WhatsApp has announced that users will soon have the option to use usernames instead of phone numbers, addressing a privacy concern. The messaging app has initiated the ability for users to reserve unique usernames, which can be utilized to contact others on WhatsApp when the feature is launched later this year. Previously, WhatsApp allowed users to be contacted by anyone with their phone number.
According to a blog post by WhatsApp, in the upcoming months, users will have the choice to be found and contacted solely by their username, rather than their phone number. This change is being implemented as a core privacy feature, as stated by Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s vice president of product. Notably, there will not be a directory of usernames on the app, and names will not be suggested as users type.
To contact someone for the first time, individuals will need to know the exact username. WhatsApp will not provide a list of usernames, and users will have to input the correct username to initiate contact.
In addition to the current privacy settings of blocking users and silencing unknown callers, WhatsApp users can add a profile name, visible only in chat groups for contacts without the user’s saved contact information. While text messaging remains popular in the U.S., WhatsApp is widely used in Europe, Asia, and other regions worldwide.
The introduction of usernames is expected to spark a race for appealing handles, with users anticipated to rush to secure desirable ones. Newton-Rex mentioned that many users are likely to claim usernames early, prompting the decision to open reservations in advance. Companies, organizations, and creators with existing accounts on Meta’s social platforms like Instagram and Facebook will have the opportunity to secure their usernames on WhatsApp.
Usernames must be between three and 35 characters long. To prevent impersonation, WhatsApp will reserve usernames for high-profile individuals, celebrities, public figures, and government entities.
