WhatsApp is introducing a new privacy feature that will allow users to connect with new people without revealing their phone numbers.
The Meta-owned messaging platform is rolling out ‘usernames’, — a feature that will protect users’ personal information, particularly in group chats and first-time conversations.
The platform, with more than three billion users worldwide, announced that it has opened global reservations for usernames ahead of the feature’s rollout later this year.
The update marks one of WhatsApp’s biggest privacy changes in recent years, shifting from reliance on phone numbers as the primary way users identify and contact each other.
“When you meet someone new, whether it’s a classmate, a neighbor, someone you meet at an event, sharing a phone number can feel like a big step,” the company said in a post explaining the update. “That’s because a phone number is personal and it’s tied to so many parts of your life. Sometimes you just want to chat without handing over your digits.”
The company described the feature as a deliberate privacy safeguard rather than a social media-style discovery tool.
The company says it built the system with no searchable directory and no autocomplete suggestions, meaning a person will need to know another user’s exact username before they can start a conversation for the first time.
To give greater control to users over who can contact them, WhatsApp has also introduced an optional username key, which people must know before sending the first message.
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WhatsApp has opened username reservations months before the rollout to reduce the chances of duplicate or conflicting usernames before the wider launch.
The company has also introduced a username generator to help users create unique usernames. Meanwhile, creators, businesses and organisations will be able to claim the same usernames they already use on Instagram or Facebook, helping maintain a consistent online identity across Meta’s platforms.
Users can reserve a username through Settings > Account > Username after updating to the latest version of WhatsApp.
WhatsApp has not committed to an exact launch date, saying it will be gradually rolled out, with users getting an in-app notification once usernames become available in their respective countries.
This move brings WhatsApp closer to rivals such as Discord, Signal, Telegram and X, which have been offering handle-based identity for years.
However, security concerns have been raised, pointing out privacy gaps such as impersonation, look-alike usernames, and phishing attempts that previously relied on spoofed phone numbers could shift to spoofed usernames once the feature is widely available.
On the other hand, the company says the gradual rollout will allow it to refine the feature before making it available globally later this year.
– By Daniel Kamau
