How to create a click to chat WhatsApp link
- Write your number in international format: country code plus number, without the plus sign, spaces, brackets or the leading zero. A UK number 07700 900123 becomes 447700900123.
- Put it after https://wa.me/ so you get
https://wa.me/447700900123. - Optional: add a prefilled first message with
?text=. Spaces become%20, for examplehttps://wa.me/447700900123?text=Hi%2C%20I%20have%20a%20question. The customer can still change the text before sending. - Open the link on your own phone and on a computer to test it. On a phone it opens the WhatsApp app; on a computer it opens WhatsApp Desktop or WhatsApp Web.
The link works for WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business numbers and is free. You do not need a click to chat generator: the format above is all a generator produces. The older format https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=447700900123 still works too.
The api.whatsapp.com/send?phone= number link and its parameters
The long link https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone= does the same as wa.me. It has two parameters:
| Parameter | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| phone | The mobile number in international format, digits only | phone=447700900123 |
| text | Optional prefilled first message, URL-encoded | text=Hi%2C%20I%20have%20a%20question |
Combine them with &: https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=447700900123&text=Hi. The order does not matter, and a link that starts with http instead of https is redirected. If WhatsApp says the phone number shared via url is invalid, check for a plus sign, spaces, a leading zero after the country code, or a number that has no WhatsApp account. Despite the name, this link has nothing to do with the WhatsApp Business API: it needs no account, no developer and no payment. Use wa.me for new buttons because it is shorter; links with api.whatsapp.com that are already on your site or in old emails keep working.
The short link and QR code in the WhatsApp Business app
The WhatsApp Business app can make the link for you. Open Settings, Business tools, Short link. You get a link of the form wa.me/message/ with a code, an optional default message, and a QR code you can print on flyers, invoices, your shop window or a van. You can reset the short link if it ends up in the wrong place; the wa.me link with your number cannot be reset, because it is your number.
Adding a Contact us on WhatsApp button to your website
Any website builder can link a button or text to the wa.me URL. Use clear text such as Chat with us on WhatsApp or Contact us via WhatsApp, and say when you usually reply. In plain HTML it is one line: <a href="https://wa.me/447700900123">Chat with us on WhatsApp</a>. Many site builders and plugins add a floating WhatsApp button that does the same thing. Use the same link in your email signature, quotes and online business listings, so customers always reach the same number.
Who answers the click to chat messages?
The link changes nothing about where the message lands: on the phone where the number is registered. In small businesses that is nearly always the owner. The number was once set up on their phone and is now on the website. The owner reads the question, calls the technician or planner, waits for the answer and types it back to the customer, or the message waits until the evening.
| Approach | Who answers | Customer experience | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner's number in the link | Owner, after checking | Answer comes later | Owner is the middleman for every question |
| Coworker's number in the link | Coworker | Fast answer | Private number public; gone when they leave |
| Away message | Nobody, fixed text | Knows it will take a while | Question waits |
| Linked device for coworker | Coworker | Fast answer | Coworker sees all chats and numbers |
| InBetween | Coworker, from the business number | Fast answer from the number they know | Paid after the free month (or free Basic) |
When the owner answering is fine
If only a few messages come in per week and you can answer them yourself, keep it simple: the wa.me link, a short away message and quick replies in the WhatsApp Business app are free and enough. Forwarding becomes useful when the questions are really for someone else, such as a technician, a planner or the person in the shop, and you keep passing them on by hand. InBetween then forwards every new customer message to one coworker, with photos, locations, voice notes and documents. The customer number is hidden by default. The setup takes about 2 minutes by QR or pairing code; the dashboard is currently only in Dutch.
Forward customer messages automatically. Replies go back from your number.
Try free for 30 daysFrequently asked questions
How do I make a WhatsApp click to chat link?
Take your number in international format without plus sign or leading zero and put it after https://wa.me/, for example https://wa.me/447700900123. Add ?text= with a URL-encoded message to prefill the first message.
Do I need to change the WhatsApp button on my website?
No. The button keeps pointing to your business number. InBetween only changes who receives and answers the message.
Can customers see that their message is forwarded?
No. The customer has a normal WhatsApp conversation with your business number. Replies from your coworker arrive from that same number.
How much does it cost?
New accounts get 30 days of Pro+ free without a card. After that you can stay on free Basic (25 customer messages per month), or choose Pro at €87 per month (2,000 messages) or Pro+ at €142 per month (unlimited). Cancel monthly.