WhatsApp introduces usernames so users can chat without sharing their phone number
The messaging giant begins a global reservation phase for unique usernames, with the full feature rolling out later this year.
Privacy-first messaging
WhatsApp is changing a core principle: users will no longer need to reveal their phone number to start a chat. Instead, they can share a unique username. The worldwide reservation phase opens at the end of June, and the feature itself will become available gradually over the coming months.
This is the next big privacy upgrade.
Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp's Vice President of Product Development, said the phone number is often tied to sensitive areas of life, and users should decide who sees it. When someone contacts you via username, your number stays hidden unless the other person already has it saved. Calls through the app will also display the username instead of the number. A phone number remains mandatory to create an account.
How reservation works
Because WhatsApp expects high demand for popular names, the reservation window opens simultaneously worldwide to give everyone an equal chance. Each username must be unique and can be changed or deleted later. A name generator is available for inspiration. Businesses, influencers and organisations can link their Meta account to claim an existing Facebook or Instagram username, preserving their online identity.
No public directory
To prevent spam and unwanted contact, there will be no searchable directory and no autocomplete suggestions. You must know the exact username to reach someone. An optional "Username Key" adds another layer: if enabled, strangers need this additional code to send a first message.
Sometimes you just want to chat without having to give someone your number.
Catching up with rivals
Hiding the phone number brings WhatsApp in line with competitors. Signal has allowed users to conceal their number behind a username since early 2024, and Telegram has long offered public usernames as standard. Apps like Threema and Session go further, skipping phone numbers entirely at registration and relying on randomly generated IDs. WhatsApp, part of Meta, dominates the market with around three billion users, while Telegram is the largest alternative with roughly one billion.
