A chat speech bubble containing a chain link, with a dashed arrow flying out — a WhatsApp conversation started from a short link.

Create a WhatsApp Link With a Pre-Filled Message

Build a wa.me click-to-chat link, write the message you want to receive, and shorten it into a branded URL you can put anywhere — and track. No account, no watermark.

No signup Pre-filled message Click analytics Free forever

Build your WhatsApp link

The short link opens a WhatsApp chat with your number, message already typed. The visitor only has to press send.

What is a wa.me link?

wa.me is WhatsApp's official click-to-chat domain. A link in this format opens a conversation with a phone number — without the visitor saving the contact first:

https://wa.me/14155550132?text=Hi%21%20I%27m%20interested

Two rules trip people up. The number must be in international format without +, 00, brackets, dashes, or leading zeros. And the message after ?text= must be URL-encoded — spaces become %20, punctuation gets escaped. The generator above applies both rules automatically.

Why shorten it?

  • It becomes readable. zip1.io/chat-with-sales says what it does; wa.me/14155550132?text=Hi%21%20I%27m… is line noise on a flyer or in a bio.
  • It becomes measurable. WhatsApp gives you zero click data. The short link's stats page shows clicks over time, country, device, and referrer — free.
  • It becomes printable. A short slug makes a clean QR code for menus, posters, and packaging. See QR codes.
  • It becomes cappable. Set max-clicks and the link stops working after N clicks — useful for limited promos and group invites.

Where WhatsApp links earn their keep

1. "Chat with us" for sales and support

Put zip1.io/chat-support behind the button on your site or email signature. The pre-filled message ("Hi, I need help with my order…") routes the conversation before it starts, and the click count tells you whether anyone uses the channel.

2. Instagram bio and social profiles

Bios allow one link and no long URLs. A branded short link to your WhatsApp chat turns profile visits into conversations — and the referrer stats show which profile actually sends them.

3. Flyers, menus, posters

Print the short slug or its QR code. Scanning opens the chat with the message pre-filled — "I'd like to book a table" — which is a lower hurdle than a phone call and infinitely lower than a form.

4. Group invites that close themselves

Shorten your chat.whatsapp.com invite link and set max-clicks to the number of seats. The invite stops redirecting when the group is full, instead of circulating forever.

{
  "url": "https://chat.whatsapp.com/AbCdEfGh123",
  "alias": "beta-testers",
  "max-clicks": 50
}

5. One number, many campaigns

Mint one slug per channel — /wa-flyer, /wa-insta, /wa-newsletter — all pointing at the same number with different pre-filled messages. Per-link click counts tell you which channel fills your inbox.

Or do it from the API

No key, no signup — 10 requests per minute per IP. See the API reference.

curl -X POST http://zip1.io/api/create \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://wa.me/14155550132?text=Hi%21%20I%27m%20interested",
    "alias": "chat-with-sales"
  }'

# Response:
# {"short_url": "http://zip1.io/chat-with-sales", ...}

How zip1.io compares to WhatsApp link tools

Capability zip1.io Walink (wa.link) Plain wa.me link
Pre-filled message Yes Yes Encode it yourself
Custom branded slug Yes — free Paid plan No
Click analytics Yes — free Paid plan None
Click caps / self-expiring Any integer No No
Also shortens non-WhatsApp URLs Yes No —
API without an account Yes No —

FAQ

  • What number format does wa.me need?

    International format with country code, digits only: no +, no 00 prefix, no brackets, dashes, or leading zeros. A US number is 14155550132; a Brazilian mobile is 5511912345678. The generator above cleans this up for you.

  • Does the visitor need to save my number first?

    No. Clicking the link opens the chat directly — that's the point of click-to-chat. Your number becomes visible to them inside the conversation, as with any WhatsApp chat.

  • Can I see who clicked my WhatsApp link?

    The stats page shows clicks over time, country, browser, OS, and referrer for every short link — no account needed. WhatsApp itself tells you nothing about a raw wa.me link.

  • What about numbers that aren't on WhatsApp?

    The link still opens, but WhatsApp shows an error instead of a chat. Click-to-chat only works for numbers with an active WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business account.

  • Can I change the destination later?

    No — zip1.io links are immutable once created. If your number changes, mint a new slug. (That immutability is also why a short link is safe to print.)

Related

QR codes

Turn the short link into a scannable code for print.

Marketing campaigns

One slug per channel, per-link analytics, click caps.

URL shortener API

Mint WhatsApp links programmatically — no auth, no key.

Make your WhatsApp link

Ten seconds, no account. Branded slug and click stats included.

Build a Link API Docs