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How to Create a WhatsApp Link

By · Founder of LiinkPublished October 20, 2026

Reviewed by Benjamin on October 20, 2026. Checked against the official sources listed at the end. How we write and test

How to Create a WhatsApp Link — Liink guide

To create a WhatsApp link, put your full phone number in international format, digits only, after https://wa.me/. For example, +1 (555) 555-0123 becomes https://wa.me/15555550123. Anyone who taps it gets a chat with you, without saving your number first. Add ?text= and a message to fill in their first message, then put the link in your bio, on your link-in-bio page or behind a QR code.

Disclosure: Liink publishes this guide and makes a link-in-bio page builder. Liink is not affiliated with WhatsApp or Meta. The WhatsApp Help Center was checked on October 20, 2026. Phone numbers in this guide are fictional examples from ranges set aside for fiction, so don't message them.

A finger tapping an orange link button on a phone profile, which opens a ready-to-use chat screen on a second phone
A WhatsApp link skips saving the number: one tap opens a chat with you, ready for the first message.

WhatsApp calls it click to chat. A link in the form https://wa.me/ followed by a phone number opens a chat with that number, even if the person tapping it hasn't saved it as a contact. The number needs an active WhatsApp account. WhatsApp's help page says click to chat works on phones and on WhatsApp Web.

That makes a WhatsApp link a good contact button: in an Instagram or TikTok bio, on a link-in-bio page, in an email signature or on a website's contact page.

These steps follow the WhatsApp Help Center as checked on October 20, 2026:

1.
Write your phone number in full international format: your country code, then your number.
2.
Remove the plus sign, any leading zeros, brackets, dashes and spaces, and put the digits right after https://wa.me/.
3.
To fill in a first message, add ?text= and your message, written with %20 for each space. This step is optional.
4.
Test the link on your phone and on a computer, as shown in Test your WhatsApp link below.
Number as you write itYour WhatsApp link
+1 (555) 555-0123 (United States)https://wa.me/15555550123
+44 7700 900123 (United Kingdom)https://wa.me/447700900123
00 44 7700 900123https://wa.me/447700900123

WhatsApp's own example of what not to use is a link with a plus sign, leading zeros, brackets and dashes, such as https://wa.me/+001-(XXX)XXXXXXX. Use your number's international format: in the UK, for example, the 0 that starts a local mobile number is dropped, so 07700 900123 becomes 447700900123.

WhatsApp's click to chat page for a fictional number, with the number marked 1, the pre-filled message "Hi, I'd like to book a lesson" marked 2, and the Open app and Continue to WhatsApp Web buttons marked 3
What you should see when you test your link: 1, your number; 2, your pre-filled message; 3, the buttons that open the chat. The number is a fictional example. Captured Oct 20, 2026. Source: WhatsApp

Open your link on your phone and on a computer. WhatsApp's page should show:

1.
Your number, as you typed it after wa.me/.
2.
Your pre-filled message, if you added one.
3.
Buttons to open the chat in the WhatsApp app or on WhatsApp Web.

If something is missing or wrong, see WhatsApp link not working? below.

How to add a pre-filled message to your WhatsApp link

Add ?text= to the end of your link, followed by your message. WhatsApp puts the message in the chat's text box, so the person can change it before sending. Links can't contain plain spaces or some punctuation, so write them as codes:

CharacterWrite it as
Space%20
Comma%2C
Apostrophe%27
Question mark%3F
Ampersand (&)%26
New line%0A

For example, https://wa.me/15555550123?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20to%20book%20a%20lesson opens a chat with the message "Hi, I'd like to book a lesson" ready to send.

A link with only a message and no number, such as https://wa.me/?text=Have%20you%20seen%20this%3F, works differently: WhatsApp asks the person which contact to send the message to. Use that for share buttons, not for a contact link.

The WhatsApp Business app creates a short link for your business automatically when you set up your account. WhatsApp's help page says you'll find it under the Tools tab, in Short link. From there you can:

•
Copy the link and paste it on your website, your Facebook Page or your bio.
•
Send it straight to customers. Anyone who has the link can message you.
•
Turn on a default message that customers can use when they open the link, and edit it.

Your business QR code is on the same screen: tap View QR code, then Share code, or tap Share link. WhatsApp also suggests printing the code for a shop counter or sharing it by text or email. When someone scans it, they can send your default message to start the chat. WhatsApp notes that its in-app camera only scans official WhatsApp QR codes.

How to share your personal WhatsApp QR code

Without a business account, WhatsApp gives you a personal QR code instead of a short link. These steps follow the WhatsApp Help Center:

1.
Open WhatsApp Settings, or tap your profile picture.
2.
Tap the QR code next to your name.
3.
Tap the share icon and choose an app to send it with.

WhatsApp warns that anyone you send your QR code to can forward it, and anyone who scans it can add you as a contact. Only share it with people you trust. The Help Center also explains how to reset your QR code.

A link-in-bio page with an orange chat button, connected to a social profile card, a laptop contact page and a printed QR code card
Use the same WhatsApp link wherever people look for a way to reach you: your bio, your link-in-bio page, your website and a printed QR code.

Put the link where people already look for a way to contact you:

•
Instagram: paste it into Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link. See how to add a link to your Instagram bio. In some countries, Instagram also has a separate WhatsApp option for professional accounts.
•
TikTok: the website field depends on your account. Check how to add a link to your TikTok bio.
•
A link-in-bio page: add it as a button such as "Message me on WhatsApp" next to your other links.
•
Your email signature and your website's contact page.
•
Printed menus, flyers and shop counters, as a QR code.

Give the button a label that says what happens, such as "Book on WhatsApp" or "Ask about an order", so people know a chat will open.

A wa.me link contains your phone number, and the page it opens shows it. Anyone who sees the link can save your number and message you. If you don't want your personal number public, use a separate number for WhatsApp Business, and keep your personal QR code for people you know.

The chat opens with the wrong number or none at all

Check the digits after wa.me/: no plus sign, no 00, no brackets, dashes or spaces, and the number written in international format (in the UK, without the 0 that starts local numbers). Then check that the number has an active WhatsApp account.

The message is cut off or looks wrong

A plain space can end the link early when it is pasted into a bio, and an & or # cuts the message off. Replace them with their codes, %20, %26 and %23.

The QR code won't scan in WhatsApp

WhatsApp's in-app camera only scans official WhatsApp QR codes. Share the code from WhatsApp itself, or use your phone's normal camera for other QR codes.

Add your WhatsApp link to a Liink page

Paste your wa.me link into a Liink link block and it shows with the WhatsApp icon, next to your other links.

Building a link-in-bio page? Liink is one option: the Free plan includes one public page with unlimited links and QR code sharing, and Pro ($7.99/month or $79.90/year) adds up to 5 public pages, custom domains and detailed analytics. Liink does not change how WhatsApp works or guarantee messages.

Frequently asked questions

Type https://wa.me/ followed by your full phone number in international format, digits only, with no plus sign, zeros, brackets or dashes. For example: https://wa.me/15555550123.

Add ?text= and your message to the end of the link, with %20 for each space, for example https://wa.me/15555550123?text=Hi%20there. The message appears in the chat box, ready to send.

No. A WhatsApp link is WhatsApp's own address plus your number, which you can type yourself. Test it by opening it before you share it.

How do I make a QR code for my WhatsApp?

On WhatsApp Business, open Tools, then Short link, then View QR code. On a personal account, open Settings and tap the QR code next to your name.

Does someone need to save my number to message me?

No. WhatsApp's click to chat opens a chat with you without saving your number first. Your number needs an active WhatsApp account.

Yes. Paste your wa.me link into Instagram's link field: Edit profile, then Links, then Add external link.

Official sources checked

The WhatsApp and Instagram facts in this guide were checked on October 20, 2026:

•
WhatsApp Help Center: How to use click to chat (wa.me format and pre-filled messages), checked October 20, 2026.
•
WhatsApp Help Center: How to create short links (WhatsApp Business), checked October 20, 2026.
•
WhatsApp Help Center: How to share your WhatsApp Business QR code, checked October 20, 2026.
•
WhatsApp Help Center: How to share your WhatsApp QR code, checked October 20, 2026.
•
Instagram Help Center: Add or remove your WhatsApp link on Instagram (not available in every country), checked October 20, 2026.
•
Instagram Help Center: Add a website to your Instagram profile, checked October 20, 2026.

Search demand was checked in the Semrush US database on October 20, 2026. Volumes are research estimates, not traffic guarantees. The screenshot was captured on October 20, 2026 in a fresh browser, using a fictional number.

About the author

· Founder of Liink

Benjamin is the founder of Liink and co-founder of Looply. He builds software for creators and small teams, and reviews every Liink guide before it goes live.

Benjamin reviewed this guide on October 20, 2026.

All his guidesFollow @benjaminatsf on XHow we write and test

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