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Generator · WhatsApp QR code

WhatsApp QR code generator

Scanning opens a WhatsApp chat with your number and an opening message ready to send. The customer never has to save your number first — the step where most conversations die.

  • Free
  • No sign-up
  • No expiry
  • Commercial use
Short answer

A WhatsApp QR code encodes a wa.me link containing your number and an optional prefilled message. Scanning opens WhatsApp with the chat ready. The recipient does not need your number saved in their contacts, and you do not need a Business account.

Contents
Number format

Digits only, country code included

The wa.me format wants the country code and the number with nothing between them: 15550104477, not +1 (555) 010-4477 and not 0555 010 4477. The generator strips punctuation automatically, but the leading zero used for domestic dialling must be dropped — 07700 900123 in the UK becomes 447700900123.

This is the single most common mistake, and it fails silently: WhatsApp opens and reports that the number is not on WhatsApp.

Prefilled message

Write it from the customer's side

The prefilled text is written as if the customer typed it, not as if you did. Hi, I'd like to book a table for two on Saturday works. Welcome to our restaurant! reads as a mistake, because it appears in the customer's outgoing message box.

Make it specific enough to route: include the location, the product, or the table number. That way your reply starts from context instead of from scratch.

Business features

What the official WhatsApp code does differently

WhatsApp Business generates its own QR code tied to your business profile, and it can be revoked and regenerated. A wa.me code cannot be revoked — it is a permanent, static pointer to your number.

Use the official one when you need revocation or catalogue linking. Use this one when you want full control of the design, a prefilled message, print-quality vector output, or a code that keeps working if you change WhatsApp accounts on the same number.

Questions

Frequently asked

Do I need a WhatsApp Business account?
No. A wa.me link works with any WhatsApp account, personal or business.
Why does WhatsApp say the number is not registered?
Almost always a formatting problem. Drop the leading zero from the domestic format and include the country code — 07700 900123 becomes 447700900123.
Can people message me without saving my number?
Yes, that is the main benefit. The chat opens directly from the link.
Does the prefilled message send by itself?
No. It appears in the text box and the person can edit or delete it before sending.
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Last reviewed 24 August 2026 · Checked by the QR Code Builder team