Let people message you on WhatsApp without saving your number
Scanning this code opens WhatsApp with a chat to you already started — the person doesn't have to add you as a contact first. Add a pre-written first message and you skip the awkward 'hi, saw your flyer' opener too.
The one thing that breaks WhatsApp codes is the phone number format. WhatsApp needs the full international number with country code and no plus sign, spaces, or leading zero. A local-format number that works when you dial it will fail here.
Get the number format right
Drop the leading zero of the local number and prepend the country code. A UK mobile written locally as 07700 900123 becomes 447700900123. A German 0151 23456789 becomes 4915123456789.
This matters most for flyers and packaging that travel. Someone in another country scanning your code has no way to guess your country code, so the number must carry it. This tool strips spaces and symbols for you, but you still supply the country code.
The pre-filled message does real work
A message like 'Hi, I'd like to book a table for' pre-typed in the chat tells the person what to send and tells you which flyer or product they scanned. Use a different message per campaign and your inbox sorts itself.
Keep it short. The whole message sits in the code, and a long paragraph makes the pattern denser for no benefit — people edit long pre-fills anyway.
Personal number or WhatsApp Business?
A code pointing at your personal number puts strangers in your private chats. For anything public, use a WhatsApp Business number: you get a separate inbox, away messages, quick replies, and a catalogue, without exposing your personal account.
- Personal number: fine for a small event among people you know.
- Business number: the right choice for packaging, storefronts and ads.
- Either way, the code format is identical — only the number changes.
How to make a WhatsApp chat code
- Enter your number with country code. Use the full international form with no plus sign or leading zero, for example 447700900123.
- Write an optional first message. Keep it to one line and make it campaign-specific so you know where the contact came from.
- Test it yourself. Scan with a phone that does not have your number saved, to confirm the chat opens for a stranger.
- Download and place it. PNG for a sticker or ad, SVG for anything printed large.
Technical details
- Maximum characters: 2953
- Recommended error correction: M (medium) — a short link, so density is not a concern and medium recovery keeps the code small.
- Payload format: https://wa.me/<number>?text=<url-encoded message>.
- The number must be digits only, in full international form; the tool removes spaces and symbols automatically.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the person need to save my number first?
- No. That is the whole point — the code opens a chat directly, even for someone who has never had your number in their contacts.
- Can I change the pre-filled message later?
- Not on a printed code. The message is baked into the QR. Change it and you generate and reprint a new code.
- Why does the code open the wrong number abroad?
- Almost always a missing country code or a leftover leading zero. WhatsApp interprets the digits literally, so a local-format number resolves to the wrong or no account outside your country.
- Is this an official WhatsApp code?
- It uses WhatsApp's own wa.me link format, which the app fully supports. It is not tied to any single account and works for personal and Business numbers alike.
- Can the sender still edit the message before sending?
- Yes. The pre-filled text is a draft in the chat box. They can change or delete it before hitting send, so never put anything you need to be exact into it.
- Will it work if WhatsApp isn't installed?
- The link opens in a browser and prompts the person to install or open WhatsApp. Without the app there is no chat, so pair the code with your number in text as a fallback.