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Whatsapp to let users go by usernames and not phone numbers
30th June, 2026 12:44 PM
Whatsapp has announced it will soon let users go by usernames instead of phone numbers, closing a longstanding privacy gap on the app used by more than three billion people.
The Meta-owned platform announced on Monday that it has started allowing users to reserve unique usernames ahead of a wider rollout expected later this year. Once the feature is fully available, users will be able to choose to be found and contacted using their usernames rather than their phone numbers.
According to WhatsApp, the new feature has been designed with privacy in mind. Unlike other social platforms, there will be no public directory of usernames and no autocomplete suggestions. This means anyone trying to contact a user for the first time will need to know their exact username.
WhatsApp currently offers end-to-end encrypted messaging across smartphones, tablets and desktop devices. However, users have traditionally needed to share their phone numbers before they could communicate with new contacts.
In a blog post, the company said that over the coming months, users will receive the option to be discovered and contacted solely through their username, removing the need to reveal their phone number in certain interactions.
Speaking during a media briefing, WhatsApp Vice President of Product Alice Newton-Rex said the feature had been built as a core privacy measure.”We have designed this as a core privacy feature,”she said.
She added that users will only be reachable by people who know their exact username when contacting them for the first time.
Currently, WhatsApp’s privacy controls mainly allow users to block specific contacts or silence calls from unknown numbers. The app also lets users add a profile name, although this is only visible in group chats to people who have not saved the user’s phone number.
Rush expected for popular usernames
The introduction of usernames is expected to trigger competition among users hoping to secure short or memorable handles.
While traditional text messaging remains popular in the United States, WhatsApp continues to dominate communication across Europe, Asia and many other parts of the world.
Newton-Rex acknowledged that many users are expected to reserve usernames as soon as the feature becomes available.”I think a lot of people will go and get usernames, and that’s why we decided to open reservations early,” she stated.
WhatsApp also confirmed that businesses, organisations and creators with existing accounts on Meta platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, will have the opportunity to claim matching usernames.
The company said usernames must be between three and 35 characters long. To reduce the risk of impersonation, certain usernames linked to celebrities, public figures and government institutions will be reserved and protected.
