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WhatsApp QR Code Generator (Free)

This free WhatsApp QR code generator makes a QR code that opens a WhatsApp chat with your number, with an optional first message already typed, without people saving your number first.

  • No sign-up
  • Never expires
  • No watermark
  • Made in your browser

Create your WhatsApp QR code

WhatsApp chat

Fields marked * are required.

Country code first, then the number without its leading 0.

Optional. It’s typed into the chat for them; they tap send.

Your QR code appears here as you fill in the form.

Test it with your phone camera before you print or share it: point the camera at the preview and check it does what you expect.

Colors, logo and size
Style
Error correction

How much of the code can be dirty, scratched or covered and still scan. Higher levels add more squares, so the code gets denser. Medium suits most uses; choose High for a logo or rough surfaces.

The blank border scanners need around the code. It never goes below 4 modules (the code’s small squares), as the QR standard asks.

Sharp up to 17 cm (6.8 in) at 300 dpi. SVG scales to any size.

Logo in the center (optional)

PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF or SVG. It stays in your browser and is never uploaded.

How to make a WhatsApp QR code

  1. Enter your WhatsApp number

    Type the full number with the country code, leaving out any leading 0. For example +44 7700 900123, not 07700 900123.

  2. Write a starting message (optional)

    It’s typed into the chat for them, like “Hi! I’d like to book a table.” They can change it before sending.

  3. Check the preview

    Open “What’s inside this code” to see the chat link.

  4. Download it

    Download a PNG or an SVG.

  5. Test it

    Scan the code with a phone that has WhatsApp and check it opens a chat with the right number.

What a WhatsApp QR code contains

A WhatsApp QR code holds a wa.me link, WhatsApp’s official click-to-chat address. The number goes in the link as digits only, and the message is encoded after ?text=.

https://wa.me/15550100142?text=Hi!%20I%E2%80%99d%20like%20to%20book%20a%20table.

On a phone with WhatsApp, the link opens a chat with that number. Without WhatsApp, it opens a web page that offers to download it.

Tips for printing and scanning

For WhatsApp QR codes

  • Say it’s WhatsApp next to the code (“Chat with us on WhatsApp”), so people know which app will open.
  • Make sure the number is registered on WhatsApp, ideally as a WhatsApp Business account if it’s for a business.
  • Keep the starting message short and editable, so it reads like the customer wrote it.

For any printed QR code

  • Size: print the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) wide for something held in the hand. For signs and posters, make it about a tenth of the scanning distance: roughly 10 cm (4 in) wide to scan from 1 m (3 ft).
  • Contrast: use a dark code on a light background. Light-on-dark codes and pale brand colors fail on some phones.
  • Quiet zone: keep a blank border of at least 4 modules (the code’s small squares) around it. Don’t crop it or put text and graphics right up against the code.
  • File type: use the SVG for print, since it stays sharp at any size. The 2048 px PNG is enough for print up to about 17 cm (6.8 in) wide at 300 dpi.
  • Surface: avoid glare from glossy laminate, tight curves (bottles, cups) and folds that cut through the code.
  • Test: scan a printed proof with an iPhone and an Android phone, at the real distance and in the real lighting, before you print in bulk.

When to use a dynamic code instead

WhatsApp codes are static in CirculateQR too: the chat link is in the code, so the number can’t be changed after printing and scans aren’t counted.

If you want one code that leads to WhatsApp and your other channels, and that you can edit later, use a link-in-bio page: CirculateQR’s social profile template lets you add a WhatsApp link alongside your profiles, change them any time, and see how many people scanned.

The code you make on this page is static: free, permanent and private, but fixed once printed. Static and dynamic codes compared.

Make a link-in-bio page

WhatsApp QR code questions

Do WhatsApp QR codes expire?

No. A static WhatsApp code contains the wa.me link with your number, so it keeps working for as long as that number uses WhatsApp.

Does the person need to save my number first?

No. The wa.me link opens a chat with your number straight away, without adding you to their contacts.

Why doesn’t my WhatsApp QR code work?

Usually the number format. Use the full international number with the country code and without the leading 0: 447700900123 for the UK number 07700 900123. Also check the number is registered on WhatsApp.

Is the message sent automatically?

No. The message is typed into the chat for them, and they decide whether to send it.

Is this the same as WhatsApp’s own QR code?

Not exactly. The QR code in the WhatsApp Business app links to your account and can be reset there. This generator makes a code from your number using WhatsApp’s public wa.me link, so you can style and print it without the app.

Can I see how many people scanned it?

No. A static code goes straight to WhatsApp. If you need scan counts, use a dynamic code that opens a page with your WhatsApp link.

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