Check the number, not just the QR pattern
Use the full international number registered with WhatsApp. This builder removes punctuation but cannot add a missing country code or verify an account. Check the generated wa.me destination below the preview, open it on a phone and confirm the intended recipient. A number can pass the format check and still belong to the wrong person or have no WhatsApp account.
A first message is a draft, not an automatic send
The optional message is pre-filled for the visitor to review, edit and send. Keep it short, such as “Hi, I have a question about the menu”. Do not put passwords, private customer details or confidential information in the draft: the number and message are in the destination URL. Opening the chat does not prove someone sent the message.
Choose a fixed link or keep the printed code editable
Tracking off encodes the wa.me destination directly in a static QR; its number and message cannot be changed in that artwork. Tracking on creates a Qex short link whose destination you can edit. Save the owning workspace with email and confirm the emailed link before clearing browser storage. Dynamic redirects depend on Qex continuing to operate.
Update the same code when your number changes
Build and test the new wa.me link here, then copy the generated destination. Open the existing dynamic code in its owning workspace, replace its destination and save. Creating another code will not update stickers already printed. Allow about a minute, then scan an original sticker and check both the recipient and draft. The new number must be ready to receive WhatsApp chats.
Check the chat link or update an existing sticker
WhatsApp’s click-to-chat instructions explain the international number and optional pre-filled message. Check the generated destination below this builder’s preview; with tracking on, the QR itself holds a Qex short link.
Open your owning workspace to update the destination of an existing dynamic code. Save a guest workspace with email and confirm the emailed link, or sign in with the owner’s email if already saved.
If the camera reads the code but no chat opens, check the destination and connection. If it cannot read the pattern, check the print and artwork.
How to make a WhatsApp QR code
- Enter and check the numberUse your full international WhatsApp number. Check the generated wa.me destination below the preview; the builder does not verify the recipient’s account.
- Check the optional draftAdd a short message, open the generated link on a phone and confirm the recipient and message. The visitor still decides whether to send it.
- Choose tracking and save controlKeep tracking on if the printed code must be editable. Save the owning workspace with email and confirm its emailed link. Choose tracking off for a fixed direct link.
- Print and test the actual artworkDownload SVG for your layout, preserve the clear margin, and scan a proof at the final size. Confirm the intended chat and draft on visitor devices before printing a batch.
Check your QR before printing
Keep the full clear margin around your downloaded QR. Print one proof at the final size, measure it, and scan it with the phones your visitors use before ordering a batch.
Compare QR print dimensions and make an A4 or US Letter proof for a plain, no-logo static link or text code. For your existing dynamic code, paste its Qex short link, rather than the destination, to keep the same redirect in the proof. For a code with a logo, frame, Wi-Fi details or a contact card, test the actual downloaded artwork; the plain calculator does not reproduce that design.
Diagnose a QR code that will not scan or open if a proof fails.
Questions
Do visitors need my number saved?
WhatsApp click to chat can start a chat without saving your number. The number must have an active WhatsApp account. Test the exact link with a phone that does not already have your contact saved.
Does scanning send the first message?
No. The optional text is a draft. The visitor can change it and must choose to send. Qex scan counts measure requests, not sent messages, unique customers or completed bookings; scanner previews can also create requests.
Why does the link show the wrong number or no chat?
Check the full international number and its country code. Qex strips punctuation but does not convert local numbers or check WhatsApp registration. Test the destination directly before diagnosing the QR artwork.
Can I change the number or message after printing?
Yes for a Qex dynamic code you control: copy the tested new wa.me link into the existing code’s destination in the owning workspace. A static QR keeps its original destination and needs new artwork when that link changes.
What happens if WhatsApp is not installed?
The next screen depends on the visitor’s device, browser and WhatsApp setup. Do not promise an automatic app-store redirect. Test your audience’s devices and print another contact option for people who cannot use WhatsApp.
Is Qex an official WhatsApp tool?
No. Qex builds a normal wa.me click-to-chat link and puts a QR on it. WhatsApp handles the chat; Qex does not read messages or verify that a visitor sent one.