WhatsApp now allows you to secure a username, eliminating the need to share your phone number anymore.

      TL;DR: WhatsApp is allowing users to reserve usernames starting today, enabling connections without sharing phone numbers for the first time.

      Beginning today, WhatsApp is opening up username reservations, enabling its over three billion users to connect with others without needing to share their phone numbers for the first time. This feature, which has been in development for several years, is set for an official rollout later this year. While a phone number remains necessary to create an account, new contacts won't need to see it once a username is established.

      Users can select usernames ranging from three to 35 characters, provided they adhere to the company's policies. WhatsApp will reserve usernames for leading celebrities, VIPs, and organizations ahead of the broader launch. Businesses and creators wishing to ensure consistency across Meta's platforms can claim their existing usernames from Facebook or Instagram as their WhatsApp handle.

      “When you encounter someone new, whether it's a classmate, neighbor, or an acquaintance from an event, sharing your phone number can seem like a significant step,” said Alice Newton-Rex, Vice President and Head of Product at WhatsApp, during a briefing. “Usernames are designed to allow you control over who gets to see your phone number initially.” This feature addresses a privacy gap that competitor messaging apps resolved years ago.

      Telegram launched usernames in 2014, Signal began testing them in 2023, and Wire has offered them since 2016. WhatsApp's delay meant it lagged as the world's largest messaging platform while being the most significant holdout on this basic privacy feature. The company explained that the reservation process is necessary due to the scale: with over three billion users, significant username overlap would be unavoidable without an early claiming period.

      Usernames won’t be searchable in the app, and only individuals aware of a user’s exact handle can initiate contact. WhatsApp is also introducing an optional “username key,” a secondary credential required in addition to the username for sending messages. Users can deactivate the feature or modify their username at any time.

      This rollout marks the first significant product initiative under WhatsApp’s new leadership, with Kunal Shah, the founder of CRED who succeeded Will Cathcart last week, now guiding the platform's trajectory. It comes as Meta develops paid features across its apps, with WhatsApp Plus testing cosmetic subscriptions, while Instagram Plus is already operational in three markets.

      Currently, there is no option to connect with someone using only their username by scanning a QR code; the handle must be shared verbally or via text. Users will be notified when the reservation feature becomes available in their region and can set their username through Settings, then Account, and finally Username. WhatsApp’s platform is rapidly evolving under regulatory and competitive pressure, and usernames represent a foundational privacy feature that should have been introduced years ago, which three billion users will notice immediately upon arrival.