WhatsApp is rolling out one of its most requested privacy features: the ability to chat with others using a unique username instead of sharing your phone number. The Meta-owned messaging giant announced that username reservations are opening this week, with the full feature expected to go live in the coming months.
Username Reservations Open Now
Starting this week, WhatsApp users can reserve their preferred username through the app. To claim yours, navigate to Settings → Account → Username. You can either create a custom username — as long as it’s unique — or use the in-app generator for suggestions. With over three billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is opening reservations early to give everyone a fair chance at securing the username they want before the feature fully launches.
For organizations, small businesses, and creators, WhatsApp will also allow you to claim a username that matches your existing Instagram or Facebook handle, making cross-platform branding seamless. The reservations are rolling out globally, and WhatsApp will send you a notification when the feature becomes available in your country.
How Privacy Improves
Once usernames are fully live, your phone number will no longer be visible to people who message you for the first time. If someone new wants to contact you, they will need to know your exact username rather than just having your number saved in their contacts. This is a significant privacy upgrade for a platform that has historically required phone number sharing as part of its core identity, as reported by Engadget.
WhatsApp is also introducing an optional username key — an extra PIN-like code that others must provide alongside your username before they can send you a message. During the reservation phase, this key is a four-digit number, but it will be upgraded to an alphanumeric code when usernames officially go live. This two-factor approach gives users even more control over who can reach them.
Following Signal’s Lead
WhatsApp is not the first major messaging app to adopt this approach. Signal, widely regarded as the gold standard for privacy-focused communication, introduced usernames back in 2024, allowing its users to hide their phone numbers from contacts. WhatsApp’s move brings it in line with industry expectations for privacy, especially as users become increasingly cautious about sharing personal contact information online.
What This Means for Users
For everyday users, this change means greater peace of mind when connecting with businesses, new acquaintances, or groups where you don’t necessarily want to hand out your phone number. It also makes WhatsApp more usable for professional contexts, where sharing a personal mobile number isn’t always appropriate.
The username feature is expected to roll out fully in the coming months. In the meantime, users are encouraged to reserve their desired usernames early. Given the platform’s massive user base, popular handles are likely to be claimed quickly. Whether you’re a privacy-conscious individual, a content creator, or a small business owner, this update marks a meaningful step forward in how we connect on one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms.