What is a wa.me link?
A wa.me link is WhatsApp’s standard click-to-chat URL. When someone opens it on a device with WhatsApp (app or web), it starts (or focuses) a chat with the phone number encoded in the path. You do not need a special “WhatsApp API” for basic links — the format is documented for public use.
Example shape:
https://wa.me/15551234567
The number must be international, digits only (no + in the path), and include the correct country code.
The optional text parameter
To prefill the composer, append a query string:
https://wa.me/15551234567?text=Hello
Longer messages must be URL-encoded (same idea as encodeURIComponent in JavaScript): spaces become %20, and special characters become percent-escapes. Generators handle this so you do not have to hand-encode.
WhatsApp link vs WhatsApp Business link
The same wa.me format works for personal and WhatsApp Business numbers. “Business link” in marketing often means “link to our WhatsApp Business line” — not a different URL scheme. Business accounts may use additional tools (catalogs, labels) inside the app, but the public click-to-chat URL pattern is unchanged.
Common reasons a link “does not work”
- Wrong country code — the most frequent issue; double-check E.164.
- Trunk zero — national leading zeros are usually dropped after the country code.
- Broken copy-paste — spaces or hidden characters in the path.
- Client not installed — desktop users may need WhatsApp Web or the desktop app.
For troubleshooting from the user’s perspective, see also: WhatsApp link generator guide.
Build a link now
Use the free generator on the homepage to produce a validated wa.me URL and optional QR.
What to read next
Need a link right away? Use the generator on the home page. For deeper walkthroughs on wa.me format, QR codes, and bios, open the guides index.