Goodbye to sharing your phone number? WhatsApp introduces chat with usernames

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By Zoe Kleinman, Technology and AI editor, and Liv McMahon, Technology reporter

Published 1 July 2026

Reading time: 4 minutes

WhatsApp is preparing to offer a feature that allows users to communicate without revealing their phone numbers, by exchanging unique usernames instead.

The platform said it would roll out the feature gradually worldwide in the coming months, reaching about three billion accounts on the app.

Starting this week, some users will be able to reserve a username through the app, with the emphasis that using the feature will remain optional.

The company added that users will be able to delete or change their usernames at any time.

Once the feature is fully rolled out, WhatsApp users will be able to communicate simply by exchanging usernames, while options to block or report unwanted messages will remain available.

Usernames will be limited to 35 characters, with limited restrictions including preventing certain prominent public figures, officials, and celebrities from having their names available to any other user.

Therefore, it is unlikely that the app will be filled with accounts bearing names like 'Donald Trump', for example.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, described usernames as a feature aimed at enhancing privacy.

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Alice Newton-Rex, head of product at WhatsApp, said she had heard from users that they do not always want to share their phone numbers to communicate with others, especially in group chats.

She added that she hopes this feature will give users 'greater control over how they choose to appear on the app'.

How can you reserve a username?

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According to Meta, usernames on WhatsApp will be rolled out 'gradually in the coming months,' and users will receive a notification when the feature is activated on their accounts.

Those wishing to reserve a username can do so through the account settings or profile within the app.

The option to reserve a username will appear automatically once it becomes available for the account.

This process cannot be done via WhatsApp Web or the desktop version.

The company also said it will offer an option for content creators, small businesses, and organisations to claim the same username they use on Instagram or Facebook, to maintain consistency across Meta platforms.

Users who want to use the same name as on other Meta apps will need to link their accounts via the 'Accounts Center'.

This means sharing some user data between their different Meta-owned accounts, such as Threads and Messenger.

Some users complained on social media that the option to reserve a username has not yet appeared for them.

The company responded: 'Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed, and keep an eye on the app.'

Image caption, WhatsApp says the username feature will help users keep their phone numbers private.

Privacy concerns

The encrypted messaging app Signal launched a similar service in 2024.

Carissa Véliz, a professor at the University of Oxford and author of 'Privacy is Power,' said: 'It's a good feature, and although it may offer more privacy, we should remember that WhatsApp is not a privacy-friendly app overall.'

She added: 'It collects a lot of metadata about users for marketing purposes.'

She continued: 'We must remember that WhatsApp is owned by Meta, one of the tech companies with the worst privacy record.'

WhatsApp does not use private chat content for advertising purposes, as these chats are end-to-end encrypted, meaning the company cannot read messages.

However, it does use some data, such as approximate location and basic account information like age, to support advertising activities.

Once the feature is fully rolled out, phone numbers will no longer be visible to other users on WhatsApp.

There will be no public directory of usernames, and a phone number will remain a requirement to create a WhatsApp account.

Some users raised concerns that usernames could open the door to more scams on the platform.

In response to a user's question on platform 'X' about protective measures, the company said it relies on 'multiple layers of defenses.'

It added that users can choose to add a 'username key,' a short numeric code, so that others can only contact them if they know both the username and the associated key.

It also noted that its systems 'monitor and prevent patterns of abuse.'

The minimum age to use WhatsApp is 13, and messaging apps will not be included in the UK's upcoming plan to ban social media use for those under 16, which is scheduled to be implemented next year.

WhatsApp recently announced that Kunal Shah, founder of an Indian fintech startup, will become the platform's head, succeeding Will Cathcart, who leaves his position after seven years.

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