For years, one of WhatsApp’s biggest privacy concerns was simple: anyone who wanted to chat with you needed your phone number. That meant sharing a personal identifier that could be used for calls, SMS messages, and even searches across other platforms. Now, that is beginning to change.
WhatsApp has started rolling out a long awaited username system that allows users to connect without revealing their phone numbers, marking one of the messaging platform’s biggest privacy changes since the introduction of end to end encryption. More than three billion users will gradually gain the ability to reserve unique usernames before the feature becomes fully operational later this year.
Under the new system, users can choose a unique username that replaces their phone number when chatting with people who are not already in their contacts. The feature is optional, meaning existing users can continue using their phone numbers if they prefer.
Meta says the move is designed to give users greater control over their personal information, particularly when interacting with strangers in community groups, business chats, online marketplaces, or social introductions where sharing a phone number has long been unavoidable.
Unlike traditional social media platforms, WhatsApp says usernames will not be publicly searchable or displayed in a directory. Someone must already know a person’s exact username before they can initiate contact. Users can also enable an optional “username key,” an additional code that must accompany the username before a first time message can be delivered, adding another layer of protection against unwanted contacts.
While privacy advocates have welcomed the removal of phone numbers from first contacts, cybersecurity experts say the change introduces a different set of privacy and security concerns that users should not ignore.
The biggest concern is username impersonation.
Unlike phone numbers, which are unique and difficult to imitate, usernames can closely resemble legitimate accounts. Fraudsters could register handles that differ by only a character or two from well known individuals, businesses, or organisations, potentially making phishing and impersonation scams easier.
Technology analysts have also warned that desirable usernames could quickly become targets for cybersquatters who reserve popular names before legitimate owners can claim them. WhatsApp says it has already reserved usernames for public figures and intends to provide creators, businesses, and organisations with ways to secure matching usernames across Meta’s platforms.
Privacy experts also note that users who select usernames based on their real names may unintentionally reduce the very privacy the feature is meant to provide. Choosing a unique nickname or pseudonym could make it more difficult for strangers to identify or track someone across different online platforms.
The update also changes how people think about digital identity on WhatsApp. For the first time, an account can be recognised by something other than a mobile number, bringing the messaging service closer to platforms such as Telegram, Signal, Instagram, and X, where usernames have long been the primary way users connect.
Even so, WhatsApp insists the feature is designed differently. There will be no public profile discovery, no suggested usernames, and no searchable directory, limiting the ability of strangers to browse for accounts.
For many users, the update closes one of WhatsApp’s oldest privacy gaps by reducing the need to expose personal phone numbers to people they barely know. But as usernames become the new public identity on the platform, security experts say users will need to be more cautious than ever about verifying who they are talking to.
The shift marks a significant evolution in digital privacy. Instead of protecting a phone number, users must now protect something different: their online identity.
Users interested in taking advantage of the new privacy feature can reserve a username directly within WhatsApp once it becomes available on their account. The process takes only a few steps, and a detailed guide on how to create and reserve your WhatsApp username can help users set it up correctly while choosing a name that best protects their privacy.
