WhatsApp is finally giving its three billion users a way to avoid handing out their phone numbers to chat. From this week, people can start reserving a unique username through the app – a feature the Meta-owned platform says it will roll out globally over the next few months.
The change means that instead of exchanging digits to start a conversation, users will be able to connect using just a name, limited to 35 characters. It is not compulsory; phone numbers will remain an option. But once the feature is fully activated, those who choose to go the username route will still be able to block or report unwanted messages, the firm said.
“WhatsApp begins global rollout of usernames, letting users chat without revealing phone numbers.”
There are some restrictions – high-profile officials and celebrities will have their names reserved, meaning the app is unlikely to be overrun with users calling themselves Donald Trump, for example.
Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s head of product, described usernames as a privacy feature, saying she had heard from users that they did not always want to share their phone numbers, particularly in group chats. She said she hoped the feature would “give users control over how they choose to show up” on the app.
Those eager to claim a name can find the option in their account or profile settings – though it cannot be done on WhatsApp Web or Desktop. The company has also said it will allow creators, small businesses and organisations to claim the username they already have on Instagram or Facebook for consistency. But anyone else who wants to match their WhatsApp username with other Meta apps will need to link their accounts through the Accounts Centre, which means sharing data across multiple Meta accounts such as Threads and Messenger.
Some users have complained on social media that the option to reserve a username has not appeared for them yet. The company advised people to “make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp downloaded and keep an eye on your app”.
The move comes two years after the secure messaging app Signal introduced an identical service in 2024. But one lingering question remains: will privacy-conscious users trust it? As one security expert put it, “it is a good feature, but even if it does offer more privacy, remember WhatsApp is not a privacy-friendly app overall.”