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WhatsApp is introducing a new username feature later this year, which will provide users with an added level of privacy by allowing them to contact businesses or new people without having to reveal their phone numbers.
The company has officially begun rolling out the username reservation system, allowing its more than three billion users to secure unique handles before the feature fully launches later this year. This highly anticipated update will eventually allow users to communicate with others, including businesses and new acquaintances without the need to disclose their personal phone numbers.
Earlier in June, WhatsApp quietly launched its WhatsApp Plus subscription service in South Africa, giving additional customisation features to users for a monthly fee. They comes also recently introduced ads. Are users going to be seeing reels soon and will users’ username soon be on a “People you may know” list?
While the reservation system is currently rolling out globally, the full messaging functionality will follow in the coming months. The feature remains entirely optional, and users who prefer to continue using their phone numbers as their primary identity can do so without any changes.
Usernames don’t replace your phone number on WhatsApp; users still have to register their numbers to use the app on their mobile device and access their linked account.
WhatsApp has designed this feature as a core privacy tool. Unlike many social media platforms, the app will not feature a public directory or a recommendation system. To initiate a conversation, a contact must know your exact username. This deliberate design choice aims to minimise spam and unsolicited messages, giving users greater control over their digital presence.
Because of the platform’s massive user base, WhatsApp is opening the reservation process early to ensure that individuals have the best opportunity to claim their preferred handles.
“With over three billion people on WhatsApp a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” it said.
“For most people, choosing a WhatsApp username should be something unique that only people you want to contact you will know.”
How To Reserve A Username?
According to WhatsApp, the process takes just a few seconds on the latest version of the app.
- Go to Settings
- Tap Account
- Select Username
For those who struggle to find a unique name, the app provides a built-in generator to suggest alternatives.
To support consistent branding, creators, small businesses, and organisations will have the option to claim the same usernames they already use on Facebook or Instagram.
Beyond the username itself, WhatsApp is introducing an optional username key. This feature acts as a secondary layer of verification this is to say even if someone has your username, they will be unable to message you unless they also possess this unique key.
This new username feature represents a major shift for WhatsApp, moving the platform away from a phone-number-centric model toward a more identity-based system. Its utility largely depends on how much you prioritise privacy versus the convenience of traditional contact syncing.
Because others cannot message you unless they know your exact username, you gain significant control over who can initiate contact, effectively reducing the amount of unsolicited spam you receive.
WhatsApp does not have a public directory and will not suggest users, does that mean the frictionless nature of adding contacts via address book syncing is lost; you are now responsible for manually sharing your specific username to be found.
Also, the transition from simple contact syncing to a manual, two-step verification process (username plus optional key) may be confusing for less tech-savvy users who are accustomed to the app’s current simplicity
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