WhatsApp Click-to-Chat Links & QR Codes: Drive Conversations From Anywhere 2025

Quick Answer: Create WhatsApp click-to-chat links using the format https://wa.me/[phone]?text=[message]. Generate QR codes from these links. Place them on websites, email signatures, business cards, and ads to start conversations with one click or scan.

You want customers to message your business on WhatsApp.

But asking them to save your number and then open WhatsApp and then type a message creates friction. Three steps. Most will not bother.

Click-to-chat links reduce this to one step. Click, and the conversation opens with your number ready.

QR codes do the same for offline materials. Scan, and WhatsApp opens.

This guide covers how to create them, where to place them, and how to track their performance.

WhatsApp Click-to-Chat Links

Basic Format

https://wa.me/[phone_number]

Phone number rules:

Include country code (no + symbol)
No dashes, spaces, or parentheses
No leading zeros in country code

Examples:

Country	Phone Number	wa.me Link
Singapore	+65 9123 4567	`https://wa.me/6591234567`
USA	+1 (555) 123-4567	`https://wa.me/15551234567`
UK	+44 20 7946 0958	`https://wa.me/442079460958`
India	+91 98765 43210	`https://wa.me/919876543210`

Pre-Filled Message

Add a default message the customer can send:

https://wa.me/[phone]?text=[encoded_message]

URL encoding required for spaces and special characters:

Space → %20
Newline → %0A
& → %26

Examples:

Basic:
https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%20I%20have%20a%20question

With context:
https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%2C%20I%27m%20interested%20in%20the%20Pro%20plan

Multi-line:
https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hello!%0AI%20visited%20your%20website%20and%20would%20like%20more%20information.

Pre-Filled Message Generator

Use this JavaScript snippet to encode messages:

function createWhatsAppLink(phone, message) {
  const encodedMessage = encodeURIComponent(message);
  return `https://wa.me/${phone}?text=${encodedMessage}`;
}

// Usage
const link = createWhatsAppLink('6591234567', 'Hi, I want to learn more about your services!');
// Result: https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%2C%20I%20want%20to%20learn%20more%20about%20your%20services!

Or use online tools:

WhatsApp QR Codes

Creating QR Codes

Option 1: WhatsApp Business App

Open WhatsApp Business
Go to Settings → Business Tools → Short Link
Tap "View QR Code"
Save or share the QR code

Option 2: Generate from wa.me Link

Use any QR code generator with your wa.me link:

QR Code Generator
QRCode Monkey
Canva's built-in QR generator

Option 3: WhatsApp Business API

For businesses using Cloud API, generate QR codes programmatically:

GET https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/{phone-number-id}/message_qrdls

QR Code Best Practices

Size Requirements:

Minimum: 2 x 2 cm (for close scanning)
Recommended: 3 x 3 cm or larger
For billboards/posters: Scale proportionally

Design Guidelines:

Keep high contrast (dark on light works best)
Maintain quiet zone (white border around QR)
Test before printing at final size
Add "Scan to chat on WhatsApp" label

Branded QR Codes:

Add logo in center (keep under 30% coverage)
Use brand colors (maintain contrast)
Round corners are fine
Test scanning after customization

Placement Strategies

Website Placements

1. Floating Chat Button

<a href="https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%20from%20your%20website" 
   class="whatsapp-float"
   target="_blank">
  <img src="whatsapp-icon.svg" alt="Chat on WhatsApp">
</a>

<style>
.whatsapp-float {
  position: fixed;
  bottom: 20px;
  right: 20px;
  width: 60px;
  height: 60px;
  z-index: 1000;
}
</style>

2. Contact Page

<div class="contact-option">
  <h3>Chat with us on WhatsApp</h3>
  <p>Get instant responses during business hours</p>
  <a href="https://wa.me/6591234567" class="whatsapp-button">
    Start Chat
  </a>
</div>

3. Product Pages

<a href="https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%2C%20I%27m%20interested%20in%20[Product%20Name]">
  Ask about this product on WhatsApp
</a>

4. Exit Intent Popup

When user is about to leave:

"Have questions? Chat with us on WhatsApp before you go!"
[Chat Now] → wa.me link

Email Placements

Email Signature:

---
John Smith | Sales Manager
📱 WhatsApp: [Chat with me](https://wa.me/6591234567)

Order Confirmation Emails:

Questions about your order?
Reply to this email or chat with us instantly on WhatsApp:
[Chat on WhatsApp] → wa.me/6591234567?text=Order%20%23[ORDER_ID]

Marketing Emails:

Prefer messaging over email?
[Continue this conversation on WhatsApp] → wa.me link

Print Materials

Business Cards:

QR code on back
"Scan to chat" label
Phone number as backup

Brochures/Flyers:

QR code near contact information
Pre-filled message with campaign tracking

Product Packaging:

QR code for support
"Need help? Scan here"

In-Store Displays:

Large QR codes (easy to scan from distance)
"Questions? Scan to chat with our team"

Receipts:

QR code at bottom
"Rate your experience" or "Need support?"

Advertising

Facebook/Instagram Ads:

Use "Click to WhatsApp" ad objective
Links directly to WhatsApp conversation
Pre-filled message with campaign context

Google Ads:

WhatsApp click-to-chat extension
Add to search and display ads
Track as conversion event

Offline Ads (Billboards, Print):

Large QR codes
Short memorable URL as backup
Clear call-to-action

Tracking Performance

UTM Parameters in Pre-Filled Messages

Since wa.me links don't support standard UTM parameters, embed tracking in the message:

Website button:
https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%20%5BWEB-HOME%5D%20I%27d%20like%20to%20learn%20more

Email campaign:
https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%20%5BEMAIL-DEC25%5D%20I%20saw%20your%20promotion

Business card:
https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi%20%5BCARD-JOHN%5D%20We%20met%20at...

Your team sees the source immediately:

Customer: Hi [WEB-HOME] I'd like to learn more
→ Source: Website homepage

Customer: Hi [EMAIL-DEC25] I saw your promotion  
→ Source: December email campaign

Click Tracking

Option 1: Link Shorteners

Use Bitly, Short.io, or similar to track clicks:

Original: https://wa.me/6591234567?text=Hi
Shortened: https://bit.ly/chat-company

Track: Total clicks, clicks by country, device type

Option 2: Website Analytics

Track outbound clicks to wa.me links:

// Google Analytics 4
document.querySelectorAll('a[href*="wa.me"]').forEach(link => {
  link.addEventListener('click', () => {
    gtag('event', 'whatsapp_click', {
      'link_location': link.dataset.location || 'unknown'
    });
  });
});

Conversation Attribution

When conversations arrive, track the source:

Business Logic:
1. Customer sends message with tracking code
2. System extracts code: [WEB-PRICING]
3. CRM logs source: Website - Pricing Page
4. Sales team sees full attribution

Advanced Strategies

Dynamic Links by Page

Generate different pre-filled messages based on current page:

// On product page
const productName = document.querySelector('.product-title').textContent;
const waLink = createWhatsAppLink('6591234567', 
  `Hi, I'm interested in ${productName}. Can you tell me more?`
);
document.querySelector('.wa-button').href = waLink;

A/B Testing Messages

Test different pre-filled messages:

Version A: "Hi, I'd like a quote"
Version B: "Hi, I saw your website and have questions"
Version C: "Hello! Are you available to chat?"

Track: Which version gets more responses?

Multi-Number Routing

Different links for different purposes:

Sales inquiries: wa.me/6591234567
Support tickets: wa.me/6591234568  
General questions: wa.me/6591234569

Or use a single number with department routing in the message:

Sales: wa.me/6591234567?text=[SALES]%20Hi%2C%20I%20want%20pricing
Support: wa.me/6591234567?text=[SUPPORT]%20Hi%2C%20I%20need%20help

QR Code with Landing Page

Instead of direct wa.me link, QR points to a landing page:

QR → landing-page.com/chat-with-us

Landing page collects:
- Email (for follow-up if WhatsApp fails)
- Question category
- Then redirects to appropriate wa.me link

Integration with Oxaide

For businesses using Oxaide, click-to-chat links integrate with AI automation:

How It Works:

Customer clicks wa.me link with tracking code
Message arrives at Oxaide-connected WhatsApp
AI extracts source from tracking code
AI personalizes response based on source

Customer from pricing page: "Hi [WEB-PRICING] tell me about plans"

AI: "Hi! I see you were looking at our pricing. We have three plans...
Which features are most important for your business?"

Benefits:

Source tracking automatic
AI customizes responses by channel
All conversations logged with attribution
Analytics dashboard shows performance by source

Key Takeaways

Format: https://wa.me/[country_code][number]?text=[encoded_message]
No special characters in phone number (no +, -, spaces)
URL encode pre-filled messages (spaces → %20)
Track sources with codes in pre-filled messages
QR codes minimum 2x2cm, test before printing
Place strategically: website, email, print, ads
Test all links before publishing

Click-to-chat links and QR codes remove friction from starting WhatsApp conversations. Every touchpoint becomes an entry point to your WhatsApp channel.

The easier you make it to reach you, the more conversations you will have.

For businesses wanting to handle the increased conversation volume with AI automation, explore Oxaide's WhatsApp solution.