A wa.me link opens WhatsApp directly and pre-fills a message that the customer can send to your business.
What is a wa.me link?
A wa.me link (also called a WhatsApp deep link) lets customers start a WhatsApp conversation with your business with just one click — no need to save your number first. You can share these links on your website, in emails, social media, or anywhere else you want to drive WhatsApp conversations.
Example:
https://wa.me/4915112345678?text=Hey%2C+I+want+to+get+a+20%25+discount+on+my+next+order%21
When a customer clicks this link, WhatsApp opens with your number and the pre-filled message ready to send.
Option 1: Create a wa.me link via WhatsApp Business Manager
You can also create a wa.me link and a QR code directly in your WhatsApp Business Manager.
Just follow these steps:
Go to your WhatsApp Business Manager
Go to Phone numbers
Click on Message Links
Click the Create Message Link button
Add your trigger message — make sure it matches your Journey's Exact Match or Keyword Match trigger text
The QR Code will be generated automatically — you can then download it by clicking the Download icon next to your newly created message link
⚠️ Important: The pre-filled message must match your Journey trigger text exactly. If the message doesn't match, the Journey will not be activated when the customer sends it.
Option 2: Create wa.me links directly from Journeys
The easiest way to generate a wa.me link is directly inside charles Journeys — no manual URL building needed.
If you have a Journey with a message trigger (Exact Match or Keyword Match), charles automatically generates a wa.me deep link for that trigger message. When a customer clicks the link, WhatsApp opens with the trigger message pre-filled — ready to send and instantly activate your Journey flow.
How to access the wa.me link in Journeys
Open the Journeys section in charles.
Open the Journey you want to share.
Click on the Trigger node to open the trigger settings panel.
Next to your trigger message text, click the three-dot menu (···).
You will see the following options:
Option | What it does |
Open wa.me deep link | Opens the wa.me link directly in your browser so you can preview it |
Copy wa.me deep link | Copies the link to your clipboard so you can paste it anywhere |
Show QR Code | Displays a QR code for the link that customers can scan |
✅ Best practice: Use the Show QR Code option to download a QR code for offline use, such as packaging inserts, flyers, or in-store displays.
Option 3: Create a wa.me link manually
You can build a wa.me link yourself by following these steps:
Start with the base URL: https://wa.me/
Add your WhatsApp phone number in international format (no spaces, dashes, or the + sign).
Example: For +49 151 12345678, use 4915112345678
Add the pre-filled message using the ?text= parameter. The message text must be URL-encoded (spaces become %20 or +, special characters are encoded).
Full example: https://wa.me/4915112345678?text=Hey%2C+I+want+to+get+a+20%25+discount+on+my+next+order!
💡 Tip: Use the **charles *WhatsApp link and QR code generator*** to convert your message text into the correct format.
Option 4: Create a wa.me link on the charles website.
Enter your number
Enter the message that should be pre-filled for users
Copy link and/or download the QR-code
Save the link and message somewhere (soon to be stored by charles - but not yet…)
Where to use your wa.me link
Once you have your link, you can share it in many places:
Website – Add a "Chat with us on WhatsApp" button
Email campaigns – Drive subscribers to WhatsApp for exclusive offers
Social media – Add to your Instagram bio, Facebook page, or posts
Paid ads – Use as a click-to-WhatsApp ad destination
Print materials – Use the QR code on packaging, flyers, or receipts
