WhatsApp Introduces Usernames, No Longer Requires Phone Numbers to Start Chats

• WhatsApp is rolling out a new username feature that will allow users to chat without revealing their phone numbers, giving billions of users greater privacy and control over their accounts.

WhatsApp has announced a major privacy update that will allow users to connect and chat without sharing their phone numbers by introducing unique usernames.

The feature, which will begin rolling out globally over the next few months, will enable the platform’s more than three billion users to exchange usernames instead of phone numbers when starting conversations.

Beginning Monday, users will be able to reserve a unique username through the app, although creating one will remain optional. WhatsApp also confirmed that users can change or remove their usernames at any time.

Once fully deployed, users will be able to connect by exchanging usernames only, while still retaining the ability to block or report unwanted contacts.

Usernames will be limited to 35 characters, with restrictions preventing the use of names reserved for certain high-profile public figures and celebrities to avoid impersonation.

WhatsApp described the update as a significant privacy enhancement aimed at giving users greater control over their personal information.

According to the company’s Head of Product, Alice Newton-Rex, many users have expressed concerns about sharing their phone numbers, particularly in group chats, prompting the introduction of the new feature.

Despite the added privacy, experts noted that WhatsApp, owned by Meta, will continue to collect metadata such as who users communicate with and when, although the contents of private chats remain protected by end-to-end encryption.

Phone numbers will still be required to create a WhatsApp account, but once the feature is fully activated, they will no longer be visible to other users during conversations.