How to create a WhatsApp QR code for your business
To create a WhatsApp QR code for your business, open the WhatsApp Business app and go to Tools > Short link > View QR Code, or turn a wa.me link with a pre-filled message into a QR code with a free generator. Scanning either one opens a chat with your number. Below: three methods, print sizes, placements and tracking.
By Mousa Alhelo, founder, E-SAFQA · Updated · 8 min read · How we write and test these guides
Three ways to make a WhatsApp QR code
All three are free. They differ in what happens when someone scans, whether you can pre-fill the first message, and whether you can change that message after printing.
| Option | What a scan does | Pre-filled message | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Business app QR code | Opens a chat with your business | Yes, a default message of up to 140 characters that you can edit anytime | One general code for your counter, cards and signs |
| QR code in your WhatsApp profile | Lets the person add you as a contact | No | Sharing your number with people you know |
| wa.me link turned into a QR code | Opens a chat with your number, from WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business | Yes, written into the code itself | Different codes per placement, with tracking |
Method 1: the QR code in the WhatsApp Business app
Every WhatsApp Business account gets a short link and a matching QR code automatically. WhatsApp says the code does not expire unless you reset it or delete your WhatsApp Business account. Menu names below are from WhatsApp's Help Center as of October 2026; they can differ slightly by app version.
- Reset with care: Short link > View QR Code > More options > Reset link makes the old code stop working. Every printed copy then needs replacing.
- If you set a business username, it is shown on the QR code and customers see your @username and business profile when they scan.
- Android: open the Tools tab, tap More options (three dots) > Short link, then View QR Code. You can also tap Settings and the QR code icon next to your business name.
- iPhone: open the Tools tab, tap Short Link, then QR Code.
- To add a default message, turn on Message under the QR code and tap the edit icon. The limit is 140 characters, and the customer can still edit it before sending.
- To share it, tap Share code (or Share Link) and pick a chat, app or your email.
- To print it, save the code with Share code > Photos or a screenshot, crop it so only the code is left, and print from your phone or computer.
Method 2: the QR code in your WhatsApp profile
Regular WhatsApp also has a personal QR code: on iPhone tap Settings or your profile picture, then the QR icon; on Android it sits next to your name in Settings. Scanning it lets the other person add you to their contacts.
It is built for friends and family. WhatsApp advises sharing it only with people you trust, because anyone it is forwarded to can add you. For a public sign or packaging, use the Business app code or a wa.me QR code instead.
Method 3: a wa.me link with a pre-filled message, turned into a QR code
A wa.me link is WhatsApp's click-to-chat format: https://wa.me/ followed by your full number in international format, with no plus sign, zeros, brackets or dashes. Adding ?text= and a URL-encoded message pre-fills the chat. It works with any WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business number, and you can make as many codes as you like, each with its own message.
The message is stored inside the code, so you cannot change it after printing; to change it, make a new code. Keep it short: a longer message makes a denser code that is harder to scan when printed small.
- Open the free generator at /tools/whatsapp-link-generator.
- Type your number with the country code first, for example 971501234567 for a UAE number 050 123 4567.
- Write the pre-filled message, such as Hi! I scanned the code on my parcel.
- Tap Test the link to check it opens a chat with your number.
- Download the QR code as SVG for print (it stays sharp at any size) or PNG for screens and social posts. Both already include a white border around the code.
Not the QR code on WhatsApp Web
Many people searching for a WhatsApp QR code mean the code on WhatsApp Web or the desktop app. That one is a login code, not a contact code: you scan it from your own phone under Settings > Linked devices > Link a device to use your account on another screen. WhatsApp lets you link up to four devices to your primary phone.
Never print a login code, and never scan one that someone sends you: it would link their device to your account. WhatsApp Pilot Pro uses this same linked-device QR to connect your store's WhatsApp number, so it takes one of your four linked-device slots.
Where to put your WhatsApp QR code
Always add a short line next to the code that says what happens when people scan, such as Scan to chat with us on WhatsApp. A bare code gets fewer scans.
- On Instagram, most people browse on the same phone they would scan with, so a wa.me link in your bio or a Story link sticker usually works better than a QR image.
| Placement | What it is for | Example pre-filled message |
|---|---|---|
| Packaging insert or thank-you card | Questions after delivery, reorders, reviews | Hi! I received my order and have a question. |
| Shop counter or window | Orders and questions from walk-in customers | Hi! I'm at your shop and want to order on WhatsApp. |
| Flyers and posters | A specific offer or event | Hi! I saw your flyer about the weekend offer. |
| Receipts and invoices | Support for that purchase | Hi! I have a question about my receipt. |
| Product labels | Refills, sizes and usage questions for one product | Hi! I'd like to reorder {product}. |
| Instagram posts | People viewing on a second screen; on the phone itself, use a link | Hi! I found you on Instagram. |
Print size, quiet zone and testing
- Size: WhatsApp's own QR sticker template expects the code printed at 8 x 8 cm. A common printing rule of thumb (not a WhatsApp rule) is at least 2 x 2 cm, and about one tenth of the distance people scan from: around 5 cm for a counter, 20 cm for a poster seen from 2 m.
- Quiet zone: keep a clear margin of at least four modules (the small squares) around the code. Do not crop it away or place text and logos tight against the edges.
- Contrast: print a dark code on a light background. Avoid inverted, low-contrast or busy backgrounds and glossy wraps that reflect light.
- File: use SVG or a high-resolution image for print, never a screenshot of a screenshot. Keep the aspect ratio square.
- Scan a test print with both an iPhone and an Android phone, using the normal camera app.
- Check that the chat opens with the right number and the right message.
- Scan from the real distance and in the real light, for example across the counter.
- Test the final material: a curved bottle label or a creased flyer scans worse than flat paper.
- After a reset or number change, replace every printed code and test again.
Track which placement brings chats
A QR code that opens WhatsApp does not report scans to you, and UTM tags do not carry into a chat. The simple fix is a different pre-filled message per placement, made as separate wa.me QR codes. When a chat starts with that text, you know where it came from.
The Business app has one short link and one default message at a time, so it cannot tell placements apart. Use it for your main general code and wa.me codes for anything you want to measure.
- Pick a distinct opening for each placement, for example Hi! I got my parcel, Hi! I'm at your shop, Hi! I saw your flyer.
- Create one QR code per message with /tools/whatsapp-link-generator and label the files so you do not mix them up.
- Count new chats per message each week, for example with a label per placement in WhatsApp Business.
- After a month, keep the placements that bring chats and orders, and move or redesign the rest.
On your Shopify store: a button instead of a code
A QR code is for print and for screens people are not holding. On your own website, shoppers are already on their phone or computer, so a tap works better than a scan.
WhatsApp Pilot adds a floating WhatsApp widget to Shopify themes: the shopper types a question in a chat-style panel and Send opens WhatsApp with their message to your number. It is free on your homepage, and Pro shows it on every page. On Pro, the Smart Product WhatsApp Button on product pages opens WhatsApp with the product, variant and price already written, or a back-in-stock request when the variant is sold out.
Use QR codes to bring offline customers into a WhatsApp chat, and the widget and product button for the visitors already on your store.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a WhatsApp QR code for my business?
In the WhatsApp Business app, go to Tools > Short link > View QR Code (on iPhone: Tools > Short Link > QR Code). For a code with your own pre-filled message per placement, create a wa.me link and turn it into a QR code with a free generator.
Is a WhatsApp QR code generator free?
Yes. The Business app QR code is free, and our generator at /tools/whatsapp-link-generator creates wa.me QR codes as PNG or SVG with no sign-up.
Does a WhatsApp QR code expire?
The WhatsApp Business QR code does not expire unless you reset it or delete the account. A wa.me QR code keeps working as long as the number is active on WhatsApp.
Can I add a message to my WhatsApp QR code?
Yes. In the Business app, turn on Message under your QR code and write up to 140 characters. In a wa.me QR code the message is part of the code, so you need a new code to change it.
What is the QR code on WhatsApp Web?
It is a login code for linking a computer or other device to your account, scanned from your phone under Linked devices > Link a device. It is not a code customers can scan to chat with you.
What size should I print a WhatsApp QR code?
WhatsApp's QR sticker template uses 8 x 8 cm. As a general rule, print at least 2 x 2 cm, larger for longer scanning distances, with a clear white margin around the code.
Ready to put WhatsApp to work on your store?
Start with the free widget. Upgrade to Pro for order and shipping messages, cart recovery, repeat-purchase codes, the smart product button, back-in-stock alerts and Product Demand.