After 17 Years, WhatsApp Rolls Out Usernames to Hide Phone Numbers

Meta has launched a username feature on WhatsApp, breaking away from the app's 17-year reliance on phone numbers as primary personal identifiers.

The update allows people to create a unique handle starting with an @ symbol, enabling users to start chats without exposing their private phone numbers to new contacts.

Credit: WhatsApp

Users can currently reserve their preferred usernames inside the app settings before full availability arrives in their region.

Meta explained the motivation behind the change through official launch statements:

"When someone new walks into your life — a classmate, a neighbor, someone you meet at an event — sharing a phone number can feel like a big step."

"That's because a phone number is personal and it's tied to so many parts of your life. Sometimes you just want to chat without handing over your digits."

The update changes how individuals establish contact on the messaging service.

Previously, starting a WhatsApp conversation required exchanging direct telephone digits.

Under the new model, individuals who do not already have a user's phone number saved in their phonebook will see only the handle in direct messages, group chats, and call logs.

Phone numbers remain mandatory to register and operate an account on the platform. People who already saved a contact's phone number will continue to see that number.

Meta stated that the system does not feature a searchable contact directory:

"Usernames are our latest step to make WhatsApp even more private. There's no directory to browse and no suggestions – people will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time."

To stop unwanted contact, WhatsApp created an optional safeguard called a username key.

When an account owner turns on this setting, new contacts attempting to start a conversation must type in the specified key before their first message reaches the recipient.

Username formatting must meet specific technical rules.

WhatsApp handles must measure between 3 and 35 characters, using lowercase letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. Usernames cannot start with "www." or end with web domains such as ".com" or ".net".

Meta offers users the option to claim matching handles across its services. Individuals who connect their account through Meta Accounts Center can claim the same username they already use on Facebook or Instagram.

Cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes cautioned that linking accounts requires sharing profile data across Meta's separate apps. Analysts from the firm also noted that common handles will face heavy competition because usernames must be unique across all Meta platforms simultaneously.

The corporate sector also faces changes under the new system. Businesses operating through the WhatsApp Business API receive a Business Scoped User ID when username-only clients contact them.

This unique 128-character identifier replaces the phone number in corporate customer databases, forcing companies to update their software systems to store customer records properly.

Meta is deploying the feature through a multi-stage regional release schedule.

WhatsApp users can reserve their handles through Settings > Account > Username in the mobile application.