WhatsApp marketing
How to create a WhatsApp QR code and link with a ready message
Make a WhatsApp QR code or click-to-chat link that opens with your message typed in. Where to use it, how to track each one, and how to create it free.
- 4 min read
- Updated
- By Ashmit Arya
On this page (11)
- What is a wa.me link?
- How to make a wa.me link, step by step
- wa.me link formats at a glance
- Common wa.me mistakes and how to fix them
- Use a different code for every place
- Put the link on your website too
- Make it work harder in Responseify
- Design tips for QR codes
- Ideas for where to put your code
- Sources
- Frequently asked questions
The easiest way to get a customer onto WhatsApp is to remove every step. No saving a number, no typing a first message. They scan or tap, and a chat opens with your business, ready to send. This guide is about using the QR code well and tracking each one; to build the link itself, use the free wa.me link generator.
What is a wa.me link?
A wa.me link (also called a WhatsApp click-to-chat link) is a web address that opens a WhatsApp chat with a specific phone number when someone taps or clicks it. You can add a message to the link so it is already typed in when the chat opens.
How to make a wa.me link, step by step
- 1
Take the full numbercountry code first
For India that is 91 followed by the 10-digit number: 919810011001.
- 2
Remove everything elseno plus sign
No plus, spaces, dashes or brackets, and no leading zeros.
- 3
Put it after wa.me/the base link
https://wa.me/919810011001 opens a chat with that number.
- 4
Add a message if you want?text=
Add ?text= and your message, with spaces written as %20.
For an Indian number 9810011001 and the message "Hi, I want details", that becomes https://wa.me/919810011001?text=Hi%20I%20want%20details.
wa.me link formats at a glance
| What you want | Link format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Open a chat | https://wa.me/<number> | https://wa.me/919810011001 |
| Open a chat with a typed message | https://wa.me/<number>?text=<message> | https://wa.me/919810011001?text=Hi%20I%20want%20details |
| The longer older format (also works) | https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=<number>&text=<message> | https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=919810011001&text=Hi |
Common wa.me mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Why it breaks | Fix |
|---|---|---|
wa.me/+91 98100 11001 | A plus sign and spaces are not allowed in the number | wa.me/919810011001 |
wa.me/09810011001 | A leading zero is not part of the international number | Use 91 and then the 10 digits |
?text=Hi I want details | Spaces must be encoded | Write Hi%20I%20want%20details |
A message with &, ? or a new line | These characters are special in a web address | Encode them: %26 for &, %3F for ?, %0A for a new line |
You do not have to build it by hand. The free WhatsApp link generator does it, and the QR code generator turns the same link into a picture you can download.
Use a different code for every place
A single QR code on everything tells you nothing. Make one per placement, each with its own pre-filled message, so you can see which place brings the chat:
- 1
Shop windowwalk-ins
"Hi! I saw your shop and want to know about [offer]."
- 2
Receipts and packagingrepeat customers
"Hi, I need help with my order [number]."
- 3
Website buttononline visitors
"Hi, I am on your website and have a question."
- 4
Brochures and hoardingscampaigns
"Hi, I saw your ad for [project]. Please send details."
The message tells your team where the customer came from the moment the chat opens, so the first reply can be specific.
Put the link on your website too
For a button that opens a WhatsApp chat from your website, use the free WhatsApp chat button generator. It builds the same kind of link with your message already typed in, ready to paste into your site.
Make it work harder in Responseify
Inside Responseify, open Settings then QR & Links, type the message and create it. The link and QR code are saved with your account, and chats that arrive through them land in your shared inbox.
What to notice: the message is set once and reused. Create QR codes and click-to-chat links.
Design tips for QR codes
- Print them big enough. A scanner needs space; leave a clear border around the code.
- Say what happens. "Scan to chat with us on WhatsApp" gets more scans than a bare code.
- Test the printed copy. Scan it from the distance a customer will, on an older phone too.
- Do not hide it on a dark photo. Keep strong contrast between the code and its background.
Ideas for where to put your code
- On the counter, next to the payment QR, with a line like "Questions? Chat with us".
- On delivery boxes and invoices, so support starts in WhatsApp instead of a phone call.
- On shop-front boards and standees, where people wait or walk past.
- In event banners and stall displays, with a message that names the event.
- On your website's contact page and footer, using the free chat button.
Whichever you use, make sure someone is ready to answer. A scan that gets no reply teaches customers not to try again. For the full picture of lead capture, see WhatsApp lead generation for small businesses.
Sources
- WhatsApp, How to use click to chat: the official help page for click-to-chat links.
- WhatsApp, Business Messaging Policy: people must agree to hear from you; a customer who starts the chat has reached out first.
- Responseify Help Center, QR codes and click-to-chat links, and the free link and QR tools.
Frequently asked questions
Is a WhatsApp QR code free?
Yes. The Responseify QR and link generators are free, and you do not need an account for the website tools.
Does the person need my number saved?
No. Scanning or tapping the link opens a chat with your business directly.
Can I change the message later?
Create a new code or link with the new message. Anything already printed keeps the old message.
How do I know which QR code brought a lead?
Use a different pre-filled message for each placement, so the first message tells you the source.
What is a wa.me link?
A web address that opens a WhatsApp chat with a given phone number when someone taps it. You can add a typed message with ?text=.
Why does my wa.me link not work?
Almost always because the number is wrong. Use the full international number with no plus sign, spaces, dashes or leading zeros, for example 919810011001 for an Indian mobile number.
About the author
Ashmit Arya · Founder, Responseify
Builds Responseify, a WhatsApp CRM for Indian businesses, and tests what these guides describe in the product himself. Every number here is sourced and dated, and posts are updated when the rules change.
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- Found a mistake or an out-of-date rule? Email us and we will correct it. More about us on the About page.