WhatsApp will allow global users to select a username for their account, letting people connect on the platform without having to share their phone number.
WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms Incorporated, said people can now start reserving a unique username, which should be operational later this year.
WhatsApp, which normally works with phone numbers, is introducing this new feature to allow for some level of privacy when it comes to sharing phone numbers.
Usernames will be launching later this year, in a move to make the communications platform “even more private,” allowing users to keep their phone number concealed from people who are not already in their contacts.
The username launch will be rolling out gradually over the coming months, and users will be notified when the feature is available in their country.
“With over three billion people on WhatsApp, a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” WhatsApp said in its announcement on Monday.
Users can reserve their username by heading to Settings > Account > Username in the latest version of WhatsApp.
Individuals and organisations will have the option to claim their existing Instagram or Facebook handles to help prevent WhatsApp impersonators.
It was reported that usernames for famous figures like celebrities and politicians have already been reserved to prevent them from being claimed. This means that if a person shares a name with a recognised public figure, they will have to create an alternative handle.
To avoid any issues, users can’t browse for people using their usernames, so they will need to know the exact username of a new contact before they can reach out to them.
Business Post understands that if a user already shared their phone number with WhatsApp contacts or group chats, the number will still be visible to them after they’ve enabled the username feature, so these privacy protections only apply to new conversations going forward.
WhatsApp is also introducing an “optional username key” that others will need to know before they can send a message. This is to help users control who can reach them with a WhatsApp username if it’s made public without their consent.