WhatsApp Quietly Builds Username-Based ID System, Taps ‘Username Key’ to Guard Privacy

WhatsApp is introducing usernames so people can connect without exposing phone numbers. The feature, under development and identified in iOS beta version 25.17.10.70 by WABetaInfo, is intended to lower the risks of sharing personal numbers with strangers.

Screenshots Source: WABetaInfo

Rules for usernames are strict: only lowercase letters, numbers, underscores and periods are permitted; each handle must include at least one letter, be 3 to 30 characters long, and avoid formats beginning with “www.” or ending in domain suffixes like “.com”.

WhatsApp plans a system message in group and private WhatsApp chats whenever someone changes a username, similar to how the app currently alerts on profile photo or number updates.

Beta testers on Android build 2.25.22.9 and later saw strings referencing an optional “username key,” which was previously labeled as a PIN, which restricts new contacts from messaging unless they also know this key.

A banner will remind users to enable the key if they’ve set a username but have not yet activated it.

This staged roll‑out signals WhatsApp’s shift from phone‑number reliance toward privacy-first identifiers, aligning with competitors like Telegram and Signal but with a unique access control layer.

WhatsApp has not confirmed an official launch date. The feature is still in beta phase, and the final version may evolve before public release.

User feedback and testing outcomes will likely shape its rollout timeline