About WhatsApp Links
A WhatsApp link is a URL that opens a chat with a specific phone number. When clicked on a phone, it launches the WhatsApp app directly. On a desktop, it opens WhatsApp Web. This makes WhatsApp links the simplest way to turn any website, email, QR code or printed material into a one-tap chat starter.
There are two formats, both owned and operated by WhatsApp (Meta):
| Format | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| wa.me | https://wa.me/15551234567 | Short, modern, recommended for all uses |
| api.whatsapp.com | https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=15551234567 | Longer, older format, still supported |
Both are functionally identical. The short wa.me form is preferred for QR codes, business cards and any place where the URL is visible — it is easier to read and to type by hand.
Anatomy of a WhatsApp link
| Part | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Base | https://wa.me/ | Fixed prefix for the short format |
| Number | 15551234567 | Full international number, no + or separators |
| Message param | ?text=Hello%20there | Optional URL-encoded pre-filled message |
Rules for the phone number
- No plus sign. Use
15551234567, not+15551234567. - No spaces or punctuation. Strip dots, dashes, parentheses.
- No leading zero. UK numbers start
44, not044. - Country code first. The whole thing is one continuous digit string.
- Maximum 15 digits (ITU E.164 standard) — WhatsApp rejects longer numbers.
Country code reference
| Country | Code | Example number |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1 | 15551234567 |
| United Kingdom | 44 | 442079460958 |
| India | 91 | 919876543210 |
| United Arab Emirates | 971 | 971501234567 |
| Germany | 49 | 4915112345678 |
| France | 33 | 33612345678 |
| Brazil | 55 | 5511987654321 |
| Australia | 61 | 61412345678 |
Pre-filling the message
Append ?text= with your message to open the chat with the input field pre-filled. WhatsApp does not auto-send — the user always has to press send. This respects the user's control, and it means you can safely pre-fill without worrying about accidental sends.
The message must be URL-encoded. Spaces become %20, newlines become %0A, and special characters get percent-encoded. This generator does that automatically when you type in the message box.
Auto-focus flag
Add &type=phone_number&app_absent=0 to the URL to focus the message input field immediately when the chat opens. Some marketing tools use this; it is a minor UX nicety and has no functional effect on mobile apps.
Common use cases
Customer support
Add a "Chat on WhatsApp" button to your contact page.
E-commerce
Product pages with "Order via WhatsApp" links.
Business cards
QR code that opens a chat with your sales team.
Restaurants
Table-top QR codes for direct ordering.
Email signature
A clickable link in every email you send.
Booking & appointments
Pre-filled booking requests with client details.
Privacy
This WhatsApp link generator runs entirely in your browser. All link and QR generation happens locally in JavaScript. The phone number and message you enter are never transmitted, stored or logged. The links are standard WhatsApp URLs — using them is subject to WhatsApp's own terms of service.