WhatsApp QR codes can be useful when sharing your number with new people whether you run a business account, support group, or other communities.
Starting a conversation with a new contact on WhatsApp is not an easy task. You must first save the contact to your phone, then open it with WhatsApp, and only then can you start chatting. You can skip all these steps by generating QR codes for your WhatsApp profile.
Unlike its siblings, Facebook and Instagram, WhatsApp currently doesn't offer a native way to create or scan QR codes. But that doesn't mean you can't create one. In this post, you'll learn how to create and scan QR codes for WhatsApp.
Create QR codes for WhatsApp
To create a QR code for your number or group chat, you must first create a link followed by its QR code. Here's how to do both.
Generate link
There's a different process for creating links for personal or business profiles and group chats. Let's start with personal numbers.
Create a link to the personal number
With WhatsApp's Click to Chat feature, you can create a link for any WhatsApp number. Once created, all you have to do is share the link, and the chat will automatically open when you click on it.
To create a link to your number, you will have to use this link: https://wa.me/WhatsAppNumber] where [WhatsApp Number] is your full phone number in international format.
For example, if your number is 91987654321, where 91 is the country code, the link will be https://wa.me/91987654321.
- Note: Do not add any zeros, brackets, or dashes to the number.
If you wish, you can attach a pre-filled message to the number. To do so, use this link: https://wa.me/WhatsAppNumber/?text=urlencodedtext.
So, the link will become https://wa.me/91987654321/?text=hi.
When you click on these links, they will open directly in WhatsApp – whether on your phone or WhatsApp Web.
Create a link to your business profile
If you're using the WhatsApp Business app, you don't need to manually create the link as described above. Fortunately, the app comes with a Short Link option, among other features, that automatically generates a link. All you have to do is copy it. To view the short link, go to WhatsApp Settings > Business Settings > Short Link.
Create a link to WhatsApp groups
To make it easier for people to join groups, WhatsApp Groups offers an "invite by link" feature, where anyone with the link can join the group. So be careful with who you share the link with.
To view the link, open the group chat and tap its name in the top bar to access the settings. Scroll down and tap Invite via link.
You'll get several options such as the send, share, copy, and delete links. Click the copy link. At any time, if you don't want random people to join your group, click the delete link.
For the record, only the group admin has the ability to create and revoke a group link.
Create a QR Code
Now that you have the link, it's time to take action. To create a QR code, you'll need the help of a third-party website. Some sites we recommend are:
If you have a personal favorite app, you can use that too. No problem. Just open the website and paste the generated link into the URL box.
Sites offer various customization options such as color, logo, design, etc. Customize the QR code to your liking. Once finished, click "Create" or "Download."
Congratulations! You've successfully generated a QR code for a WhatsApp number or group chat. Now share this QR code with others.
- Pro Tip: If you own a Mi phone, your browser, Mi Browser, lets you generate a QR code for any link. Paste the link into the address bar, and you'll be given the option to generate a QR code. Check out these other great Mi Browser tips.
Extra tip: Scan QR codes on Android and iPhone
If your iPhone is running iOS 11 or later, it has a QR code scanner. Where? Well, inside the Camera app. Launch the camera and point it at any QR code. The phone will automatically recognize the information contained in the QR code. In this case, it's a WhatsApp link. You'll see a notification banner at the top. Tap it to open WhatsApp.
On Android phones, you'll need Google Lens. It's an image recognition technology that's activated by long-pressing your Android phone's home button and then tapping the Lens icon. Some phones, like the Google Pixel, also support Lens within the Google Camera app.
In either case, point your camera at the QR code, and your phone will recognize the WhatsApp link. Tap it to open it.
Race to the future
This is how you can create QR codes for WhatsApp and skip the hassle of sharing your number. I know it's a bit tedious. But things are about to change soon because WhatsApp is testing a native feature to add users with a QR code, just like Instagram's nametag feature.
