# WhatsApp QR codes — how they work

> A WhatsApp QR code is a wa.me link that opens a chat with your number, optionally with a message already typed. It needs the number in full international format with no plus sign, no spaces and no leading zeros. It works for anyone with WhatsApp, whether or not they have your number saved.

Source: https://useqr.app/whatsapp-qr-code · Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · UseQR is free forever, MIT licensed, no signup.

---

## The payload

```
https://wa.me/14155552671?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20to%20order
```

It is an ordinary HTTPS link, which is why it works everywhere a URL works — including
inside emails, on websites, and in a QR code.

## The number format is unforgiving

`wa.me` requires the number in international format **without** the `+`, without spaces,
brackets, dashes, or a national trunk prefix.

| Country | Local form | wa.me form |
|---|---|---|
| UK | 020 7946 0958 | `442079460958` |
| India | 098765 43210 | `919876543210` |
| Brazil | (11) 91234-5678 | `5511912345678` |
| US | (415) 555-2671 | `14155552671` |

The most common mistake is keeping the national trunk zero — `4402079460958` fails.
UseQR strips separators and validates the digit count, but it cannot know which digits
are a trunk prefix, so check the table above for your country.

## Prefilled messages

The `text` parameter must be percent-encoded. Apostrophes, ampersands and line breaks
(`%0A`) all need encoding. WhatsApp fills the compose box but never sends — the user
always presses send, which is what makes this safe on public signage.

Keep it short. A long prefilled message makes the code denser, and users delete
anything that reads like a script anyway. "Hi, I'd like to order" outperforms a
paragraph.

## This is not the same as WhatsApp's own QR code

WhatsApp shows a QR code inside the app under *Settings → QR code*. That one is a
`https://wa.me/qr/XXXX` short link tied to your account, and it can be reset — which
invalidates every printed copy.

The code you generate here encodes your number directly. It cannot be reset, cannot
expire, and does not depend on WhatsApp keeping a short-link record. For anything
printed, that is the safer choice.

## WhatsApp Business

The same link works for a Business account. Business additionally supports catalogue
links and greeting-message automation, which is worth pairing with the code: the
prefilled text gets the conversation started, the automated greeting answers instantly.

## FAQ

### Do people need my number saved to message me?
No. A wa.me link opens a chat with your number directly, whether or not the sender has you in their contacts. That is the main advantage over telling people to add you first.

### Why does my WhatsApp QR code say the number is invalid?
The number is almost certainly in national format. wa.me needs the full international number with no plus sign, no spaces and no leading trunk zero — for example 442079460958, not 02079460958.

### Can I prefill a message?
Yes, with the text parameter. WhatsApp fills the compose box; the user still presses send. Keep it to one short line.

### Is this the same as the QR code in the WhatsApp app?
No. WhatsApp's in-app code is a resettable short link tied to your account; resetting it breaks every printed copy. A generated code encodes your number directly and cannot be invalidated.

## Try it

- https://useqr.app/whatsapp
- https://useqr.app/telegram
- https://useqr.app/social