Quick answer
- Fastest with a logo: enter your number in a free generator, add your logo, and download a PNG or SVG.
- Keep the logo to 30% of the width or less, ideally solid and about 24%. In our tests, 35% passed only 67% of the time.
- Use a dark code on a light background, keep a clear margin, and test-scan before printing.
Two ways to make a WhatsApp QR code
A WhatsApp QR code is a normal QR code holding a chat link. Scanning it opens a WhatsApp chat with your number, so nobody has to type or save it. You can get one from the WhatsApp Business app, or from a generator if you want your logo on it.
| WhatsApp Business app | Wapzen generator | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom logo and colours | No | Yes |
| Pre-filled message | Set in the app’s short link | Yes, any message for each code |
| Print-ready files | Save or share from the app | PNG up to 2048 px, or SVG |
| Sign-up | Needs the app | None |
| Price | Free | Free |
In the WhatsApp Business app, go to Business tools › Short link, then open the QR code to save or share it. Menu names can differ between app versions. If you reset this code, the old one stops working.
How to make one with your logo, step by step
- Open the free WhatsApp QR code generator. There’s no sign-up or watermark, and the code is made in your browser.
- Enter your number with its country code.
- Add a pre-filled message, such as “Hi, I’d like to book a table.” It’s ready to send when the chat opens. Different messages on different codes also tell you which flyer or shelf a customer came from.
- Pick a design: square or rounded dots, your colours, and a chat icon or your own logo (PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG up to 1 MB).
- Add a short caption, such as “Scan to chat on WhatsApp”.
- Download a PNG up to 2048 px for screens and small prints, or an SVG that stays sharp at any size.
- Test-scan it on a few phones before you print.
How big can a logo be? We tested it
Most guides just say “keep the logo small”. We measured it, using our generator’s own code and 192 test images per row: different numbers, message lengths and dot styles, including blurred and tilted copies. A pass means three decoders (jsQR, ZXing and ZBar) all read the image.
| Images read | |
|---|---|
| 15–24% of the code’s width | 99.5% |
| 30% | 99% |
| 35% | 67% |
| 40% | 32% |
| 45% | 3% |
| 50% | 0% |
- Up to 30% is safe at the highest error correction. Our generator uses about 24%, which leaves a margin.
- Long messages fail first. At 35%, every long-message image failed, while every shorter one passed.
- Error correction matters. At the lower level M, a 24% logo passed only 64% of the time.
- Solid logos beat thin lines. At 24%, solid shapes passed 99.5%, thin line art 79%, and white line art on a solid circle 47%.
- WhatsApp green is risky for the dots. #25D366 on white was read by jsQR in only 24 of 48 images. The darker #075E54 was read in all 48.
- Inverted codes are risky too. ZBar read 0 of 48 light-on-dark codes.
These tests ran on 31 October 2026 with software decoders, not phones. Real cameras can differ, so always test your final print.
Where to use it, and what message to pre-fill
- Shop counter: “Hi, is this item in stock?”
- Restaurant table or menu: “Hi, I’d like to place an order.”
- Clinic or salon: “Hello, I’d like to book an appointment.”
- Product packaging: “Hi, I have a question about my order.”
- Business card or flyer: “Hi, I saw your flyer and I’d like to know more.”
Need a link as well as a code? The WhatsApp link generator makes the same chat link for your website and social profiles.
WhatsApp QR code not working? How to fix it
| Likely cause | Fix | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens the wrong chat or an error | The number has a leading 0 or no country code | Use country code + number, such as 919812345678 |
| Won’t scan with a logo | The logo is too wide or made of thin lines | Use a solid logo at about 24% width |
| Scans on some phones only | Low contrast or light code on dark | Use a dark code on a light background |
| Fails on a dark flyer | No clear margin around the code | Keep a light border of 4 dots on every side |
| Fails when small | A long message makes the dots tiny | Shorten the message or print larger |
Answer every scan, even after closing time
A QR code works day and night, so messages will arrive when nobody’s free to answer. Everything in Wapzen is free right now, including an AI chat agent that replies from your own business information and an AI voice agent for WhatsApp calls. It links the same number your QR code opens.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a QR code for my WhatsApp number?
Use a free generator: enter your number with its country code, add a message if you want one, then download the code. It holds a wa.me link, and scanning it opens a chat with you. The WhatsApp Business app can also make one under its short link settings, without a custom logo.
How do I make a WhatsApp QR code with a logo?
In Wapzen's free WhatsApp QR code generator, choose Image under the logo options and upload a PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG up to 1 MB. The generator sizes the logo at about 24% of the code's width and uses the strongest error correction the link fits.
Does a WhatsApp QR code expire?
A wa.me code doesn't expire. It works as long as the number is on WhatsApp. A code made in the WhatsApp Business app stops working if you reset it, so reprint it after a reset.
How do I create a QR code for a WhatsApp group?
Group admins can open the group's invite settings in WhatsApp and share its invite link or QR code. A generator for your number opens a one-to-one chat, not a group.
Can I use the WhatsApp logo on my QR code?
WhatsApp has its own brand rules for its logo, so check them before printing it. Wapzen's generator offers a generic chat bubble instead, or you can use your own business logo, which also tells people whose code it is.
What size should I print a WhatsApp QR code?
At least 2 × 2 cm. For codes read from further away, make the code about one tenth of the scanning distance, such as 20 cm wide for a poster read from 2 metres.
Why is my WhatsApp QR code not working?
The usual causes are a number without its country code, a logo that's too large, low contrast, a light code on a dark background, no margin around the code, or a code printed too small. Test-scan on a few phones before you print.