How a WhatsApp QR code works
A WhatsApp QR code holds a wa.me link, such as https://wa.me/919876543210. When someone scans it with their phone camera, WhatsApp opens a chat with your number. Add a message and the chat opens with it already typed, waiting for them to tap send. That is click to chat, as WhatsApp describes it on its help page, printed as a square.
D2C brands use them where people hold the product: pack inserts, thank-you cards, labels, invoices and store counters. For marketplace orders, the code in the box is often the only direct line to the buyer, because the marketplace keeps their contact details.
How to make a WhatsApp QR code
- Type your WhatsApp number. The tool fixes the format for Indian numbers.
- Add the message people start with. "Hi! I got your card in my order." tells you the chat came from the box.
- Pick your colours and add your logo under QR code colours, logo and size.
- Download the SVG for your designer, or a PNG at the size you need.
- Scan it with two or three phones before you print anything.
Do WhatsApp QR codes expire?
Not this kind. The code holds the wa.me link itself, so it works for as long as your WhatsApp number does. Nothing sits in between.
Many QR sites make dynamic codes instead. The square holds their short link, which forwards to WhatsApp. That lets you change the target later, but if the site shuts down or your plan lapses, every printed code points nowhere. For a box you print 10,000 of, a static code is the safer choice. If your number changes, make a new code.
This tool vs the QR code in the WhatsApp Business app
The WhatsApp Business app has its own QR code, under Tools, then Short link. You can set a default message and share or reset it. WhatsApp's printing guide asks for 8 cm by 8 cm when you use its sticker template. It is a good start for a single counter sticker.
| Feature | Business app QR | This generator |
|---|---|---|
| Your colours and logo | No | Yes |
| File for print | A screenshot or shared image | SVG, or PNG at 1024, 2048 or 4096 px |
| Message per channel | One default message | Any message, and one link per channel |
| Shows your number | No, it uses a code | Yes, inside the link |
Printing it so it scans
- Use the SVG for print. It stays sharp at any size. Send it to your designer or printer as is.
- Keep the white border. The quiet zone around the code is part of it. The tool adds four modules of margin, as the QR standard asks. Don't crop it or put a pattern behind it.
- Dark on light. Black or a dark brand colour on white or cream scans best. The tool warns you when the contrast is too low.
- Keep the message short. A long message makes a dense code that is hard to read when printed small.
- Test the real print. Print one copy at the final size, on the final paper, and scan it with an older phone too.
Adding your logo
With a logo, the tool switches the code to its highest error correction level, which lets a QR code still scan with part of it covered. The logo takes about a fifth of the width, on a small patch of your background colour. A simple mark works better than a full wordmark. Square PNGs with a transparent background look cleanest.
Where D2C brands put WhatsApp QR codes
- Pack inserts: "Scan to tell us how you liked it" turns marketplace buyers into people you can reach again.
- Thank-you cards: pair the QR with a short note. There are 60 ready to use in my thank-you messages for customers.
- Product labels: recipes, refills or how-to-use help, one scan away.
- Store counters and events: a sticker by the billing desk collects numbers without a form.
- Invoices: "Questions about this order? Scan to chat."
Give each place its own opening line with the channel links in the tool, so you can count which one brings chats.
Sources: WhatsApp Help Center, How to use click to chat, How to create short links and How to print your QR code for WhatsApp Business. Checked 16 October 2026.
After they scan
Need just the link for a bio or an email? Use the WhatsApp link generator, which runs on the same engine. For what to send once the chat starts, see 50 WhatsApp message templates, and for sending at scale, bulk WhatsApp messages.
Want the box to bring back repeat orders? Book a free call and I'll look at your post-purchase journey.
Questions about WhatsApp QR codes
How do I create a QR code for WhatsApp?
Type your WhatsApp number in the generator, add a message if you want one, and download the QR code as SVG or PNG. Scan it with your phone to test it before printing.
Is this WhatsApp QR code generator free?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark and no limit, and the code works without an account with us.
Do WhatsApp QR codes expire?
Codes from this tool don’t. They hold the wa.me link itself, so they work as long as your WhatsApp number does. Dynamic codes from QR sites can stop working if the site closes or your plan ends.
Can I add my logo to a WhatsApp QR code?
Yes. Upload a PNG or JPG and the tool puts it in the centre and switches the code to its highest error correction, so it still scans.
Can a WhatsApp QR code open a chat with a message?
Yes. Add a message in the tool and it is typed into the chat box when someone scans. They still tap send.
What size should I print a WhatsApp QR code?
Use the SVG for print so it stays sharp at any size, keep the white border, and test a real print with a few phones. WhatsApp’s own sticker template uses 8 cm by 8 cm.
Can I change the number after printing?
No. The number is inside the code. If it changes, make a new code and reprint.
How do I find the QR code in the WhatsApp Business app?
Open Tools, then Short link, then QR code. You can share or reset it there. It has no colours or logo, which is when a generator helps.
More free tools
Calculators, guides and tools for D2C brands, all free. See them all.