For many small businesses and freelancers, especially in India, Brazil and the Middle East, WhatsApp is where enquiries actually turn into sales. There are two ways to connect it to Instagram: a wa.me link in your bio (works for every account type) and Instagram's official WhatsApp contact option (business and creator accounts, in some countries). This guide covers both and when to use each.
Quick steps
- Write your number in international format without +, spaces or dashes.
- Build the link: https://wa.me/ followed by the number, optionally with ?text= and a pre-filled message.
- In Instagram, go to Edit profile, Links, Add external link, paste it and title it.
- Or, for a business account: Edit profile, Contact options, WhatsApp Business number, and verify with the code.
- Test from another phone.
Way 1: A wa.me link in your bio (any account)
WhatsApp's click-to-chat links open a chat with your number when tapped. The format is https://wa.me/ followed by your full number in international format, with no plus sign, spaces, brackets or leading zero. An Indian number +91 98765 43210 becomes https://wa.me/919876543210.
Add a pre-filled message so people don't stare at an empty chat: https://wa.me/919876543210?text=Hi%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20Instagram (spaces become %20). Our free WhatsApp link generator builds and encodes it for you.
- Open Instagram, go to your profile and tap Edit profile.
- Tap Links, then Add external link.
- Paste the wa.me link and give it a title like "WhatsApp me".
- Tap Done and save. Test it from a friend's phone.
Way 2: The official WhatsApp contact option (business and creator accounts)
Instagram's help centre says this option is available in some countries for business and creator accounts. It adds a WhatsApp contact button to your profile, separate from your bio links. As of 21 October 2026:
- Go to your profile and tap Edit profile.
- Under Public business information, tap Contact options.
- Choose the WhatsApp Business phone number option and pick or add your number. Numbers from the WhatsApp Business app or API both work.
- Tap Send confirmation code and enter the code you receive on WhatsApp.
Which one should you use?
Use the contact button if you have a business account and it's available in your country: it doesn't use one of your five bio links. Use a wa.me link if you're on a personal account, if the option isn't offered, or if you want a pre-filled message. Many businesses use both.
Either way, use the WhatsApp Business app rather than personal WhatsApp for customer chats. It's free and adds a business profile, quick replies, labels and an away message, so new enquiries get an instant reply even when you're busy.
Don't make WhatsApp do all the work
If WhatsApp is the only thing behind your bio link, every visitor has to start a conversation to learn your prices, see work or check availability. That's fine for a shop with a few products, but for services it means answering the same five questions dozens of times. A link page that shows work, prices and FAQs first, with WhatsApp as the button, sends you warmer, better-informed messages.
Privacy note
A wa.me link exposes your phone number to anyone who taps it. If that worries you, use a separate WhatsApp Business number, or a contact form or on-page chat as the first step and share WhatsApp once the enquiry is real.
Pre-filled messages that help you reply faster
Write the message so the first thing you receive tells you what the person wants:
- Shop: "Hi, I'd like to order: [product]. My pincode is:"
- Services: "Hi, I saw your Instagram. I need help with:"
- Bookings: "Hi, I'd like to book a session on [date]."
- Tutors and coaches: "Hi, I'm interested in classes for:"
Troubleshooting
If tapping the link opens WhatsApp but says the number isn't on WhatsApp, the country code is missing or wrong. If it opens a browser page instead of the app, the person may not have WhatsApp installed; the page offers a download or WhatsApp Web. If Instagram won't save the link, check for spaces or a plus sign in the URL. If the official contact button doesn't appear, your account type or country may not support it yet; use the wa.me link instead.
Add WhatsApp to Stories and posts too
Your bio link isn't the only place WhatsApp can go. Add the wa.me link to a Story with a link sticker when you announce new stock or open slots, and mention "WhatsApp me from the link in bio" in captions. For posts about a specific product, a pre-filled message naming that product saves a round of back-and-forth when the order comes in.
Set an away message and a greeting in the WhatsApp Business app before you promote the link. The first reply someone gets shapes whether they trust you with an order. A friendly greeting that confirms you got the message and says when you'll reply is enough, and it buys you time on busy days.
How featurd does it
On featurd, WhatsApp is a button or a social icon on your page: paste your number and a message and it builds the wa.me link. Visitors see your work, prices and FAQs first, then tap to chat. Clicks on the WhatsApp button are counted like every other link, so you can tell how many conversations Instagram starts. Prefer not to show your number? Use featurd's contact form with your own questions, or on Pro, live chat on your page.