, that is the point. The chat opens straight from the link whether or not they have you in their contacts.
Can I prefill the message?+
Yes, with the text parameter on the link. It is a suggestion only, and they can edit it before sending.
Is this the same as the code inside WhatsApp?+
No. WhatsApp has its own code in the app for adding a contact. This is a normal QR code pointing at a normal link, which is why it can be printed on anything and read by any camera.