How to use webhooks to automate anything

Webhooks are one way to connect apps and send info between them. (And we've got an entire feature guide dedicated to how they work, if you want to learn more about the nitty gritty details.)

In Zapier, we've got a built-in tool called Webhooks by Zapier that's especially useful when you want to automate an app in a way that a regular Zap workflow doesn't make possible. If you're wondering about how you can put this tool to use, keep scrolling—we've got a few ideas below to inspire you.

Skip ahead

• Automate apps without a Zapier integration

• Start a Zap from anything that can open a URL

Automate apps that don’t have a Zapier integration

Zapier connects with thousands of apps securely. But not every tool has a ready-made Zapier integration. Sometimes that's because the app is newer, more niche, or maintained by a small team that's focused on the core product.

Many apps support webhooks, though. In fact, webhooks are often one of the first automation features developers add because they give the app a simple way to send information somewhere else.

So if you use an app that isn't in Zapier's app directory, check its settings for a page with a name like Developer Settings, API, or Integrations—or just straight-up Webhooks. What you're looking for is a field where you can paste a URL, typically labeled something like Webhook URL, Endpoint URL, or Payload URL. If you see a field like that, the app can send data to Zapier.

In Zapier, when you add a Catch Hook trigger to your Zap workflow, you'll receive a unique webhook URL. Paste that into the field in the other app, and whenever that app sends data to the URL, your Zap will start running.

From there, you can add any downstream actions you want. For example, you could store the data in a spreadsheet, send it to a chat app, transfer it over email, or send it to any number of other apps. To test this out, you can use these templates, which are some of the most popular ways to use webhooks:

These all start with a webhook trigger, which is a good fit when another app can send data to Zapier on its own. But webhooks may not be the best tool for every situation. If you need Zapier to make an outbound API call—meaning Zapier needs to go ask another app for information—API by Zapier is usually the better option. It's a separate built-in tool that stores your credentials in a Zapier connection and adds them securely when the Zap runs, so they aren't visible inside the Zap itself. To learn more about using API by Zapier, check out our feature guide.

Start a Zap from anything that can open a URL

Most Zap triggers work by waiting for an app to send data—a new form submission, a new row in a spreadsheet, a new message in Slack. The app has to support a Zapier integration, and the trigger fires when something happens inside that app.

Webhooks change that. When Zapier generates a unique webhook URL for your Zap, that URL can be opened or called by almost anything, not just apps with a Zapier integration. Anything that can open or send a request to a URL can start your Zap. And that includes things that aren't apps at all.

One useful example is QR codes.

Say you manage a fleet of field equipment, and you want technicians to log inspections fast. Instead of asking them to open an app, find the right form, and type in details, you could put a QR code on each piece of equipment.

When a technician scans the QR code, it opens a webhook URL. That triggers the Zap, which can automatically log the inspection in a spreadsheet, send a Slack notification to a supervisor, or both.

Here's how it works. Your Catch Hook trigger will give you a URL that looks something like this: https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/12345/abcdef/

On its own, opening that URL can trigger the Zap. But you can also add details to the end of the URL so Zapier knows what the scan means. Like this: https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/12345/abcdef/?equipment=pump-A12&site=north

That extra part at the end tells Zapier two things:

• The equipment is pump-A12

• The site is north

You don't need to memorize the technical name for this, but it's called a querystring. It's just a way to attach simple pieces of information to the end of a URL.

Here are the basic rules for putting querystrings together:

• ? marks where the regular URL ends and the added data begins

• = separates the field name from the value. For example, equipment=pump-A12 means the field called equipment has the value "pump-A12"

• & separates one field from the next

The field names are up to you. You can call them equipment, site, technician, location, or whatever makes sense for your workflow.

Once the Zap runs, those fields show up in the Zap editor. You can then use them in later downstream steps.

For a fleet of equipment, you'd create one URL per asset:

• https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/12345/abcdef/?equipment=pump-A12&site=north

• https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/12345/abcdef/?equipment=valve-B07&site=north

• https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/12345/abcdef/?equipment=tank-C03&site=south

Then you'd turn each URL into a QR code using a QR code generator, print the codes, and attach them to the right equipment.

When a technician scans the QR code on pump A-12, the URL opens, the Zap runs, and your inspection log gets a new row with the equipment ID, site, and timestamp already filled in.

The same idea works beyond QR codes, too. You could use:

• Browser bookmarks to log a site visit or mark a safety check complete

• NFC tags that trigger a Zap when someone taps them with a phone

• Internal links that teammates can click to start a workflow instantly

Fill the gaps your other integrations can't reach

The more you use webhooks, the harder it gets to stop. Once you realize anything with a URL can start a workflow, you'll start seeing trigger opportunities everywhere—in your browser, on your phone, even stuck to a piece of equipment.

Start small by adding a Catch Hook trigger in the Zap editor and routing data to one app you use every day. Then see where your brain goes from there.

This article was originally written in January 2023 by Tyler Robertson. It was most recently updated in June 2026.