How to Create a WhatsApp Link: Free wa.me Format + Business Tips
A WhatsApp link lets anyone start a chat with you in one tap, with no need to save your number first. This guide shows you how to create a WhatsApp link in seconds, add a pre-filled message, and find the short link the WhatsApp Business app already made for you. Start with the builder below, then use the business tips to turn those chats into sales.
Build Your WhatsApp Link in Under a Minute
Every WhatsApp click-to-chat link follows one consistent pattern. Fill in your number and you have a working link.
The template:
https://wa.me/<your full international number>
WhatsApp’s own Help Center asks for a full phone number in international format, with any zeroes, brackets or dashes omitted. Its example of a correct link is digits only, so leave out the plus sign and spaces as well.
Three steps to your link:
- Take your WhatsApp number in local format, for example 024 123 4567.
- Remove the spaces and the leading 0, then add your country code. For Ghana that is 233, so 024 123 4567 becomes 233241234567.
- Drop it into the template:
https://wa.me/233241234567. That is your link.
Worked examples (Ghana):
| Local number | International (digits only) | Your WhatsApp link |
|---|---|---|
| 024 123 4567 | 233241234567 | https://wa.me/233241234567 |
| 050 987 6543 | 233509876543 | https://wa.me/233509876543 |
| 027 555 0100 | 233275550100 | https://wa.me/233275550100 |
The same rule works for any number. Swap in your own country code and keep the rest digits only.
Want a button for your website? Copy this snippet and it points straight to your chat:
<a aria-label="Chat on WhatsApp" href="https://wa.me/233241234567">Chat on WhatsApp</a>WhatsApp also offers an official Chat on WhatsApp button. According to WhatsApp’s button guidance, it comes in green and white and three sizes (small, medium and large), it is currently only available in English, and WhatsApp asks you to use it as is, without changing it.
For print, posters, or a shop window, paste your finished link into a QR code generator and download the image. One scan opens the chat.
What Is a WhatsApp Link?
A WhatsApp link, also called a click-to-chat link or a wa.me link, is a URL that opens a WhatsApp conversation with a specific number. When someone taps it, WhatsApp opens with your chat ready to go, so they never have to save your contact first.
WhatsApp’s click-to-chat article sets two conditions: the number needs an active WhatsApp account, and click to chat works on both your phone and WhatsApp Web. That makes it a quick way to turn a website visitor, a social media follower, or a flyer reader into a live conversation.
How Do I Create a WhatsApp Link? (3 Methods)
You have three ways to get a link, depending on how hands-on you want to be.
1. Build the wa.me URL yourself
Use the template above: https://wa.me/<number>. It is the quickest method and needs nothing beyond your WhatsApp number.
2. Use the builder above
The steps and worked examples in the previous section give you a copy-paste link in under a minute, plus a website button and a QR-ready URL.
3. Generate a short link in the WhatsApp Business app
If you use the WhatsApp Business app, the app has already made a short link for you. You will find it under Short link on the Tools tab, and the next section walks through the steps.
How Do I Create a WhatsApp Link for My Business?
If you use the WhatsApp Business app, you do not need to build anything. WhatsApp’s short-link help article states that a short link for your business is automatically generated when you create your account. You can also build a wa.me link with your business number, using the steps above.
Where to find your WhatsApp Business link
- iPhone: tap Short link on the Tools tab. The link is displayed under your business name.
- Android: tap Tools, then the More menu (three dots), then Short link.
What you can do from the short link screen
From that screen you can copy the link and paste it on your website or social pages, or share it directly. You can also set a default message that customers can edit before they send it.
When we checked the WhatsApp Business app, the link on that screen took the form https://wa.me/message/ followed by a short code.
That message is written by you but sent by your customer, so phrase it the way a customer would: “Hello, I would like to ask about your products.” Anyone who has the link can message you.
What customers see when they open it
If your customer has WhatsApp installed, the chat opens straight away. From a web browser, they land on a page with your business information and a Continue to chat button that opens the chat with you.
Short link or your own wa.me link?
| WhatsApp Business short link | Your own wa.me link | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | The WhatsApp Business app, automatically | You, from the template above |
| Where the opening message is set | Default message in the app, editable by the customer | ?text= added to the end of the link |
| Where it opens | The chat in WhatsApp, or your business page in a web browser | The chat on a phone or on WhatsApp Web |
| What you need | A WhatsApp Business app account | A number with an active WhatsApp account |
Use the short link when you want one ready-made link with a default message. Use a wa.me link when you want a different pre-filled message for each placement, such as one for your Instagram bio and another for a receipt.
Here is a business enquiry link you can adapt with your own number:
https://wa.me/233241234567?text=Hello%20I%20would%20like%20to%20ask%20about%20your%20products
Put your link where customers already reach you: your social bios, a QR code on receipts and packaging, the end of the SMS messages you already send, and a button on your website. The placements section below covers each one.
When the chats that link brings in need a whole team to answer, KOVA IQ puts them in one agent queue your team can work together.
What’s the Difference Between wa.me and api.whatsapp.com Links?
You will see links written both ways: wa.me/233241234567 and api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=233241234567. Both work: in our own test on a phone, the api.whatsapp.com link opened the same chat as the wa.me link. The format WhatsApp’s click-to-chat help article documents is wa.me, and it is also the shorter of the two to share.
| Link type | Format | Opens a chat with your number? | In WhatsApp’s click-to-chat article? |
|---|---|---|---|
| wa.me | https://wa.me/233241234567 | Yes | Yes |
| api.whatsapp.com | https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=233241234567 | Yes, in our own phone test | No |
For most businesses, the wa.me link is the one to use and share.
How Do I Add a Pre-Filled Message to a WhatsApp Link?
A pre-filled message drops ready-made text into the chat box, so the customer only has to hit send. WhatsApp’s help article gives the format: add ?text= and your URL-encoded message after the number, and the message will automatically appear in the text field of the chat.
https://wa.me/233241234567?text=Hello%20I%20would%20like%20to%20place%20an%20order
WhatsApp’s own example writes each space as %20. Other characters follow standard URL encoding, so a line break becomes %0A and a comma becomes %2C.
Prefer to type the message in plain words? In the WhatsApp Business app, set a default message on the short link screen instead. Your customers can edit it before sending.
Where Should You Put Your WhatsApp Link? (7 High-Impact Placements)
- Website header or footer — a persistent “Chat on WhatsApp” button on every page.
- Contact page — next to your phone and email, as the fastest option.
- Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok bios — where your followers already look for a way to reach you.
- Email signatures — turn every message you send into a chat starter.
- Google Business Profile — Google’s Business Profile help page says a claimed and verified profile can add a WhatsApp click-to-chat link under Edit profile > Contact > Chat. The option is only available in select regions, so check whether your profile shows it.
- Print and packaging — a QR code on flyers, receipts, and shop signage bridges offline to online.
- WhatsApp Status and broadcasts — point existing contacts to a fresh conversation or catalogue.
If you run promotions, read our guide to WhatsApp marketing for Ghana SMEs before you build these links into a campaign.
Pre-Filled Message Templates for Business
Copy a template, encode the spaces as %20, and attach it to your link with ?text=.
- Product inquiry: Hello I would like to ask about your products
- Place an order: Hi I would like to place an order for
- Mobile money payment: Hello I have sent payment via mobile money please confirm
- Appointment booking: Hi I would like to book an appointment
- Order status: Hello please can I get an update on my order
- Support request: Hi I need help with
For a shop selling on WhatsApp, pairing a link with a “place an order” message shortens the path from interest to sale. Next, see how to sell on WhatsApp Business in Ghana.
WhatsApp Link Best Practices
- Always use full international format. WhatsApp’s format calls for the full number with its country code.
- Test on more than one device. Open your link on Android, iPhone, and WhatsApp Web before you publish it.
- Keep pre-filled messages short. One clear sentence is quick for a customer to read, edit and send.
- Measure clicks. Place the link behind a trackable button or short link in your own analytics to see which placements work.
- Use a QR code for offline. Print it where customers already stand: the counter, the packaging, the poster.
- Update every link when your number changes. A dead link is a lost customer.
- Give first-time chats an instant response, even after hours. Learn how to set up a WhatsApp Business auto-reply so new messages get an answer while you focus on selling.
When Should You Upgrade From a Plain WhatsApp Link?
A wa.me link is the right start. It points customers to one WhatsApp number. That works until the messages start piling up.
As volume grows, the strain shows. Several people need to answer the same customers, a colleague has to pick up a chat halfway through, follow-ups have to happen on time, and you want to know which conversations turned into sales.
This is where a growing business looks at the WhatsApp Business API and at a platform that gives the whole team one place to work. Read our guide to the WhatsApp Business API in Africa before you decide.
KOVA IQ is Arkesel’s messaging-first CRM. It brings WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DM, Telegram and website live chat into one agent queue, a shared inbox for your team. It adds AI draft replies, AI auto-reply from your FAQs, knowledge base and product catalog, and conversation-to-ticket conversion with conversation SLA tracking.
You can sell inside the chat too: KOVA IQ has a product catalog with variants and generates a payment link (currently through Paystack) after order confirmation. If you plan to automate first replies, see how to hand chats between a bot and your team. For the wider picture, read our guide to WhatsApp for business in Ghana, and check the flexible plans when you are ready to scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find my WhatsApp Business link?
In the WhatsApp Business app, on the Tools tab under Short link. On Android, tap Tools, then the More menu (three dots), then Short link.
Can I create a WhatsApp link without a phone number?
Yes, but it does a different job. A link with only a pre-filled message, https://wa.me/?text= followed by your message, shows the person a list of contacts they can send the message to. It does not open a chat with your business, so for customer enquiries always include your number.
Does a WhatsApp link work in every country?
The format is the same for every country: the full number in international format, with no zeroes, brackets or dashes. The number you link to needs an active WhatsApp account.
What happens when someone clicks my link on a computer?
A wa.me link works on WhatsApp Web as well as on phones. A WhatsApp Business short link opened in a web browser shows a page with your business information and a Continue to chat button.
How do I track clicks on my WhatsApp link?
Route the link through a trackable button or a link shortener so your own analytics count the taps.
How long should a pre-filled message be?
One clear sentence. It is quick for a customer to read, edit and send, and it tells you straight away what they want, such as “Hi I would like to place an order for”.
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Start More Conversations Today
A WhatsApp link is the shortest path from “I’m interested” to a real conversation. Build yours with the template above, or copy the short link from your WhatsApp Business app, and place it everywhere your customers already are.
When those chats grow into a real sales and support channel, KOVA IQ keeps your whole team on the same page. Start with Arkesel to power your WhatsApp with a shared inbox, automation, and in-chat commerce.
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