One of WhatsApp many needed features are finally coming out of beta. Later this year, the messaging app used by more than 3 billion people plans to add usernames. It’s an additional (and more private) way of WhatsApp users connect without sharing phone numbers.
But that means the race to grab the best WhatsApp usernames is about to begin. Hold tight.
WhatsApp says username storage will open this week on the platform, and you’ll see an in-app notification when it’s available. Log in to the app by going to Settings and then Account. This is where you will find it Username tab if enabled. Then, you will have the option to create a new username or port using your existing username from Instagram or Facebook. WhatsApp offers a username generator, but you can also go with your gut (or whatever you’re feeling at the moment).
“Usernames are designed to give you control over who can see your phone number in the first place,” says Alice Newton-Rex, vice president of Product at WhatsApp. “It’s an optional feature; you choose your username, you can change it or remove it, and it doesn’t have to match your handle or account name on any other app.”
Newton-Rex emphasized that this feature of WhatsApp was designed around the user privacy. There is no public list of usernames for people to search. Users can also add an extra layer of security by only allowing people who know the unique four-digit key, along with their username, to contact them.
Courtesy of WhatsApp
These usernames will remain optional, but Newton-Rex sees this new option as a privacy step that many existing users have already expressed satisfaction with. “I think we’re going to see a lot of adoptions, but that’s going to be one of the things that we learn as we start to open it up,” he says.
WhatsApp is not shy about this feature’s similarities with competitors. “Symbolic usernames are probably a good analogy,” Newton-Rex says. “This will work the same way.” Waves launched usernames on its platform in 2024. Many messaging apps are still experimenting with different ways for users to connect without sharing numbers. For example, Cell DM allows its users to create “burn cards” so that people can connect to multiple groups in different ways.
