WhatsApp rolls out usernames: How to claim yours before someone else does

Privacy has become a recurring theme in WhatsApp’s recent updates, from advanced chat protections to new controls over who can contact users. Adding to that list, the Meta-owned messaging platform has started rolling out username reservations globally; the feature will allow users to reserve a unique username ahead of its wider launch late this year, enabling them to connect with new people without sharing their phone number.

​​The rollout marks one of WhatsApp’s biggest changes to how users interact on the platform. Traditionally, starting a conversation on WhatsApp has required exchanging phone numbers, making mobile numbers the primary identity on the app. With usernames, however, users will be able to communicate using a unique handle instead.

According to WhatsApp, the feature is designed for situations where people may want to stay connected without revealing their personal phone numbers, such as neighbourhood groups, school parent communities, local clubs, marketplace transactions, or people they meet at events.

How to reserve your WhatsApp username

(Image: WhatsApp)

Users can reserve a username by updating WhatsApp to the latest version and heading to Settings > Account > Username. They can either choose a unique username or use WhatsApp’s built-in username generator to find an available option before confirming the reservation.

Users can also enable the optional username key, which requires first-time contacts to enter the key before they can send a message. If the username option does not yet appear under account settings, WhatsApp said the feature has not been rolled out to that account. The company will notify users in the app once username reservations become available in their region.

According to WhatsApp, the rollout will continue gradually over the coming months, with the full usernames feature expected to launch later this year.

Broader privacy roadmap

The feature also reflects WhatsApp’s broader privacy roadmap. Over the past year, the company has introduced and tested several features aimed at giving users greater control over their conversations and personal information.

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These include advanced chat privacy, which limits chat exports and media downloads in selected conversations, improvements to Chat Lock and disappearing messages, passkey support and other controls that restrict who can contact users or access sensitive chats. While some of these features are already available and others remain in beta testing, usernames represent a more fundamental shift by reducing users’ reliance on phone numbers as their primary identity on the platform.

Unlike social media platforms, WhatsApp said usernames are intended purely as a privacy feature rather than a public profile. There will be no searchable directory, username suggestions or discovery page. Instead, anyone wishing to message a user for the first time must already know their exact username, helping limit unsolicited messages.

Username key adds another privacy layer

Users will receive a notification within the app once the option becomes available to them. (Image: WhatsApp)

Alongside usernames, WhatsApp is introducing an optional username key, giving users another layer of control over who can control them. When enabled, first-time contacts will need both a user’s username and the username key before they can initiate a conversation. Users can also change or regenerate the key whenever they want, preventing unwanted access if it has been shared too widely.

Once usernames are rolled out more broadly later this year, users who enable the feature will no longer have to reveal their phone number when messaging a person or business for the first time; existing chats and saved contacts will continue to function as they do today.

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WhatsApp said it has opened username reservations early because the platform now has more than three billion users worldwide, increasing the chances of duplicate names. Users can reserve a username now and use it once the feature officially launches later this year. If a preferred username is unavailable, the app’s built-in username generator will suggest alternative options.

The company is also allowing creators, businesses and organisations to reserve the same username they already use on Instagram or Facebook, helping them maintain a consistent identity across Meta’s platforms.

(This article has been curated by Shivani P Menon, who is an intern with The Indian Express)