Create a WhatsApp chat QR code for customers

Want customers to message your business without typing or saving your number? A WhatsApp chat QR code opens a conversation with your business when someone scans it with a phone.

Use the QR Code Generator to make one in your browser. Check the phone number carefully, then scan the finished code yourself before putting it on a sign, menu, or package.

Create a WhatsApp chat QR code

1. Open the QR Code Generator and choose WhatsApp as the type of content.
2. Enter the business phone number in the format requested. Use the full international number, including the country code. For a US number such as +1 (415) 555-0123, enter 14155550123, without the plus sign, spaces, or punctuation.
3. If the generator offers a message field, add a short prompt customers can send, such as “Hi, I have a question about your hours.” Keep it optional and easy to edit.
4. Choose colors or add a logo if you want to brand the code. Keep strong contrast between the code and its background, then generate it and save the image using the available save or download option.
5. Scan the saved code with a phone that is not signed in to your business account. Confirm it opens the correct WhatsApp conversation before you print or share it.

A WhatsApp QR code does not send a message on its own. It opens a conversation, and the customer still needs to review and send the message. If WhatsApp is not installed, the phone may offer a browser or sign-in option instead.

Choose what customers see

A direct chat with your business

The number is the important part. Use a phone number that is registered with WhatsApp and that your business can monitor. Check the country code and every digit. A code with a valid but incorrect number can open a real conversation with someone else.

Some generators let you add a starter message. This can help customers say what they need, but do not make it sound as if the message has already been sent. Customers can change or delete the text before sending it.

A branded code

Color and a logo can help customers recognize your business, but the code still needs to be readable. Use a dark pattern on a light background, avoid low-contrast color combinations, and leave the clear border around the code intact. For more design guidance, see how to choose QR code colors that still scan and how to add a logo without breaking a QR code.

A code for print or a screen

There is no single size that works at every distance. A code on a business card can be smaller than one customers need to scan from across a room. Print a sample at the size you plan to use and test it from the distance customers will stand. On a digital menu or sign, make sure the image is not blurred or squeezed out of shape.

Fix a QR code that does not work

1. Check the number first. Compare the number in the generator with the number registered to your WhatsApp account. Include the country code. In many countries, the domestic number has a leading zero that is not used in the international format, so check the correct format for your country.
2. Make the code easier to scan. Try a plain dark pattern on a light background, remove the logo, and make the printed code larger. Avoid placing text, a border, or artwork over the small squares or the clear margin around them.
3. Test the original image. Scan the saved image on a second phone before testing a printed copy. If the image works but the print does not, print at a larger size and check that the printer has not blurred or cropped the edges.
4. Check the customer's WhatsApp access. The link can open correctly while the phone still asks the customer to install WhatsApp, sign in, or choose how to open the link. Test with a phone that is not already using your business account.
5. Generate a fresh code if needed. If you changed the number or message after making the QR code, create a new code and replace every old copy. The printed image does not update when you change the details in the generator.

Treat the code as a public way to reach you: anyone who can scan it may see the business number and open a chat. Use a business contact number rather than a personal one if you do not want customers contacting that phone.