I am using the WhatsApp Click-to-Chat feature to start a chat with a given number and a prefilled message. According to the WhatsApp FAQ, the link format is as follows:

https://wa.me/whatsappphonenumber?text=urlencodedtext

For example:

https://wa.me/1234567890?text=Hello%20World

While this link works correctly sometimes, I am facing an inconsistency where it fails to open the chat, especially when the WhatsApp Desktop app is closed. This issue is affecting the reliability of the integration.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Ensure the WhatsApp Desktop app is closed.
2. Click on the link: https://wa.me/1234567890?text=Hello%20World
3. Observe that sometimes it fails to open the chat or prefill the
   message.

Observations

1. The link works perfectly when the WhatsApp Desktop app is already
   open.
2. The issue is more frequent when the app is closed.

What I’ve Tried

1. Ensured proper URL encoding.

2. Tested the link on different devices and browsers.

3. Verified the phone number and text for any typos.

4. Checked browser settings and extensions for potential blocks.

Questions

1. Has anyone else experienced this inconsistency with WhatsApp Click-to-Chat links?
2. Are there any known solutions or workarounds to ensure the link
   works reliably, regardless of the state of the WhatsApp Desktop app?
3. Is there an alternative approach to achieve the same functionality
   without encountering this issue?

Any help or insights would be greatly appreciated!