What is a mailto, tel or SMS link?
A contact link is a special kind of hyperlink whose scheme tells the device which app to open. A mailto: link opens the visitor's email app with your address (and optionally a subject and body) already filled in. A tel: link is a click-to-call link that dials a number on a phone. An sms: link opens the messaging app with a number and optional text.
Payment links work the same way. A upi://pay link opens any UPI app in India with your UPI ID, name and amount ready, and a paypal.me link opens a PayPal payment to your username.
These links matter because most people browse on phones. A visible email address or phone number forces them to copy, switch apps and paste. A one-tap button removes those steps, which is why contact buttons are standard on link-in-bio pages, websites and email signatures.
How to make a contact or payment link
- Pick a tab: Email, Call, SMS, UPI or PayPal.
- Fill in the fields for that tab.
- Email: To address, Subject and Body.
- Call: phone number with country code, for example +91 98765 43210. Spaces and dashes are stripped; the plus sign is kept.
- SMS: phone number with country code and the pre-filled text.
- UPI: UPI ID (like name@okbank), payee name, and an optional amount in INR and note.
- PayPal: your PayPal.me username, an optional amount and a currency (USD, EUR, GBP, INR, AUD or CAD). Pasting a full paypal.me URL or an @handle also works.
- Copy the result. Copy link gives you the raw link for a link-in-bio button. Copy HTML gives a ready
<a>tag with a label such as "Email me", "Call me", "Text me", "Pay via UPI" or "Pay with PayPal" for your website. - Test it with the Test it button. Call, SMS and UPI links only do something useful on a phone, so test those on mobile.
Contact link formats at a glance
| Link type | Format | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| Email (mailto) | mailto:[email protected]?subject=Hi&body=… | Default email app |
| Call (tel) | tel:+919876543210 | Phone dialer |
| SMS | sms:+919876543210?body=… | Messages app |
| UPI | upi://pay?pa=name@bank&pn=Name&am=499&cu=INR | Any UPI app (India) |
| PayPal | https://paypal.me/yourname/25USD | PayPal app or website |
Subjects, bodies and notes are URL-encoded so spaces, line breaks and symbols such as & do not break the link. The UPI fields are pa (payee address), pn (payee name), am (amount), tn (transaction note) and cu (currency, always INR).
Where to use click-to-call and email links
- Creators: a "Business enquiries" mailto button with the subject pre-set to "Collaboration request", so brand emails are easy to filter.
- Local services: plumbers, clinics and tutors put a "Call now" tel link at the top of their page, because a call is the fastest lead.
- Restaurants: an SMS link with "Table for 2 at 8 pm" pre-filled, alongside a WhatsApp option. See link in bio for cafés.
- Indian small businesses and tutors: a UPI link with the fee pre-filled ("Pay ₹499 for the workshop") on Instagram or in a WhatsApp broadcast.
- Freelancers abroad: a PayPal.me link with the invoice amount, linked from an invoice or email signature.
- Musicians and streamers: a tip button using PayPal.me without an amount, so fans choose.
Tips and common mistakes
- Always use the + country code in tel and SMS links. A local number like 098765 43210 fails when the visitor is in another country.
- Remember mailto depends on the visitor's setup. On a computer without an email app configured, a mailto link may do nothing. Show the address as text nearby too.
- Expect some spam. Any email address on a public page can be collected by bots. A dedicated address for enquiries keeps your main inbox clean.
- Test UPI links on a phone with your main UPI app. UPI links do nothing on desktop, and some apps show warnings or limits for link payments to personal UPI IDs. A merchant UPI ID is more reliable for selling. A UPI QR code (made with the QR code generator) is a good fallback.
- Keep SMS text short. Long pre-filled texts can split into several messages and cost the sender more.
- Label buttons by action: "Call the studio" or "Email for bookings" beats a bare phone number.
SMS link vs WhatsApp link: which one?
In India, Brazil, Indonesia and much of Europe and the Middle East, most customers prefer WhatsApp, so a WhatsApp click-to-chat link usually gets more replies. In the United States and Canada, SMS and iMessage are still common, so an SMS link fits better. Many pages offer both, plus a call button for urgent questions.
Mailto link vs contact form: which is better?
A mailto link needs no setup or server and lands in your normal inbox, so replies are a single tap. The trade-off is that it relies on the visitor having an email app configured and it exposes your address. A contact form works on any device and can hide your address, but it needs hosting, spam protection and somewhere to store the messages.
For creators and small businesses, a mailto button for business enquiries plus a WhatsApp or call button for quick questions covers most needs. Agencies and shops with many enquiries usually move to a form so messages can be sorted and assigned.
UPI link vs UPI QR code: a link suits people who are already on their phone (they tap and pay in their UPI app); a QR code suits the counter, a printed invoice or a screen someone looks at from another device. Many Indian sellers show both.
How this contact link generator works
Everything happens in your browser. The links are assembled by JavaScript as you type, and your email address, phone number, UPI ID and PayPal username are not sent to our server or stored. The tool does not process payments; it only builds the link that opens the payment app.
Add contact buttons to your link in bio
Instagram and TikTok bios accept web links, so a direct tel: or mailto: link usually cannot go in the bio itself. A link-in-bio page solves this: on Biolinko you can add email, call, WhatsApp and payment buttons side by side at biolinko.me/yourname. Read what link in bio means or create a free page.
Updated October 8, 2026