WhatsApp rolls out username reservations to shield phone numbers
WhatsApp announced that it has opened global reservations for usernames, a privacy-focused option intended to protect the platform’s more than three billion users. The new capability lets people be contacted by a chosen username instead of exposing their phone number.
The reservation window begins today, giving users the chance to pick and lock in a username ahead of the feature’s wider release planned later this year. WhatsApp explained that users will be free to select any username they like and that it does not need to match identities used on other services.
WhatsApp emphasized this is primarily a privacy tool rather than a social-media-style handle: there will be no public directory or automated suggestions, so a person must know your exact username to make initial contact.
To help with selection, the app will include a username generator for users who want suggestions. In addition, WhatsApp is introducing an optional “username key” that adds another barrier - someone trying to message you via your username for the first time would also need to provide that key.
Organizations, creators and small businesses that prefer consistent branding across platforms will have the option to claim the same username they use on Instagram or Facebook for their WhatsApp presence.
The key advantage is that enabling a username prevents other accounts from seeing or accessing your phone number. Users who want to reserve a username can do so by going to Settings > Account > Username in the app.
WhatsApp said the rollout will proceed gradually over the coming months and that users will receive an in-app notification when usernames are available in their country. The move follows a similar approach taken by Signal more than two years ago, when that app introduced usernames to reduce phone number exposure.