WhatsApp begins username reservation for 3 billion users to hide phone numbers

Reservation opens globally

WhatsApp today opened reservations for usernames, a long-awaited feature that will eventually allow users to message each other without sharing their phone numbers. The rollout begins this week and will reach all three billion account holders over the coming days. Users can access the reservation option by navigating to Settings > Account > Username once it appears in their app.

So usernames are designed to give you control of who gets to see your phone number in the first place.

The company is launching reservations early to avoid duplication across its vast user base. A username must be unique and can be 3 to 40 characters long (the BBC reports a 35‑character limit). There are few restrictions beyond standard content policies, but WhatsApp is holding back names of high‑profile officials and celebrities to prevent impersonation.

How usernames work

When the full feature ships in the coming months, anyone messaging a new contact will see the username instead of the phone number. To reach someone, you will need to know their exact username; no public search is possible. An optional four‑digit key can be added during the reservation period, and this will upgrade to an alphanumeric code at launch, acting as a second factor that a stranger must enter before a message can be sent.

Usernames are designed to give you control over who gets to see your phone number in the first place. It’s an optional feature; you choose your own username, you can change it or remove it, and it doesn’t have to match your handle or account name on any other app.

Usernames can be changed or removed at any time, and the feature remains entirely optional. The standard block and report tools continue to work as before.

Following a privacy trend

The move echoes Signal, which introduced usernames in 2024 to conceal phone numbers, and similar capabilities already exist on Telegram and Wire. Alice Newton‑Rex, WhatsApp’s Vice President and Head of Product, acknowledged the similarity in a briefing, noting that Signal usernames are “probably a good comparison, this will work in a very similar way.”

The reservation process also lets businesses and creators claim their Instagram or Facebook usernames to maintain uniformity across Meta platforms. An in‑app generator is available for anyone who prefers not to pick a name manually.

What comes next

After reserving a username this week, users will have to wait for the feature activation later in 2026. At launch, sharing a username will still be a manual step, via text or verbally, because no QR‑code method for username‑based contact is yet available. The company, which underwent a leadership change the previous week, is positioning usernames as a cornerstone of its privacy roadmap.