WhatsApp QR code generator: start a chat in one scan

A WhatsApp QR code stores a click-to-chat link. When someone scans it, the phone opens the link, WhatsApp launches, and a chat with your number appears with your pre-filled message in the text box, ready to send.

The click-to-chat link

WhatsApp's official link format is:

https://wa.me/<number>?text=<message>

• <number> is your full phone number in international format: country code followed by the number, with no plus sign, spaces, brackets, dashes or leading zeros.
• ?text= is optional. The message must be URL-encoded, so spaces become %20.

For a UK mobile written as +44 7700 900123, the link is https://wa.me/447700900123. Add a message and it becomes https://wa.me/447700900123?text=Hi%2C%20I%20need%20a%20quote.

What the customer sees

1. They point their camera at the code and tap the link.
2. WhatsApp opens on a chat with you. If they have not saved your number, it still works.
3. Your message is already typed. They can edit it or tap Send.

If WhatsApp is not installed, the link opens a WhatsApp web page that offers to download the app or continue in WhatsApp Web.

Is a scan a message?

No. Nothing is sent until the customer taps Send. A scan alone does not share their number with you.

Enter your number in international format, add an optional message, choose static or dynamic, then download. CardDeck formats the number and encodes the message for you.

Step by step

1. Enter your number with the country code. For example, 91 for India, 44 for the UK, 1 for the US and Canada. Drop the leading 0 of a national number: 07700 900123 in the UK becomes 447700900123. 2. Write the pre-filled message. Keep it short and specific. "Hi, I'd like to book a table" works better than "Hello". 3. Choose static or dynamic. - Static stores the wa.me link itself. Free and unlimited. - Dynamic stores a short link you can re-point to a new number or message, and counts scans. 4. Style it. Many businesses use WhatsApp green or their own brand color. Keep strong contrast. 5. Download SVG for print or PNG for screens and social posts. 6. Test it on an iPhone and an Android phone, with WhatsApp installed and signed in.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the + or spaces in the number. The link then fails to open a chat.
• Forgetting the country code, so the chat goes to the wrong country.
• Very long pre-filled messages. They make the code denser and customers rarely read them.

Use the pre-filled message to tell you where the customer came from and what they want, so you can reply quickly without asking. Different codes can carry different messages.

Good pre-filled messages

• Shop window: "Hi, I saw your window display. Are you open today?"
• Property sign: "Hi, I'm interested in 14 Elm Road. Is it still available?"
• Product packaging: "Hi, I have a question about my order."
• Service van: "Hi, I'd like a quote for a repair."
• Event booth: "Hi, we met at the expo. Please send me your catalog."

Tag each placement

Give each placement its own message, such as including the sign's street name or the flyer's campaign. When chats arrive, the first message tells you which placement worked. With dynamic codes you also get scan counts per placement, which shows how many people scanned but did not send.

Keep it editable

Use the customer's language and keep the message to one sentence. They can always change it before sending. If you might change offers or opening hours, choose a dynamic code so you can update the message without reprinting.

Use a static WhatsApp QR code when your number and message will not change. Use a dynamic one when the number might change, when you want to change the message, or when you want to count scans.

Static WhatsApp QR codes

• Store the wa.me link directly.
• Free, unlimited and never expire.
• Cannot be changed after printing.

Dynamic WhatsApp QR codes

• Store a short CardDeck link that redirects to the wa.me link.
• Change the number when a staff member leaves or the business moves to a new WhatsApp Business number.
• Update the message for a new campaign.
• See scan counts by date, device type and approximate region.

When dynamic pays off

Real estate agents, delivery businesses and franchises often print codes on signs, vehicles and packaging that last for years. A dynamic code means a number change does not mean a reprint. For agents, see how CardDeck supports real estate professionals.

Your plan allowance

Static WhatsApp codes are unlimited. Dynamic codes count toward your plan: 2 on Free, 50 on Pro, 200 on Team and unlimited on Business. A business with one counter sign and one van can start on Free.

Put a WhatsApp QR code anywhere a customer might want to ask a question and you would rather answer by chat than by phone. Print it at least 2 × 2 cm for close scanning, larger for signs.

Placements that work

• Shop counters and windows for opening hours, stock questions and orders.
• Property signs and brochures for viewing requests.
• Delivery vans and packaging for order questions and repeat orders.
• Business cards for professionals who work on WhatsApp.
• Restaurant tables and menus for reservations and takeaway orders.
• Event booths and flyers for follow-up after the event.

Size and print tips

• At least 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 in) for codes scanned in hand.
• About one-tenth of the scanning distance for signs, so 10 cm for a poster read from 1 m.
• Keep a quiet zone of four modules around the code.
• Add a short call to action next to it, such as "Scan to chat on WhatsApp".

WhatsApp on your digital card

If you also share a digital business card, add a WhatsApp button to it. People who scan your card's QR code can then message you, call you or save your contact from one page. The general QR code generator covers other code types you might want alongside it.

Yes. The wa.me link works the same way for WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business numbers. Customers see your business profile, and any greeting or away messages you set up in WhatsApp Business still apply.

Things to check

• Use the number registered to WhatsApp Business, in international format.
• Set a greeting message in the WhatsApp Business app so the first reply is instant.
• Set business hours and an away message so scans outside hours still get a response.
• Respect opt-in rules. A customer messaging you first through a QR code is a clear start to a conversation. Follow WhatsApp's business policies before sending marketing messages.

WhatsApp's own QR codes

WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business can also show a QR code inside the app. Those codes use WhatsApp's own short links, which you cannot style or track. A CardDeck code uses the standard wa.me link, so you control the design, the pre-filled message and, with a dynamic code, the analytics.

For more ideas on reaching local customers, see CardDeck for small business. If several staff answer chats, consider pointing a dynamic code at whichever number is on duty this season.