Free tool · PNG and SVG · Runs in your browser
WhatsApp QR code generator
Short answer
Enter a phone number with its country code and, if you want, a message, and the tool writes a WhatsApp click to chat link, https://wa.me/number?text=message, into the code. Scanning it opens a chat with that number and the message ready to send. A link with no message is Version 2 (25 × 25); a 100 character message makes it Version 8 (49 × 49). Nothing is uploaded.
Enter the phone number with its country code.
Nothing is uploaded: the code is drawn in your browser. Codes do not expire and carry no tracking.
Key takeaways
- WhatsApp's page says to use https://wa.me/<number> where the number is a full phone number in international format, omitting any zeroes, brackets or dashes. Its examples: use https://wa.me/1XXXXXXXXXX, do not use https://wa.me/+001-(XXX)XXXXXXX. The tool strips everything but the digits, so +1 (415) 555-0132 becomes 14155550132.
- The page says the person must have an active WhatsApp account, and that the pre-filled message is the text parameter of the link, URL-encoded.
- Every character of a message adds to the code: with no message the link is 25 characters (Version 2 (25 × 25)); with 40 characters of message it is 71 (Version 5 (37 × 37)); with 200 it is 231 (Version 11 (61 × 61)).
- Spaces and punctuation are URL-encoded, so a space costs three characters. The message "Hello there how are you" makes the link 62 characters long: https://wa.me/14155550132?text=Hello%20there%20how%20are%20you.
- A code with a short message scans more easily than one with a long one. Keep the message to a line.
What the code contains
The code holds an ordinary link. WhatsApp's click to chat page describes three shapes, and the tool writes the first two.
| Shape | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| https://wa.me/<number> | https://wa.me/1XXXXXXXXXX | Opens a chat with that number |
| https://wa.me/<number>?text=<message> | https://wa.me/1XXXXXXXXXX?text=I'm%20interested%20in%20your%20car%20for%20sale | Opens the chat with the message ready |
| https://wa.me/?text=<message> | https://wa.me/?text=I'm%20inquiring%20about%20the%20apartment%20listing | Lets the person choose who to send the message to |
WhatsApp click to chat links, from the WhatsApp Help Center page read 2026-10-09.
For +1 (415) 555-0132 and the message "Hi, I would like to book a call" the tool writes https://wa.me/14155550132?text=Hi%2C%20I%20would%20like%20to%20book%20a%20call.
Measured: how big the code gets
Measured with the qrcode library the tool uses and the jsQR decoder; the method is on the QR code generator page. One decoder is not every phone, so test a print on yours.
The number is +1 415 555 0132 and the message is a run of letters of the length shown.
| Message | Link length | Size |
|---|---|---|
| No message | 25 | Version 2 (25 × 25) |
| 40 characters | 71 | Version 5 (37 × 37) |
| 100 characters | 131 | Version 8 (49 × 49) |
| 200 characters | 231 | Version 11 (61 × 61) |
| 400 characters | 431 | Version 16 (81 × 81) |
The example link above was 78 characters and Version 5 (37 × 37), and it decoded back to exactly the text we built.
Tips for a code people will use
- Write the number the way WhatsApp wants it: country code first, no leading zeroes, no spaces or brackets. The tool fixes the punctuation, but not a missing country code.
- Keep the message short, because every character makes the code denser.
- Put the code where people can scan it from a phone camera: a shop window, a menu, a business card.
- Test the code with a phone that is not yours, so you know it opens the right chat.
- If the number changes, the code has to change: it holds the number itself.
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Questions people ask
How do I make a WhatsApp QR code?
Enter the phone number with its country code and an optional message, then download the code. Scanning it opens a chat.
What format does the number need?
WhatsApp says a full phone number in international format, with no zeroes, brackets or dashes. The tool removes spaces and punctuation for you.
Can I pre-fill a message?
Yes. The message is added as a URL-encoded text parameter on the link.
Does the other person need a WhatsApp account?
Yes. WhatsApp says the person must have an active WhatsApp account.
Why is my code so dense?
A long message adds many characters. A 400 character message made a 81 × 81 code in our test.
Is my number uploaded?
No. The code is drawn in your browser.
Related
Sources and how we checked
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to use click to chat (read 2026-10-09)
- Denso Wave: Information capacity and versions of the QR Code (read 2026-10-09)
- Denso Wave: Error correction feature (read 2026-10-09)
Reviewed October 9, 2026. The measurements generated codes with the same library the tool uses and read them back with an independent decoder (jsQR). The script and the results are in data/seo/hub/evidence/2026-10-09/qr.