WhatsApp has begun rolling out a highly anticipated username feature, allowing users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers—a significant step forward for privacy on the platform.
The feature is currently available to a limited number of users as part of a phased rollout. Development traces back to 2023, when early signs of the feature first appeared in beta versions of the app.
Users who have access can set a unique username via the settings menu. The feature imposes certain requirements: usernames must be at least three characters long and cannot include web-like prefixes (e.g., “http://”) or domain-style endings (e.g., “.com”).
By decoupling communication from phone numbers, usernames are expected to enhance user privacy, especially in group chats, business interactions, or online communities where sharing a personal number may be undesirable.
WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, plans to expand the feature globally in the coming months. The move aligns the platform more closely with competitors like Telegram and Signal, which have long supported username-based messaging.