WhatsApp is introducing usernames to let users connect without sharing phone numbers. Reservations open this week for the Meta-owned app's three billion users.
WhatsApp plans to roll out usernames later this year as an optional privacy feature. Users will be able to reserve a unique username starting this week through the Settings, Account, and Username menu, or via an in-app generator.
The change means new contacts and businesses will no longer see a user's phone number on first contact. An optional key, initially four digits and later alphanumeric, can add further protection.
Reservations will expand globally, with notifications sent when the feature activates in each country. Organizations and creators may claim matching names from Instagram or Facebook.
The update follows Signal, which introduced usernames in 2024 to hide phone numbers from other users.
