WhatsApp is making one of its biggest privacy changes yet, giving users the option to connect with people without revealing their phone numbers.
The Meta-owned messaging platform has officially introduced usernames, a long-awaited feature that allows people to start conversations by sharing a unique username instead of their personal mobile number.
The feature will begin rolling out globally over the coming months and will eventually be available to WhatsApp’s more than three billion users.
WhatsApp users can now choose a username
With the update, users will be able to create a unique username directly within the WhatsApp app.
Rather than exchanging phone numbers, people can share their usernames when they want to connect with someone for the first time.
The company says adopting a username is completely optional, meaning users who prefer using their phone numbers can continue doing so without any changes to their accounts.
WhatsApp also confirmed that usernames can be edited or removed whenever users decide, giving people greater flexibility over how they present themselves on the platform.
A major privacy boost
The introduction of usernames is intended to improve user privacy, particularly when chatting with people for the first time.
Instead of exposing personal phone numbers to strangers, businesses or new acquaintances, users can now decide how much personal information they want to share.
The move brings WhatsApp closer to messaging platforms like Telegram, Discord and Signal, which have long offered usernames as an alternative way for users to connect.
For many users, especially those active in online communities, buying and selling through marketplaces or networking professionally, the feature provides an extra layer of privacy and makes it easier to start conversations.
WhatsApp introduces safeguards against impersonation
To reduce the risk of fake accounts and impersonation, WhatsApp says usernames will be subject to several restrictions.
Each username will be limited to 35 characters and must comply with rules designed to prevent users from impersonating celebrities, public figures, brands, or other well-known personalities.
The platform added that its existing safety tools—including blocking, reporting and other account protection features—will continue to work exactly as they do today.
Another step in WhatsApp’s privacy push
The rollout of usernames is the latest in a series of privacy-focused updates introduced by WhatsApp in recent years.
The messaging app has continued to expand its features, including disappearing messages, chat locks, passkeys, encrypted backups, and enhanced account verification, as part of Meta’s broader effort to make the platform more secure.
With usernames now joining that list, users will soon have greater control over who can contact them and what personal information they choose to reveal.
Although the feature is rolling out gradually, WhatsApp says everyone will eventually have the opportunity to claim their preferred username, making it easier than ever to start conversations without giving away a phone number.
